Photos by Anna Van Devender unless otherwise stated. Escaping the Southern Arizona heat in June is a Van Devender family tradition. Driving to Yellowstone in…
On a recent sticky August morning, I waded through the mint to look for zucchini and corn. Despite the memes about abundance appearing on my…
Plenty of things about Disneyland make me happy: the thrilling rides, the delicious food, the artistic details at every turn, my 9-year-old’s joy while hugging…
Ask the sunflowers. Among three different Tucson-area locations I tend, sunflowers are sprouting this spring in: pots and raised beds where my son and I…
Brrrr! Slip some shoes on, don’t bother with a jacket, grab the pile of tattered old sheets and towels, and toss them over the six…
No matter how many times I hear the gentle song of mourning doves, the sound transports my mind elsewhere. Poof! I am standing in my…
“Let’s go see if there’s ice in the pond!” and outside my boys go first thing on a frozen morning. Sometimes it’s a fight for…
“Now we have another reason to save egg cartons,” noted a resourceful parent choosing seedlings I had prepared for a Town of Marana gardening class. …
“I had a lot of fun in the garden yesterday!” beamed one of my elementary students entering school on Wednesday. The boy’s smile and his…
“Yay! We get to eat breakfast outside!” chirps Kid 2, and he flits to the back door. His verbalized desire is music to my ears. In…