Turin , Italy – 1898. Excitement was in the air as Secondo Pia set up his photographic equipment to take what was to become one of the most famous photographs in history. Big preparations were underway for the 400th anniversary celebration of Turin Cathedral. Pia, an amateur photographer and lawyer, was given permission by King Umberto … Read moreThe Most Famous Photo Ever Taken

Death first smacked me one day as I was walking to school. I was a Shirley Temple-type kid with blond banana curls and wide, innocent eyes. Back in the olden days, neighborhood children walked to school with not a responsible adult in sight. In fall, I shuffled through dried leaves piled up on sidewalks, picking … Read moreLessons from a Robin

I am a city slicker, raised in the suburbs of Boston, accustomed to the clatter of MBTA trains roaring into the station. As a child, I imagined train headlights to be dragon eyes gleaming out of the black tunnels dug below city streets. Little did I know that another spooky subterranean world lurked in my … Read moreIce Out!

Two-year old Jack splashed in the tub as his mother, Alice Kirke, washed his hair. With each rinse, tension began to build. Her husband, Kevin Kirke, was a Marine major who had been serving in Afghanistan. Kevin had not seen his son for one year, but now he was home, ready for that first night … Read moreThe Enchanted Hour

                         Freezing rain beat down on our windshield, clogging up the wipers, and sending me into the white-knuckle zone. I tried not to look at skims of black ice that coated the roads. Perhaps we should just check into the nearest hotel and not attend our grandson’s baptism. I suggested this to my husband, but … Read moreWas it a Miracle?

Twenty-seven years ago, my family moved from old Cape Cod to central Maine. As you can well imagine, it was quite a culture shock. Spring came to Cape Cod in March. We planted peas on St. Patrick’s Day and actually saw the phenomenon of green grass. Up north, March is often the snowiest month. Climate … Read moreThe Romance of Ice-Fishing

                     One brilliant autumn afternoon I turned by face to the sun and felt its warmth, drinking it in, as New Englanders do, knowing that winter snows would soon beat upon us. I do not take this sunny day for granted. I am standing in the middle of a football field exhilarated by the presence … Read moreTo Fly a Kite….

High atop a nearby golf course, I walked with family. One day after Christmas, the grass had a powdered sugar coating of snow that gleamed in the winter sun. Out of nowhere, a tiny bird flitted across our path and perched on a bush. Most birds migrate from Maine; those that remain are familiar and … Read moreA Christmas Mystery

The young writer was desperate to come up with a quick fix for his money woes. Sales of previous books were poor and his wife was pregnant with their fifth child. It was October of 1834. As he wracked his brain for an answer, an idea came to him. Christmas books made money, but there was … Read moreA Christmas Carol

On November 20, 1820 the Nantucket whaling ship Essex sailed Pacific waters in search of sperm whales. Thousands of miles from land, the ocean was filled with these great leviathans who roamed the deep. Twenty men were on board, unaware of the fact that their lives were about to change forever. Calm waters lapped against the bow … Read moreThe Wreck of the Essex