Odds and Ends

A good friend moved to the area recently and told me about his ordeal sorting the disjecta membra from decades living in the same house. He was astonished by the volume of “stuff” purged before the move, and the number of things that had to be sorted, transported and stored. I believe a construction dumpster … More Odds and Ends

A Wise Man Walks

“Watch where you put your feet.” Excellent advice for an area prone to the surprise slither of rattlesnakes and copperheads when you least expect them. It was advice often repeated by my father as we were growing up, and I knew where he heard it for the first time the day my laughing grandfather said … More A Wise Man Walks

All Creatures

We love animal stories. Whether we consider ourselves animal lovers or not, and even if we have never gazed into the soulful eyes of a loyal canine, cuddled with a cat or been honored by the love of a good horse, most of us have a soft spot when it comes to our furry friends. … More All Creatures

Careful As We Grow

There are interesting parallels between the world of today and the Gilded Age of the Robber Barons. When I say, “interesting,” I mean ironic, sometimes amusing and often discouraging, as in the subtle and sardonic Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times.” During the Gilded Age of the late 19th century, wealth was concentrated … More Careful As We Grow

Pull My Finger

Every culture, and every subset of humanity down to the family unit or small group of friends, can and does develop its own narrative, its own mythology, customs and jargon. Each can share its own exclusive brand of humor and its own taboos. Every culture has its childhood stories, fairytales and legends. Some are archetypal … More Pull My Finger

Assimilated

During the early 1800’s, about 3% of the world’s population lived in cities. In the year 2007 for the first time in human history, most of the population was urban. That percentage is around 55% today, and the migration continues: By 2050 it is projected to be around 75%. Here in North Georgia, we know … More Assimilated

A Bag With Holes

“Your silver has become dross, your best wine mixed with water.” These words were written over 2700 years ago, but if you happened to seeBloomberg’s graph of FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) last week, you mightthink they were written yesterday but for the language of King James. If your Early Modern English is a bit … More A Bag With Holes

Seed Savers

When the world was a bit younger, before the host of consuming and monetizing technologies we take for granted was available, people saved seeds. People did a lot of things differently, but this morning as I admire the tray of Ace 55 tomato seedlings growing in the window, seed saving is on my mind. The … More Seed Savers