The Journal
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The House That Chose Me
Some houses are just buildings. And then there are the rare ones that feel like home before you even understand why. Twenty-six years ago, this house was never supposed to be mine. I wasn’t looking for a home, and homeownership wasn’t part of my plan. But here I am on June 1, 2026, celebrating more…
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The Winter Penny the Tanager Stayed at Blue Haven
Last winter, in the middle of January during one of those stretches of bitter cold, I noticed a small, unfamiliar bird at the feeder. She wasn’t one of our usual visitors. Not a cardinal. Not a finch. Not a sparrow. She was a soft golden-yellow, almost glowing against the gray winter backdrop, and she looked…
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Betty the Bicycle and a Butterfly
Last weekend, my husband and I made our usual trip to our favorite antique and flea market—the kind of place where you never quite know what you’ll find, but you’re always hopeful something will find you. And this time, something did. Almost immediately, I spotted her. A sky blue Schwinn Suburban, circa 1970, with just…
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The Joys of a Pollinator Garden
Life, color, and quiet magic at Blue Haven There’s something different about a pollinator garden. It’s not just about what you see—it’s about what shows up. At Blue Haven, I started planting with intention. Lavender, coneflowers, salvia, foxglove—plants that do more than just look pretty. And somewhere along the way, the garden stopped feeling like…
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The Buck of Blue Haven: A Backyard Wildlife Story
He doesn’t arrive quietly. There’s always a moment before you see him — a shift in the air, a pause in whatever you were doing — and then suddenly, there he is. Standing in the yard like he owns it. Tall. Still. Watching. The First Encounter The first time we saw him, Rocky was still…
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An Unexpected Guest: A Robin’s Nest at Blue Haven
Sometimes the best moments at Blue Haven aren’t planned at all. One day, in a moment of pure “we’ll deal with that later” energy, we left a ladder sitting beneath the deck. Harmless enough… or so we thought. Before long, we noticed something taking shape on top of it—a carefully constructed little nest. At that…
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The Tomato That Made Her Cry: A Love Letter to Heirloom Tomatoes
There are moments in life that feel unexpectedly emotional. …and sometimes, a tomato. The first time my sister bit into an heirloom tomato, she paused mid-bite, eyes wide—then filled with tears. Real tears. Over a tomato. We laughed, of course. We still laugh about it now. But also… we understood. Because once you’ve tasted a…
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Embracing Peace: Morning Rituals at Blue Haven
A slow, peaceful morning at Blue Haven — coffee on the deck, birds at the feeders, and a quiet walk through the garden.