Since the summer vacation season is fast approaching, you may want to think about some gear that can make things more comfy for the kids in your minivan (or whatever hauler you use!)

The friendly proprietors at Family Travel Gear have all sorts of ideas for you, plus the time-saving advantage of shopping in your jammies or at any hour of the day or night. This is a family-owned company with "Satisfaction Guaranteed" and a generous returns… Read More

Summer in Maine is fast approaching.

If you've never been there, you have no idea what a madhouse it can be -- or what a lovely place it is to visit in the summer if you can avoid the crowds. If you've been there, you either smugly already have accomodations lined up or you're now in a panic that the best ones are already gone. Such is the appeal of going "down east" to Maine.

I've written a little bit about… Read More

This year marks the 75th publishing anniversary of the very first book in the "Little House" series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. In 1932, she published "Little House in the Big Woods," the first in her wonderful series of stories about growing up in the American West as a pioneer girl and farmer's daughter/wife.

I just adore these books, and I'm very excited that my Texas-Chicago road trip this summer (going to/from a blogging conference) is going… Read More

Today is Queen's Day in the Netherlands, rather the equivalent of Fourth of July in the US in terms of the patriotic showing of colors (lots of orange, in this case, representing the Dutch Royal House of Orange.)

Since 1980, the event celebrates the birthday of Princess Juliana, mother of the current monarch, Queen Beatrix, but it also celebrates the Netherlands in general and is a good reason for a rousing party or going out on… Read More

I was doing some research for an article that I'm writing next month for Automotive Traveler (about road trip travel to western North Carolina in a Dodge Avenger, with a NASCAR slant) when I found some great links in that granddaddy magazine for topics below the Mason-Dixon Line, Southern Living . Just had to jump in and share them with you "real quick," as Southerners would say!

First, since I'm in this road trip… Read More

My daughter has already insisted that the following dates must go on my planning calendar immediately -- the next Harry Potter movie (" Order of the Phoenix") premieres on July 11, 2007, and the final Harry Potter book will be released on July 21, 2007.

Oh, so now you have to go look at the movie trailers? That's all right; I'll wait here.

Unfortunately she and I will be enroute Chicago for the BlogHer blogging conference when the book… Read More