Sandra Friend

Sandra Friend

Florida
Three decades and 45 books into her writing career, Sandra Friend enjoys walks in the woods and learning through travel. She's been honored with lifetime achievement awards for her outdoor writing.
10
May
Edisto Gardens

Rose-Colored Memories at Edisto Memorial Gardens

A visit to the pride of Orangeburg, South Carolina, Edisto Memorial Gardens, on Mother's Day. Partly set under a canopy of ancient cypress, these gardens have delighted generations of visitors.
3 min read
09
May
Fort Caroline

New France and the River of May

In 1562, Jean Ribault directed his fleet to the mouth of a great river in the New World. He declared the land for France and the waterway "The River of May." A series of historic sites interpret the rise and fall of "New France."
3 min read
09
May
In the hammocks of Washington Oaks

To Spanish Shores

Exploring Florida's Spanish history up the St. Johns River to the shores south of St. Augustine, with time spent meandering around Washington Oaks Gardens State Park, on the site of the Mala Compara Plantation.
3 min read
28
Apr
Bhaktapur marketplace

Remembering Bhaktapur

Bhaktapur, 1999: these images are a moment in time from a journey to Nepal where my sister and I savored the beauty of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, since stricken by an earthquake.
5 min read
14
Mar
Camellias at Dorothy B. Oven Park

The Gardens of Dorothy B. Oven Park

Only seven acres in size, Dorothy B. Oven Park is a Tallahassee garden beloved by locals but little known outside the city, developed on a former nursery established by one of Florida's earliest camellia growers.
4 min read
04
Mar
Standing Bear Appalachian Trail

Spirit of Standing Bear

A joyful spirit peering out of an antique washing machine cheered me up as we reached Standing Bear Farm after days of soaking rain on the Appalachian Trail.
1 min read
23
Feb
Sacred cow India on the beach

Sacred Cow

When Sally and I found the beach in Goa, we found the respite we sought from the seething masses and perpetual motion that makes up India. It was a place to relax.
31
Jan
Just Married sign in Westfalia back window among many stickers

Just Married

After three years of roaming the woods and the world together, John & I get married in the Ocala National Forest with a very hiker-style wedding.
5 min read
12
Dec
Soaking in Iceland's Blue Lagoon

Iceland's Blue Lagoon

The world's largest hot tub is in the world's coolest country. Iceland's Blue Lagoon provides a superb soak in mineral-infused waters at a spa unlike all others.
6 min read
22
Oct
Absecon Lighthouse

Absecon Lighthouse

First lit in 1857, it’s the third tallest lighthouse in the United States, 171 feet tall. Yet it’s tough to spot Absecon Lighthouse when you scan the skyline of Atlantic City.
4 min read