Not so long ago, I wrote about community, about gathering together to shine a little light. Like families, some communities exist because of proximity, or a specific current urgency (an election, for example), or because of existing relationships, or because you fall in and they love you and keep you and why would you want… Continue reading True North
Category: Stuff
Mr. Stevens hears the chickadees singing
In honor of the start of a holiday week, a holiday of thanksgiving and gratitude, I'm taking a mental detour from the dire news and the relentlessly grey sky. Let's look at shiny things instead. Or, if not shiny, how about furry? For example, this is Wallace (aka Mr. Stevens, aka Mr. Shawn, aka El… Continue reading Mr. Stevens hears the chickadees singing
Area Woman Has Cold Hands
Teen Demolishes Mother in Battle of Musical Earworms In a entirely expected triumph, clever Teen (16) overcame predictable Mom (50) in a battle of the earworms early this morning. Mom came out strong in the first hours of the morning with the Carpenters' "Close to You," but she was easily bested by Teen's "You'll be Back,"… Continue reading Area Woman Has Cold Hands
Holding a place
Today as the dog and I were walking on a early-February-dressed-as-late-March day, I thought to myself, Of course! It's all geography! And then set my feet on the homeward path knowing I'd know what I was talking about when I got back home. But I didn't. All I remember is the feeling of ah ha!… Continue reading Holding a place
January letter
7 January 2015 2016 Dear Mom, I really wanted to talk to you today—about nothing in particular—and this seems the best way. Or the only way. If I don't want to make the dog nervous by talking out loud, that is. (Mom, everything makes this poor dog nervous! He's a bundle of shivers if you… Continue reading January letter
If there’s one thing you can count on…
https://i.imgur.com/iMt9E.jpg Mt. Erebus, photo by Anthony Powell ... come November, if I'm writing here, I'm going to mention that chilly word: Antarctica. So here we are, and the story this time is Ernest Shackleton's. Surely you've heard of him and his polar exploits: his farthest south (along with our old friends Scott and Wilson) as… Continue reading If there’s one thing you can count on…
100 years of Gryfe’s
A Wednesday morning in November, for Bob
Resting in this moment
October, it's not your fault that you live next door to November (rude neighbors, always shouting cold wind until late into the night, leaving their dead leaves and bare, broken twigs on your lawn, slamming their doors, scaring the birds. Entirely uncivilized behavior). I would wholeheartedly adore you otherwise. You're full of obvious charms that… Continue reading Resting in this moment