I’m taking my annual trip back to Buffalo next week to see my friends and family. Part of the whole ‘growing up in Buffalo ‘ experience is a connection to Niagara Falls, which was virtually in our backyard and a place we went to often on a lark. (that meant skipping school) It’s a good…More

these are just so great…salt & pepper King Kongs.

THE ONLY WAY TO STOP BEING A DOORMAT IS TO GET UP OFF THE FLOOR. Easy advise for an easier life.

1. groceries 2. dry cleaners 3. water plants 4. catch up on emails 5. laundry 6. recycle 7. call mom 8. notice something beautiful DON’T FORGET TO TAKE TIME OUT TODAY TO NOTICE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL. (photograph by Catherine Massaro)

Well, my ex-pat son and his little family are off again. This time to settle in as full time citizens of Ecuador. I was 16 years old before I ever took my first airplane ride. My little grandaughter, Grace, has been flying since she was 10 months old. Not that I’m happy to see her…More

Staircase from the George Eastman House, Rochester, New York.  ( photo by Catherine Massaro)

Wow… I just read the most disturbing talking point article. It was about cars and the car industry. Posing the lead – in question,” Has America passed peak driving?” Why has driving and car ownership declined so drastically for 16 – 34 year olds? The article contends that cars no longer have the magic aura…More

Getting ready to go exploring another National Forest next week and do some camping. This time, it’s The Lassen National Forest in northern California. It lies at the heart of one of the most fascinating areas of California, called the Crossroads. It’s where the granite of the Sierra Nevada, the lava of the Cascades, the…More

There is a wonderful neighborhood at the edge of downtown Reno on Wells Street, that has a huge Hispanic centric street fair each year. My favorite part of the event is the magnificent march of the caballeros in their full equestrian Spanish regalia. Their outfits are only rivaled by the horses’ saddles and bridles. They…More

“They should tell you when you’re born: have a suitcase heart, be ready to travel.”                                                                Gabrielle Zevin (photo by Catherine Massaro)

I like to say that art is all about noticing things, making connections. I haunt antique malls for this purpose. It’s sort of creepy to some people, the idea of going through other people’s things. Voyeuristic I suppose, creeping around the edges of others’ lives by virtue of the things they left behind. Still, I…More

featured photo by Catherine Massaro