The memorial service for the father of a good friend of mine was held at the retirement community where he and his wife had lived for the last couple of years. The place is one of those spectacularly lovely and … Continue reading →
Commenter “snowonpine” made an interesting observation in the American Idol thread, in response to my praise of the getting-on-in-years Dionne Warwick’s performance: Ms. Warwick seemed, to me, to exemplify the inability of a star–be it a TV star, prize fighter … Continue reading →
The sole survivor of the night of the marauding squirrels/deers/gophers has bloomed: That’s it for my tulips this year. It stands, forlorn and alone, a profile in courage. It’s a beautiful day today, though, one of several unseasonably warm ones … Continue reading →
Starting in the mid-1800s, the Welsh Presbyterian Church was active in proselytizing, sending missionaries around the world. One of the places those missionaries went was Mizoram, an area of northeast India. They were wildly successful there with a tribe called … Continue reading →
After writing today’s post about toothbrushes and bacteria, I somehow thought of the poem “Crazy Jane Talks With the Bishop,” by William Butler Yeats, which says the same thing. Or, sort of the same thing. Or a related thing. So, … Continue reading →
The inspiration for this poem of mine: the snow, Robert Frost’s timeless “Acquainted with the Night,”and Gerard van Der Leun’s timely “Acquainted with the Blight.” Just to make sure I receive full appreciation for the arduous work involved in writing … Continue reading →
Well, Churchill or Orwell he’s not. But Robert Frost isn’t too bad with the quotations, either–even some political ones (see here and here.) I never dared to be radical when young for fear it would make me conservative when old. … Continue reading →
What’s happening in this photo? Actually, it’s a photo of me, walking in the woods on a chilly day in early spring—that’s why I’m wearing a fairly bulky jacket. The place? The grounds of the Robert Frost Farm in Derry, … Continue reading →
Yes, indeed, I am that old–old enough to remember when Veterans’ Day was Armistice Day. The change occurred in 1954, when I was very small, in order to accommodate World War II. Since then the original name has largely fallen … Continue reading →
Some of you who’ve read this blog for a while may recall that I like poetry, and that as a child my school assignments included memorizing a lot of poetry. And so it is that often when I’m thinking about … Continue reading →
Dymphna at Gates of Vienna has posted a very personal and utterly heartrending essay on the loss of her daughter. It’s couched as a letter to Cindy Sheehan from one child-bereaved mother to another, and demonstrates great compassion. I urge … Continue reading →
I wrote the following on Memorial Day, but I thought I’d post it again today, since it seems even more appropriate for Flag Day. Flag Day is one of those lost holidays. It was easy to ignore even when I … Continue reading →