handcraftedadventure 
Introduction Have you ever wondered where you come from? What stories lie buried in the past, waiting to be uncovered? For many, genealogy is more than a hobby—it’s a journey of self-discovery, a connection to the past that shapes the way we see ourselves today. For Becky Stites, researching her ancestors has been a lifelong … Read more
There’s a version of healthy aging that’s mostly about subtraction. Less sugar. Less sitting. Less of whatever you were doing before. The advice tends to arrive as a list of things to stop, alongside a list of habits you should have started ten years ago. That isn’t the part that interests me most anymore. I … Read more
If you’re still exhausted after “relaxing,” you’re doing it wrong. That’s because most of us mistake distraction for real relaxation and recovery. Your body and mind need more than just zoning out—they need intentional rest that actually recharges your energy. You collapse onto the couch after a long day, phone in hand, scrolling mindlessly or … Read more
Burned out at 50, I made a bold midlife career pivot—without a perfect plan, just a quiet pull toward something more.This is the story of how I left behind what wasn’t working and started building a life that finally felt like mine. Want stories like this delivered to your inbox? Subscribe below and get my … Read more
When I went back to school to become a radiologic technologist in my 50s, I had to get serious about my habits in a way I hadn’t before. Long shifts, constant movement, studying, clinicals — I couldn’t run on whatever energy happened to be available that day. I needed something more reliable than motivation. Before … Read more
A Handcrafted Adventure Along Oregon’s Coast Tucked away in the heart of Samuel H. Boardman State Park, Whaleshead Beach is one of those hidden gems that feels like it was made just for us. Tom and I stumbled upon it during our coastal adventures, and from the moment we stepped onto its soft, sandy shore, … Read more
I didn’t wake up one day and decide to reinvent myself. That’s not how it happened. What actually happened was slower and quieter than that — a gradual awareness that the life I was living had been built mostly by accumulation rather than intention. I’d moved through a career in accounting and finance the way … Read more
Multnomah Falls was one of those places I’d seen in photographs so many times that I thought I knew what it would look like. I didn’t. It’s much taller in person than a photograph makes it feel, and when you’re standing at the bottom looking up at the falls and Benson Bridge, the scale finally … Read more
There are some places that don’t look quite the way you expected when you finally see them in person. The redwoods are one of them. We visited Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park in early September, and photographs really don’t give you a sense of the scale. You can photograph an enormous tree, but it’s hard … Read more
