Tag: nature
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Brooklyn Quiet
The streets of Brooklyn were mostly empty. The few brave souls outdoors wore masks, scarves, or bandanas around their faces to keep virus at bay. A sign posted on a lamppost encouraged neighbors to stay connected in spite of the shelter-in-place order, now in its second month. And yet, the flowering trees still bloomed. Their […]
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Farewell to a Wooded Wonderland
Four years ago, Philadelphia beckoned. With its historic streets, ample museums, and plethora of restaurants, there was never any reason to be bored. What surprised me the most, though, was the vast geographic area the city took up (135 square miles, to be precise). Living in the northwest corner of the city, my husband Jeff […]
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Life’s Offerings
“I now realize that life held a divine purpose, for shoving me into places that were as changeable as the wind. In between the floundering of then and now, the eyes of fate were following me–watching, always watching with narrowing glances. Now, having given deep thought to life’s offerings, I realize that everything that happened […]
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Resplendent in Autumn: Philadelphia’s Laurel Hill Cemetery
Philadelphia’s Laurel Hill Cemetery is one of America’s most notable burial grounds. Founded in 1836, during a time when the only options for burial were in overcrowded churchyards, Laurel Hill was established as a bucolic alternative where the living could bury their dearly departed. In recent years, the cemetery was designated a “National Historic Landmark” […]
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In Heaven, It Is Autumn All Year Round
The Wissahickon Valley is a 1,400-acre park in the northwest corner of Philadelphia proper. Second to none when it comes to beautiful scenery all year round, the area is particularly breathtaking in autumn. No wonder it has inspired poets, writers, photographers, and painters for so many centuries. Nowadays, the park hosts mostly pedestrians, equestrians, hikers […]