by Cynthia Germain Winter has a way of lingering, with stretches of gray days and weather that keeps you indoors. It hits you emotionally, not sadness but simply low energy and a sense that everything takes a bit more effort. During winters like this,…
By Cynthia Germain Last fall, I reflected on the grief that can come with caregiving. It’s not the kind people see from the outside, but it’s one many caregivers quietly carry as they help someone through changes in their health, their outlook, their life….
by Cynthia Germain There’s a certain hush that settles over Door County this time of year. The trees are bare, the streets a little quieter, the days shorter. It’s the season of reflection, looking back at what was, and forward to what still needs…
by Cynthia Germain Thanksgiving has always been a holiday built on tradition…the same recipes, the same seats around the table, the same debates about football or pie. For a long time, that rhythm was comforting. And then, gradually or suddenly, life changes. Kids grow…
By Cynthia Germain Writing is my creative outlet, as you might have guessed. And there have been times in my life when it has been therapeutic. This is one of those times with the loss of my father. I endeavor to write a series,…
by Cynthia Germain Later this week, I’ll celebrate my 60th birthday. And I wonder…Wow, how did I get here? But even more so I wonder…What do I do with the next decade? How do I want to live them? What do I still want…
by Cynthia Germain A recent article in The Guardian highlighted something many of us have suspected all along. Pets aren’t just good company, they might also be good for our brains. Researchers followed adults over 50 for nearly two decades and found that those…
by Cynthia Germain We’ve all heard the phrase “food for the soul,” and what it seems to say is that it’s not about the recipes but the connection it brings. I recently came across the U.S. Surgeon General’s thoughtful and engaging guide called Recipes…
by Cynthia Germain There’s something about this time of year that feels like a celebration. As an avid gardener, I can confidently say: this is it—the sweet spot. The flowers are showing their best colors, the vegetable sprouts are boldly pushing through the soil,…
by Cynthia Germain The great weather that we have had leads well into Memorial Day, a long-celebrated holiday since 1868. Originally known as Decoration Day, it was instituted after the Civil War to commemorate the soldiers who perished in that devastating conflict. Over time,…
