“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
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
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
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
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
Human nature provides us with an almost unlimited capacity for complexity and drama. The wheel of history turns, sometimes repeating, sometimes rhyming, but always powered by the same engine. After several generations of relative peace and prosperity at home in the US, our wheel has hit a pothole not uncommon in the historical record. We … More Hydraulically Fractured
“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
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
We’ll be brief this week as travel is imminent, and we take extra time when it’s raining. The pups always know when they’re about to be left behind. They read the signs, know the clothes for work and the outfits we wear for puppy related business, and so my too-big-to-be-a-lap dog is competing for space … More Price Check On Register 9
“Hiareth” is a difficult word to say unless you speak Welsh, and there is no direct translation. Lily Crossley-Baxter described it as “A blend of homesickness, nostalgia and longing… a pull on the heart that conveys a distinct feeling of missing something irretrievably lost.” I can’t say the word properly, but there are times when … More Between Hiraeth and Vgatenohv
Outside The Box 