Kate Kooyman

“Blessed are the grateful” was a phrase that was used in the church I visited this week, and it made me think of this blog. I’m so grateful for this group of writers. It is wrenching work to put some…

It’s really hard to concentrate on anything except these impeachment hearings, but I’ll offer this bit of good news: apparently following Scripture is not a crime in the United States. Twelve jurors acquitted Scott Warren this week, a humanitarian aid…

There are trees in the Olympic Peninsula whose roots are suspended in the air -- like the tree is standing on its tippy-toes.  Some of the trees roots stretched so high that it creates a root-cave under them. I crawled…

My kids caught an obscene number of tadpoles this week. The fattest tadpoles I have ever seen. They look like little green egg yolks -- the very definition of plump (which is a word that sends my boys into gales…

In Canada, I noticed that when I said “thank you” to someone, they most often responded by saying, “No worries.”  I love this. It’s because I’m a fairly worried person, on the whole. I think that when I thank someone,…

For my kids, the highlight of our National Parks experience so far has been the 45-minute educational talk that happens each night in our campground. Usually given by a park ranger, one of the most memorable talks during our time…

This morning there was a frog in my shower. I was at a campground in Northern Michigan, and the little green guy was all huddled up in the corner. Maybe looking for cooler temps, or more moisture, or maybe I’d…

Today, my family and I will attend the world’s most charming 4th of July parade, an 80-year tradition which happens less than a mile from our house. Handmade floats and local politicians and lots of candy being thrown from vintage…

My dog hates the rain. If I open the back door to let her out, when she clearly has to go, she’ll stand there and stare out the open door, offended. She’ll hold her pee for hours if it means…

“We are the same person,” is the thing I find myself saying when I feel a particular affinity to someone. The other day my friend confessed that when she got really overwhelmed at work, she would start researching #vanlife and…