There’s a certain kind of person who gets into backyard chickens. You know, the one who sees those dreamy Instagram photos of crisp white coops, glossy-feathered hens pecking daintily at wildflowers, and artfully placed baskets of freshly laid eggs. That person? Not me. Not you.…

I was scrolling Facebook, looking over my morning notifications, sipping my coffee and BAM. It happened. My eyes scrolled over my worst nightmare. It was the longest, nastiest, creepiest snake, playing in a pool of water with an innocent toddler, her mom, the spectator, looking…

I grew up spending my summers at my grandparents cabin on the lake, swimming, skiing and fishing. Some of my fondest childhood memories are with them there. My grandad was an avid organic gardener to which I still have his old “how to” books that…