Mothers Are Forever

On February 8, 2008 Tina Martino's grandmother passed away, and just nine days later her mom died unexpectedly of a heart attack. Every day she goes to visit them at the cemetery in Lutz where they are both buried, in order to talk to them about what's going on in her life, as well as to remind them both how much she loves and misses them. While standing in front of her mother's grave, Martino begins to get choked up as she tells her mom about how she is sorry that she hasn't gotten the tombstone put up yet, but that it will be ready soon. The last time Martino hugged her mom was on Valentine's Day and this will be the first Mother's Day that she won't be spending with her.

We opted for a different kind of Mother's Day story, and I think it worked. The premise being that Mother's Day is the same whether your mom's alive or dead. You still bring her flowers and gifts, you still talk to her about what matters... Read Lane's story... it's incredibly moving.

I Heart Snail Mail

One of my New Year's resolutions was to write more. Write more for myself. Write more to others.

Remember those days when it was so cool to see your name handwritten on something in the mailbox? Remember how special you felt when you realized someone took the time to craft a letter just for you? Where did those days go?

Now, when we're adults and we're deep into the day of junk mail and bills... what better time for a personal little reminder to smile. The luddite in me is bringing it back... Starting a movement. Gone are the days of impersonal e-mails -- short and terse. Gone is the time of mass communication that reaches many but says nothing.

So... I'd love to send you dear reader a postcard. And it's simple. All I need is your address. Throw it into the comments, and something will soon be on its way to you. And simply tell me in the comment field if you'd rather me not publish your address. I can see them just fine either way, but I don't have to make it public knowledge if you don't want me to.

Bonus points for anyone who writes back.... :)

my river

... and my new happy place on my nightly walk, as seen from my iPhone.
(expect more mobile uploads as I mobilize!!)

Paddling to Work

Gorrie Elementary School teacher Annie Melius wants her fifth-graders to get serious about conservation. So she spurred them to think of ways to save energy with plans for Earth Day. "I'm going to paddle to work and back in my kayak," she wrote on the whiteboard in her classroom. Students planned to not turn on TVs, only use bicycles for transportation, take cold showers (not showering was not an option, she told them.) When the kids saw the red kayak on the bicycle rack this morning they said "You really did it!" Melius paddled about 4 miles from her home to work, which took about an hour and a half.

Pesticide Poisoning

Abraham Candelario, 23, cradles his son Carlos Herrera-Candelario, 3, during a court hearing where a confidential settlement was approved by Judge Charlene Honeywell. Carlos was born without limbs after his mom, Francisca Herrera, 22, worked in the company's tomato fields that were sprayed with pesticides during her pregnancy.



Abraham was born with no arms or legs after he was poisoned in utero by harmful pesticides sprayed on the fields where his mother was picking tomatoes.