It was 9.5 degrees this morning, and even our meticulous canine researchers made a quick study of their morning business. The birds were not shy, urging me loudly to hurry up and restock the suet feeder, and like any guy who got clothes instead of toys for Christmas, I might have grumbled then, but I’m … More After the Decimal Point
The forsythia bush by the driveway, the hopeful one that regularly sends out a few exploratory blossoms in December just to see, may finally be convinced that winter has arrived. We suspected as much. The hum of the electric meter has developed a tone that unconsciously stimulates my hand to reach protectively for my wallet. … More No Matter How You Slice It
Tracey and I treat ourselves to some really fine hot chocolate this time of year. It’s the good stuff, not the hydrogenated high fructose off-the-shelf alkali powder. We melt and stir and wait, and simply ignore the list of ingredients on the package of marshmallows. Christmas is a bit like dark chocolate. The fellowship and … More Like Dark Chocolate
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
Outside The Box 