“We are all just walking each other home.” Ram Dass My days follow a simple pattern. I walk, I read, and I nap. Today, I wander through our neighborhood alone. Current events reveal a world gone mad. I am careful to not dive deep into the follies of mankind. It’s a whirlpool of regret. Wars, … More Friends, Canes, And Walking
“Writing is a form of activism.” Brooke Warner I am a mediocre typist. Hunt and peck is my style. Furthermore, my fine motor skills deteriorate with age. The pinky of my left hand wanders. When I attempt to strike the letter A, the letter S often appears instead. Or, that little finger double taps a key, … More Writing
“If I knew the way, I would take you home.” The Grateful Dead Thirty five degrees: good walking weather for January. I drove two miles west to the trailhead. The sky was pale blue and smeared with transparent milky clouds. I turned my collar up against a brisk breeze. The forested trail, damp from recent … More Zen Creek
“What a great time to be alive, if you love the theater of the absurd.” David Lynch November arrives. Cooler, wet weather accompanies the calendar. It comes dressed in familiar garb. A grey sweater of cloud warms the heart, if not the skin. Overcast skies diffuse the autumn light. Primary colors morph into pastels. Trees … More The Fall Of Color
“It is a serious thing just to be alive on this fresh morning in the broken world.” Mary Oliver A breeze puffs and stops. The neighbor’s oak leaves float across our fence. They dance, twirling in descent, and settle atop the river rock in my yard. Friction with the earth holds them in abeyance of … More Autumn Light
“Life is not what one lived, but what one remembers …” Gabriel Garcia Marquez I head south from my house in town. The road winds past the Westside Fire Station and the Catholic Cemetery. Further on, I pass the high school and the airport. Orchards of pear, apple, and peaches come into view. I cross … More Lost Lake
“There is nothing to do. There is nowhere to go.” Thich Nhat Hahn I had an appointment with an oral surgeon in The Dalles, OR. It’s 20 miles east of my home in Hood River. The morning sun made freeway driving difficult. At one point, I gunned the engine to speed by a cluster of … More Riverwalk
“The future happens, no matter how much we scream.” Derek Walcott I meander through my days, indifferent to their purpose. I seek elusive peace. I play golf with friends. Or, I indulge in the calm and quiet of our local library. Sometimes, the Columbia River waterfront beckons. There, I mingle with the dog walkers and … More Summer’s End
Stray cats prowl our neighborhood. Each day, I leave a small portion of kibble on our porch. I place it under the eaves, sheltered from rain and gusts of wind. The food disappears. I’ve noted two visitors. One is burly. He has the demeanor of a New Jersey mobster. He must have a home. His … More Lost and Found
“The future ain’t what it used to be” Yogi Berra I’m an early riser. I’ll drink coffee and read until the fog of sleep lifts. Recently, a dangerous heat wave blistered Oregon. So, I’ve taken to watering my plants early in the day. This spring, I eliminated the wildflower spaces. An invasive weed had begun … More Pots and Weeds
Good Blood, Bad Blood 