Author Archives: nancymugele

Predetermined

I love November – the final act of autumn – on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Waking to the calls of migrating geese who fly our way in formation, nightfall brings crimson sunsets that brightly paint the sky along the Chester River. The air is cool and crisp, yet you can still feel the sun’s warm kissContinue reading “Predetermined”

Dog Days

Today is the official first day of summer, although some of us have been celebrating the season’s onset since its unofficial opening on Memorial Day. The lyric, Summertime, and the livin’ is easy, made famous in Porgy and Bess, is truth. These precious months do not include over-commercialized holidays to shop for, or major familyContinue reading “Dog Days”

Faces of Nature

One year ago yesterday, I caught my first fish on a fly. As you know, I have a great teacher, my son James, a fly fishing guide with Hubbard’s Lodge in Emigrant, Montana. We stayed in the home belonging to the Gignone family, owners of Sweetwater Fly Shop. This week the unyielding force of natureContinue reading “Faces of Nature”

Rebuilding the Muscles of Connection

Education is heart-centered work, and I am grateful every day to serve Kent School. These past two months, however, have unearthed a stamina issue which quite surprised me. In our school we have literally gone from 0 to 60mph in about 10 seconds as we fill the calendar with our traditional springtime community events afterContinue reading “Rebuilding the Muscles of Connection”

Family Tree

A tree is a plant with a tall structure comprised of a stem and branches to support leaves and a root system that anchors the stem as well as procures and stores essential growth elements, such as water and nutrients. Last week’s blog post mentioning a cottage in Marshfield motivated one of my nine Troiano cousins, Tim, toContinue reading “Family Tree”

Ebbing and Flowing

Throughout my lifetime the ocean has always been my source of strength, inspiration and reflection. As a young girl going to my grandparents’ cottage in Marshfield, MA for a month each summer was a gift that I treasured. For the past five years, I have lived on the Chester River on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. ItContinue reading “Ebbing and Flowing”

Question Authority

Banning books has been around for centuries. From differing political, religious, and cultural viewpoints and expression, the explanations for censorship are unlimited. In 1624, Englishman Thomas Morton arrived in Massachusetts. He soon found that he did not want to abide by the strict rules and conventional values that made up their new American society. So,Continue reading “Question Authority”

Reason and Passion

I just watched Legally Blonde for, perhaps, the millionth time. Based on Amanda Brown’s 2001 novel, and released as a movie in July of that year, it was both of my daughters’ favorite movie for the longest time. Starring Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods, Legally Blonde tells the story of a very fashionable college senior,Continue reading “Reason and Passion”