250 to 250 USA

From the time of our country’s founding 250 years ago, the story of America has been one of the constant effort of Americans - from all races, ethnicities, genders, and abilities - to make real the belief that we are all created equal and have a right to have a say in our democracy. 

We will be telling their stories over the next several weeks because now, as ever, “We Are America.” ~ Heather Cox Richardson

On this 250th anniversary of the birth of a nation, we wrestle with the complexity of America and how we feel about it. It is a timely reminder of the good stuff while not sugarcoating or shying away from the hard stuff. 

4th of July, Edgewater NJ

We are reclaiming American democracy and taking strength from it to combat those who would destroy it in our era. The Trump administration is really complicating a lot of people's relationship with patriotism and America at the moment. 

post-travel journal

What happens when wonder | wander | women put together the perfect sketchbook kit for travelling... and then leave it behind? 

There we were in Paris, the jewel of the continent, beauty in every direction, and we were empty of sketchbook, watercolours, pens or pencils.

sunset at Pont Alexandre III

On other trips we brought the notebook, journal, pens...everything ready but us. There was no time to sketch because we were busy seeing everything, keeping company with friends or family, or moving to the next location. What to do? 

writing & drawing by hand

A lasting benefit our Benedictine education (ora et labora) brought wonder | wander | women were penmanship classes. Before that we watched our parents writing longhand - admiring their beautiful handwriting and eagerly awaiting our turn to put thought to paper so beautifully. 

"Bayan Ko" chorus in baybayin by Mahala Urra

Long before studies showed the importance of hand writing and how among other things it engages the whole human being - we were encouraged to write legibly and well. 

Being creative ignited our love for cursive early on. Eventually this art form spread into other calligraphic options. Including writing in our own regional native alphabet, badlit - the Visayan version of the better known baybayin, Philippine script of Luzon islands. 

wonder | wander | women creative collaboration

Baybayin is a pre-Spanish 14th to 18th century writing system used in the Philippines to write Tagalog and other Philippine languages and dialects. Baybayin is an abugida, which combines a consonant and vowel into a single symbol that represents a syllable. The name comes from the Tagalog word baybay, which means "to spell".

paris la vie

wonder | wander | women are lucky to have been to some of the world's iconic cities: Rome, New York, London, Paris. These are cities we have seen in art and media, read about it in books, and otherwise have heard about our whole life. 

The Eiffel Tower over the Seine

midyear visions & vistas

Another month has come and gone in this year, 2026 - what and where has it brought us so far? 

Challenged as we are to look past all the noise and drama that has been parked right up our face - wonder | wander | women are opting for the long view, beyond the currents of chaos and strife. Towards the BIG picture - to where we can find succor, support and sustenance. 

nature & wildlife images, National Geographic

In the language of numbers, 6 carries the vibration of Venus - the force of unconditional love, harmony, beauty, and healing. On 6/6, this energy doubles, creating one of the most open portals of the year for heart activation, releasing old wounds, and aligning with abundance. This energy is available to us for six whole days.