Gillian Pieper

By Ashley Johnson Whether it’s a table with fancy place settings, or a blanket on the grass, there’s no requirements when it comes to sharing food with the people we love. Some of my favorite end-of-summer memories are camping with my husband’s extended family. We would fill a cluster of lean-tos at Kettle Pond in […]

Oh hey Fall, quit breathing down our necks! We know you’re here. We’re easing into the new school year clinging to our blissful memories of inner tube floats and hammock swings. And as social media says, “Sit your butt down Mr. Pumpkin Spice mocho-choco-loco whathaveyou.” We’ve got another few weeks of fresh mint iced tea […]

By Ashley Johnson We all have at least one. You know it! The song that you hear on the car radio, that makes you instantly reach for the volume knob. The kind of song that stops you in your tracks wherever you are. “I LOVE THIS SONG!” The rhythm just makes you want to wiggle […]

Do it right now. Breathe in. Breathe into your belly and your whole rib cage. Breathe deeper. Hold it. One, two, three, four. Exhale really slowly, as if through a straw. Ahhhhh. Feel good? Settle into it. Revel in it. Do it again. This time, reach your arms overhead. When you exhale slowly lower your […]

It feels like the sand is running out in the hourglass of summer. The days are already feeling shorter, and the month of July seemed to have evaporated in the heat. How has your summer to-do list been going? I am the worst when it comes to finishing a project sometimes. If it’s something that […]

If you’re human, you’re probably a “fixer”. When someone looks like they might need help, most of us get that itch to dive in and be useful. Put the shoe on the other foot, however, and the dragon of shame forces those fixers away. Nobody gets what they need. Here are the fixer and fixee […]

By Ashley Johnson I have decided…I’ve given up. The weather forecast is obnoxious, and Mother Nature can’t seem to make up her mind. It’s hot, it’s cool, it’s rainy, it’s dry as a bone for days on end. I water my garden, and then it rains. The Horse and Deer flies are divebombing me relentlessly. […]

“A good rabbit never gives up… Let’s hop to it!” ― Beatrix Potter Walking into a Farmer’s Market (even for an introvert like me), is like watching a fairytale unfold. There’s busy beehive action, color galore, scents that beguile, and sounds that woo with wonder. People hold hands, share stories, make plans, and smile wide. […]

By Ashley Johnson “Walks. The body advances, while the mind flutters around it like a bird.” – Jules Renard As humans, it’s in our nature to constantly be on the move. At least, that’s my excuse when I’m walking at the speed of light, on a mission, to complete my grocery shopping trip in record […]

The 2025 VEHI PATH Summer Challenge starts today! Check out this video of our mythical creature “Moofus” demonstrating all 10 weeks. Here are our thoughts about Sowing Medicinal Seeds: “Those who plant kindness gather love.” – Saint Basil That’s right, there was a Saint Basil who sowed medicinal joy to the underserved. But was the […]