I’m tired of politics, sick of every issue being charged with political tension, maxed out on current affairs.  I’m scared to death for the environment, terrified that the high temperatures, fires, smoke-filled skies and...

A couple of days ago, I went to a memorial service.  It was what I consider to be a fairly traditional affair, held in a Presbyterian church and centered around the departed woman meeting...

Yesterday I sat outside for a long time. Summers here are hot and dry, with temperatures lingering in the mid nineties and the humidity struggling to rise from single digits. Mountains and hillsides that...

Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending a special celebration for those of us who are studying the Russian language, along with several Russian speaking people who are learning English.  We all have...

In the small town where I grew up, the high school band on Memorial Day would march the four blocks from the high school to the highway bridge spanning the river.  Patriotic songs were...

  My beloved dog, Cinnamon, is dying of cancer. I know this, she doesn’t.  She didn’t look at the x-rays, didn’t hear the veterinarian give us the somber results of the ultrasound.  She is...

My adult ed language classes started again this week, following the community college’s spring break schedule, and yesterday’s Spanish session was a perfect example of seniors learning new things.  Our teacher, who is in...

In the winter, I feed any deer who are willing to jump the fence and come onto our property.  I’ve been told that feeding deer is illegal in some states but here it isn’t,...

We’ve had the mildest, most unusual winter that I can recall in years.  Days and days of mid-fifty degree weather, sunshine and no snow.  The mountains have snow but down here in the valleys,...

I’ve been on an adult education binge this winter, balancing three language classes over two days every week.  It’s awesome for someone who loves communication as much as I do, though some days I...