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. :-)
We have strange ways of marking time, and I’ve long believed that we might do better. For example, we begin the year in the middle of winter. January 1st is not linked to any terrestrial or sidereal event such as a solstice or alignment of the stars. It’s an arbitrary assignment linked to Julius Caesar … More The Wrong Side of History
“You’re just being contrary,” a friend once remarked. “I disagree,” was my immediate reply. Maybe it’s the weather. I’m standing on the back porch waiting for Peaches, who just chased a squirrel into the laurel thicket, to finish conducting her morning business, and it’s so cold that my coffee is starting to ice over in … More Au Contraire
A few short years ago, when relentless time was beginning to overtake my parents, and the empty chairs around our Thanksgiving table were already noticeable, there came the very last family gathering when all my mother’s children sat down for a meal together under her roof. We didn’t know it was the last. One rarely … More The Cranberry Salad
The trees on the ridge high above our cove are discussing the wind this morning, and there are strong opinions among the crowd. Morning came earlier than my situational awareness, and the t-shirt I wore to the barn was a thin response to 34 degrees. Curiously, I didn’t really feel chilly until I came back … More Against The Wind
On the 7th of November, I was having lunch with a good friend who lives a few miles south of here. We settled into a friendly little mercado—one of those charming community-based stores that combine a small café with a market offering fresh meat, produce, and everyday essentials. They remind me of the local markets … More A Fair Witness
Another Halloween has come and gone without a single trick-or-treater. Another big bowl of peanuts and prunes to wrap up and put away until next year. We don’t know why the kids stopped coming. I’m tempted to have a Heath Bar with my coffee this morning, but I’ll stick with toast. We wouldn’t waste our … More Trick Or Treat
Every year about this time, leaves gather and get relocated; then they regroup and conspire to come back with others, only to be relocated again. The roofs of our house and barn are inspected and repaired as needed. Garden hoses are coiled and stored away. Tomato plants are pulled up and replaced by broccoli, lettuce, … More It’s About Time
In the face of Nature’s overwhelming power to transform and destroy, if we are not humbled by the frailty and impermanence of all that we build and plan—our organizations, economies, heritage and traditions, our dreams and aspirations, indeed our very lives and all that we hold dear—then we are blinded by the same pride that … More Fair Winds and Following Seas
Last week I wrote that the storm could have been much worse for Georgia. I regret saying that. While it’s true statistically, this is the last thing someone wants to hear who is sleeping on a cot in a temporary shelter or waiting for their electricity to be restored. It’s no relief whatsoever for anyone … More What Are Your Priorities?
It’s 6 AM on a Friday morning and I’m sitting comfortably with a cup of coffee, counting my blessings. We’ve had a foot of rain here so far, and all that water is going where it’s supposed to go and not into our basement. At the moment, there are at least 2 million people without … More Deeper In The Dip
Outside The Box 