“Here’s a Dandy for you, Mom.” One rainy day – I think I was about 13 or 14 – my mom and I were passing the time browsing through some of the old books on our shelves. We chanced upon an old book of poems….the kind that are heavily rhymed and highly sentimental. We flipped through the…
About the Tree Series and the Tree-to-Life Stories
I love to doodle. Doodling is something that just happens for me. All through school and later throughout my career, my notebooks were adorned with drawings. Sometimes, it’s even a little embarrassing. Just glance at any of my meeting notes. There are more doodles than notes. But doodling – believe it or not- keeps me focused. Usually. …
Bob Stewart: Delivering Smiles (A Tree-to-Life Story)
Remember the days when we all knew our postal carriers? Before we worried too much about political correctness, we called them “mailmen” and they were a part of our everyday lives. They would come to our homes 6 days a week, generally right up to the front door, sliding our mail through the slot or into the…
Beth Lytle: Yoga for Growth, Balance and Fun! (A Tree-to-Life Story)
“I’m not goal driven ….I’m Fun driven,” Beth Lytle laughs, as she sips her iced hibiscus green tea. Sitting across the table from this attractive, sprite-like woman, I find this intriguing statement easy to believe. Lithe and lively, she sports a short pixie haircut (color changes frequently to match her moods), bright, intelligent eyes, a sprinkling of freckles, and…
Father’s Day Tribute and The First Tee of Greater Tyler
My husband, Fritz, and I met at a driving range in 1990 and did most of our “courting” at Granville Golf Course in Granville, Ohio. We both shared an almost all-consuming passion for golf and we both “inherited” this love from our fathers. Fritz golfed with both his parents as a boy and spent hours on the…
Jon Kavanaugh – Rocket Man (A Tree-to-Life Story)
I met Jon Kavanaugh at the Tyler Mini-Maker Faire. His booth was next to mine and couldn’t have been more different. While I was displaying the happy prints, cards, and calendars from the tree-series, Jon’s display included a large model rocket, a sophisticated measuring device (more later), and the following challenge: Design and launch a model rocket…
Beth Walker – The Earth Connection (A Tree-to-Life Story)
I have always considered myself a nature person. I love the outdoors, flora and fauna alike (not to mention trees, LOL). And I’m concerned to preserve the beauty, vitality, and abundance of this awesome planet for future generations and all living things. But some people have a special connection to our Planet Earth. Beth Walker is one…
Art Meets Science and the Tree-People Go Interactive
A while back, a friend told me about the Tyler Mini-Maker Faire and suggested that it might be a good place to showcase The Tree Series. I looked into it and signed up to be an exhibitor. I then promptly forgot about it. The next thing I knew, it was a few days before the event and…
Becky Minkel – Signing Love (a Tree-to-Life Story)
Becky Minkel knows there is more than one way to say “I love you”. Becky is a sign language interpreter for the Deaf and uses sign language not only in her work but as a way to express love, passion and joy in her own life. Becky explains that the deaf community has it’s own rich culture…