Today is the 2020 Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. I like to think of tomorrow as the first day of spring. Huh? Let me unwind that. The days start lengthening and gradually, minute by minute, today’s 5 o’clock shadows will occur at 6 pm, then 7 pm by April. Thus, to me, … The Pandemic Solstice – Spring is Coming! READ MORE »

We started with hats and purple hair several days early. What’s this year except a constant Halloween and scary nightmares every day? Even the home stores were emptied of witches, goblins and faux Thanksgiving turkeys a few weeks ago – on to Christmas, on to 2021. We can’t get there fast enough. For many people, … Halloween 2020 – Not as Scary as the Election! READ MORE »

Of all the disruptions dealt by the pandemic, a neglected topic is the 180-degree change in the personal life of a frequent business traveler. You’d think the response would be – “wow, isn’t that nice, you can finally spend time at home?” That’s not the case for many of us – my closest personal relationships … Pandemic Journal: Womantraveler Disrupted READ MORE »

On Pond Bridge Road off Main Road in Tiverton, Rhode Island, I drive west toward the Sakonnet River, about a half mile away at the foot of sloping farmland. The road narrows for a two-lane bridge, past the Nonquit Pond “fish ladder” that river herring from the salty ocean “climb” to go around the dam … Pandemic Journal: Early Fall in Historic Tiverton, Rhode Island READ MORE »

A few years ago my business travel increased significantly. I didn’t understand its implications until this prolonged pandemic, which has robbed me of the physical travel and interaction in person with colleagues and clients that spark my creativity. Working remotely is familiar and easy but I’ve never done it exclusively. My energy is flattened, my … Pandemic Journal: Getting Really Good at Doing Nothing READ MORE »

As travel writers reprise their best journeys while unable to travel, this is one of my firsts and my favorites as a business Womantraveler…It’s a condensation of the original article published in The Washington Post on Jan. 27, 1980 when I was a staff writer… Tours, France, 1980 (original title – “Sweetening the Scene: A … Pandemic Journal: An Inside View of French Wine-Making READ MORE »

A week ago today, I packed up the remnants of my vacation condo and hit the road for home, north along the two-lane path of the Blue Ridge Parkway and down into the North Carolina Piedmont. The early morning was a pristine, still, cool and crystal clear. A series of mountain ridges stretched east, dark … Pandemic Journal: Renewal in the Blue Ridge Mountains READ MORE »

Another morning. The days run into each other, I pause to think – it is Aug. 2, I believe, and I’m hell-bent on making some small but significant change to interrupt the monotony of this prolonged pandemic shutdown – and to rekindle a fresh mix of productivity and action. This my favorite part of the … Pandemic Journal: Stuck READ MORE »

One month into the pandemic “stay at home” experience, and deft with Instacart grocery deliveries, I heard about The Produce Box out of Raleigh, NC – home deliveries of fresh produce from around the Carolinas every week. Familiarity returns – memories of my weekly outings to the farmers market. I was blissful about the prospect … Pandemic Journal: Edible Carolina READ MORE »

Travel encompasses both improvisation and grounding. Most of us need anchors – so we can take off on our journeys, improvise and explore and come back to something solid and dependable. Two days ago, I flew to New York City. There had been talk of the Coronavirus for a few weeks. When flying to Albuquerque … Pandemic Journal: Improvisation READ MORE »