A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body. -- Benjamin Franklin

Siding the house was a real adventure for Sweetheart Al. Never one to see obstacles as "the end of the story," here he describes how he solved the challenge of siding our Victorian farmhouse

Metal roofs are common in our neck of the woods. They're good looking, durable, and excellent protection against cinders from wildfires.

Tthose of us who are not in foreclosure, but who still must sell in this down market, feel like we are losing our home. And it hurts.

This is the worst real estate market for sellers in my lifetime. Nonetheless, we need to sell our much-loved home. So we've listed it. The "for sale" sign is hanging at the foot of our drive. And we're packing up our family photos and favorite souvenirs and clearing out. Follow my blog as we go through this painful process.

A chance comment from Sweetheart Al starts me thinking about satisfaction in marriage.

We might not have cell phone service or traffic signals, but we share our foothill world with interesting critters.

Here's a Robert Browning poem in honor of April, National Poetry Month.

Friday night, a fierce winter storm took a break and painted a rainbow right over our place. There's nothing quite like being drenched in rainbow light.

There's nothing like a moonless night in the country to restore one's sense of wonder and awe.