Author Archive

In West Virginia there is usually a two-month window between April and May to find ramps and morel mushrooms. This is a sure sign that spring has sprung, and if you’re willing to invest the time and effort, tis the season to find two of nature’s most flavorful foods. Starting in early April many local […]

Loria and Joe Chasnoff live in their hand-built house, pursuing their vision of a self-sufficient, solar-powered life-style. Joe is a master in wood craftsmanship and has built his career in furniture and cabinetry for the last 50 years. Loria is a skilled pain management massage professional and she always had the vision to establish a […]

Get to know Rachel Dennison, a creator living in wild and wonderful West Virginia. We discovered Rachel’s work on instagram @rld_art_wv. She focuses on the intersection of everyday and surreal. You will see she creates whimsical paintings set in cozy environments such as a ramen head, teapots, bad apples, still waters, cat wizards, and the […]

Nancy Hart was a West Virginia woman who operated as a spy during the Civil War. Nancy, like the majority of men, women, children, and horses in our region, supported the Confederacy during the Civil War.  Nancy and other local Confederates believed that slavery and owning other people was an acceptable practice. While I totally […]

I have always figured Ben Franklin was a pretty smart cookie. I mean what with discovering electricity and coming up with all those profound quotes and all. This time of year, many of us think about his death and taxes quote, telling us how these are the only things we can be certain of. The […]

I am getting a lot of enquiries these days about whether or not I offer “service dog” training. It seems that more and more folks are interested in having their dog play a more structured role in their lives and want to achieve some sort of “title” to define that role. There are many reasons […]

Let’s not look back on all of the Glorious moments recognizing them only in past pictures or past regrets of not having loved enough. Let’s see the miracle that is life right now. Cast before you is the possibility for infinite Creation; notice as your body naturally breathes in this present moment. Feel how your […]

Did you know the Asylum has a hotel? It’s called The Escape and is self-described as your “home away from home.” Owners Paula Marie Thomas and Colin Rose say they aim to make your visit to Lewisburg as relaxing and enjoyable as possible. They officially opened the Escape in June 2017, and guests are returning […]

After what feels like an eternity, spring, as they say…has sprung. The trees are turning green, the birds are chirping, the sun is staying up longer and it’s getting warmer. This stuffs all pretty great, you know, if you’re into that kind of thing. And really, after a year of post-apocalyptic winter, who isn’t ready […]

A year ago I wrote this rather obscure poem about the time and circumstances I found myself in, which we are all too familiar with now, the Covid-19 pandemic. The poem combined the new CDC guidelines with a little bit of mystery along with some old personal angst and regret. It was called Quarantine: I […]