I am a chopper of wood and carrier of water, a keeper of bees, digger of soil, and washer of dishes, but when people ask me "what do you do" I usually satisfy them with "I'm in information technology." If they really want to know, I'll tell them about the decade as a wilderness guide. Some jobs are vocations, some are avocations, but that one was an evocation. I also wrangle pixels and try to herd them into representations of coherent thoughts, which is a provocation. :-)
I love this time of year in the mountains. Admittedly I could make that statement on any given day, but to those of us more suited to tranquility than bustle, the short pause between the holidays and the springtime return of tourists and part time residents is to be savored. Winter has its charms as … More The Means and Modes of Consumption
“The Road goes ever on and on, Down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the Road has gone, And I must follow, if I can…” -J.R.R Tolkein The word “sentimental” is sometimes wielded like a weapon. The dictionary describes a result derived from feeling rather than reason or thought. I welcome the … More Lonesome as a Train Whistle
We opted for a change this holiday season, and decided to spend some time in a place where the low temperatures in December are consistently double digits rather than the “not-nearly-enough-degrees” predicted for the mountains. When you travel during Christmas there is always a chance that Santa may not find you in your proper place, … More Notes From A Holiday Trek
Each year we come into the Christmas season led, or followed by every expectation on that scale from hope to dread. The needle is seldom stationary. Some of us compare our lives to the brightly colored images of merriment we see advertised and we find our own lives wanting. Some are filled with the spirit … More Why Christmas?
I was standing in line at the post office yesterday, and as a longtime resident of this area, feeling inconvenienced by the wait. Not too many years ago our town was very quiet in December, by comparison. I struck up a conversation with the gentleman in front of me. He was standing contentedly with a … More By Comparison
When you are a teenager taking your first karate classes, you look for opportunities to verify your dubious mastery of newly discovered skills. You repeatedly punch wood, sand or otherwise innocent objects which have never done you any wrong in order to toughen your hands and feet. One evening I found myself home alone with … More As Sorry as We Should Be
On November 15th the world achieved what the United Nations called a “milestone in human development.” The 8 billionth baby was born, no one truly knows where for certain, but symbolically, in the Dominican Republic. This achievement has been attributed to improvements in medicine, nutrition and hygiene. I was thinking about that milestone in heavy … More A Milestone in Human Development
My grandfather rarely talked about politics and advised his children and grandchildren to avoid the subject. He never said so, but I’m confident this wisdom came at a high price. During WWII the local draft board in our poor mountain county had refrained from calling up the few young men from the area who were … More Shut Up And Carry On
As I neared the completion of another trip around the sun, Tracey asked me where I wanted to go on my birthday this year. “Home,” I replied. We exited the house early that morning and walked in the forest that surrounds us. Endless blue sky and crystalline air framed the prismatic proof of the Creator’s … More Another Trip Around the Sun
On the ground outside the chicken house, there were feathers everywhere, and not a chicken in sight. My first instinct was to pull the rifle down from the rack and look for predators, but then I heard the voice of Rachael Ray call to me from inside the chicken house. Rachael was one of the … More Flying Feathers
Outside The Box 