Welcome—I’m Michelle

Stories of Creativity, Home, and Belonging

Welcome—I’m Michelle, a teacher, writer, and photographer sharing stories of creativity, home, and belonging as I move toward a new season of life.

Have you ever felt a quiet nudge to return to something you once loved—or to make space for something new?

Perhaps a creative dream has waited patiently beneath work, family responsibilities, and the ordinary demands of life. Perhaps you are approaching a new season and beginning to wonder what might come next.

That is where I find myself now.

I’m Michelle—a teacher, writer, photographer, published children’s author, and lifelong collector of stories. As I look toward retiring from public school teaching in June 2028, I feel increasingly drawn to the things that have always mattered most to me: creativity, family, animals, meaningful work, treasured memories, and the places that remind us where we belong.

This website is where I will share the stories and experiences shaping my next chapter.

A New Chapter

For many years, much of my energy has gone into teaching, raising a family, and caring for the people and animals I love. Those years have shaped me deeply, and I would not trade them.

But I am also beginning to imagine what life might look like beyond the classroom.

Teaching will always be part of who I am. I still want to encourage, inspire, learn, and grow. I simply hope to do those things in new ways—through writing, photography, storytelling, and the creative projects beginning to take shape.

I do not have the entire path planned, and I am learning that I do not need to.

Sometimes a new chapter begins with one small step.

From Amazing Grace to Harry’s Golden Heart

In 2022, I published my first children’s book, Amazing Grace. It was inspired by the true story of a tiny feral kitten who found love, safety, and belonging in a Grade 2 classroom.

Writing and publishing Grace’s story taught me a great deal about courage, creativity, and the power of sharing stories that come from the heart. It also showed me how deeply children connect with stories about animals, kindness, loss, healing, and love.

I am now working on my second children’s picture book, Harry’s Golden Heart.

Inspired by our golden retriever, Harry, it is a warm and gentle story about kindness, love, and the quiet ways one heart can make a difference. The book combines my writing with photographs from Harry’s life, making it both a creative project and a treasured record of the joy he has brought to our family.

Here, I will share the story behind the book, its photographs, the editing and design process, and the journey of bringing Harry’s story into the world.

Returning to Photography

Photography has always helped me slow down and notice life more closely.

Since returning to teaching full-time, I have picked up my camera less often than I once did. I am ready to change that—to look more carefully at both the small and significant moments unfolding around me.

A familiar face.

An animal resting in a patch of sunlight.

A family gathering.

An old house.

A quiet landscape.

A moment that might otherwise pass unnoticed.

These ordinary scenes often hold the stories we treasure most.

Creating Our Newfoundland Home

My husband, Bob, and I were both born in Burin, Newfoundland. We left the province in 1994, but Newfoundland has always remained an important part of who we are.

More than three decades later, we have purchased a home there.

We hope to spend part of each year in Newfoundland and welcome guests into the house when we are not using it ourselves. I will share the process of preparing and decorating our home, exploring the surrounding communities, and reconnecting with the traditions, landscapes, memories, and people that make Newfoundland feel like home.

In many ways, this journey is about returning to where our stories began.

What You’ll Find Here

This will be a place for stories about:

• Writing and publishing children’s books, including Amazing Grace and Harry’s Golden Heart
• Photography and everyday storytelling
• Creating our Newfoundland home
• Life as I approach retirement
• Family, animals, memories, and belonging
• Creativity, possibility, and meaningful new beginnings

There may also be reflections on teaching, books, travel, and the ordinary moments that quietly shape a life.

A Gentle Beginning

I am not beginning this website because I have everything figured out.

I am beginning because I want to pay closer attention.

I want to create more, preserve the stories that matter, and remain open to what this next season might become. I want to share the process honestly—not only the finished projects, but also the questions, changes, mistakes, and small discoveries along the way.

Thank you for being here at the beginning.

I hope this becomes a welcoming place to pause, notice, remember, and perhaps feel encouraged to take the next small step in your own story.

Welcome. I’m so glad you’re here.