It starts with a low rumble. As the noise grows louder, I shade my eyes with a cupped hand and look up at the blue sky. Overhead, the roar approaches and its source comes into view—half plane and half boat. Since I grew up on the California desert, floatplanes are still a surprise for me to see. These amphibious planes often fly to the San Juan Islands near my home now in the Pacific Northwest. And whenever I see floatplanes, I think of a storied name in lighthouse history: C

For those who love reading, the busy December holidays can be a challenge. However, book lovers always find a few minutes to open the pages of an old friend of a book or discover a new favorite. Short stories. A classic novella. Charming letters from Father Christmas. Here are six favorites (plus one) with shorter passages to dip into throughout the beautiful December rush: A Merry Christmas and Other Christmas Stories by Louisa May Alcott Book Description: Like her character

First Freedom: Escape into the Night She prayed that the night would be kind. Touching her daughter's shoulder one last time, her fingers pressed as lightly as a butterfly's landing. Out in the night, on a path she herself could not follow, her daughter faced every kind of danger. The mother finally withdrew her hand. She strained to catch a last glimpse of her daughter. Sarah Elizabeth became enveloped in darkness, accompanied only by the "conductor." She had no idea if Sara

Discovering Narnian Treasure I walked in the fragrance of a hundred Christmas trees. On my way to the mailbox, living, sun-warmed cedars lined the path and dropped their needles, creating the scent of the holidays with each step I took. Everyday journeys have become an adventure since I moved to a Pacific Northwest forest. On this particular afternoon, I discovered a key when I opened my mailbox. What package had arrived? I bent to insert the key in the parcel locker. The spa

From a classic tale of Christmas past to a reindeer heiress, here are the Top 5 books I'll be pulling from my "Keeper Shelf" to reread this holiday season. A Christmas Carol is a must to read in between viewing all the different film adaptations of this classic (the Alastair Sim version is my favorite, but my husband and I love and watch them all). I'm also interested in reading Advent in Narnia, a new book for me. It can be read along with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrob