Since the November election, I’ve joined countless marches and other demonstrations to protest what’s happening to our country. Earlier this week, we demonstrated against a Medicaid funding cut scheme that threatens the health of people with low incomes. This weekend, I’ll … Read More
Last weekend, barely ahead of this season’s first big snowfall, I brought in the last of the ash, beech, ironwood, and maple logs that I’d been tossing into heaps throughout our woods all year. One wheelbarrow load at a time, those heaps became orderly stacks … Read More
I’ve tried to avoid online political discussion for several years because of a hideously painful conflict with a beloved member of my family. As of today, I am taking a different stance, at least for now. We need to set aside the … Read More
Starting on the hottest days of the year, I’m likely to be at the kitchen stove in Vermont, with steam rising from pots of boiling water, bubbling fruits, and pickle brine. This activity, which continues until our garden succumbs to frost … Read More
Cady is now ensconced in a warm, loving home in Southold, NY, near the tip of Long Island’s North Fork. Cady and her new human housemate, who wants to remain anonymous on the internet, both seem to be more than happy with the arrangement. … Read More
A neighbor came to my door in Vermont about a month ago with a cat in her arms that had showed up at her place. She thought the cat might be ours. It wasn’t, but the neighbor seemed unable to deal with the situation, so I … Read More
After finishing Louise Erdrich’s novel LaRose, I had to wait for my tears to clear before I could begin writing about it. At the core of the story are two entwined families. Landreaux, the Ojibwe father of one family, accidentally shoots and kills the … Read More
Like many Americans, I’ve been entertaining thoughts of emigrating to Canada. Lynne and I just got back from a vacation with stays in Niagara Falls, Toronto, and Vancouver, and I’ve paid many visits to other Canadian locales. I ♥ Canada and its people! Here … Read More
I was about to leave home for a concert on Sunday when the phone rang. The caller’s English was heavily accented. I might have snarled, as I sometimes do when I get calls from strangers with impenetrable accents, especially if I suspect — … Read More
On Monday nights from September into May, I join the other members of The Art Mob for a couple of hours of singing. These get-togethers are rehearsals for the six public concerts we perform every year. Singing for our loyal fans makes my heart … Read More