I came across a lovely image the other day. I’m reading Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose, a tale of a medieval monk and his young apprentice. The apprentice narrates how he once thought of books as separate and individual things, each distinct from the others. Then he discovered that some books contained parts of others; grew out of others; …[MORE]

I don’t know much about birds, but I watch them a lot because I find their behaviors fascinating. A few days ago, I witnessed a bird drama play out at length while I filled my gas tank.

On the ground around the gas tanks, someone had spilled a bag of some sort of cheesy poof chips. Some were intact, some trod …[MORE]

In a moment of wool-gathering, I picked up a pen and notepad and wrote down four questions. I’m going to keep them around for a while. I think they will make good koans.

What do you want?
What are you doing to get it?
What is the next thing you need to change?
What’s holding you back?

I love cooking, and retirement has afforded me the time and energy to do a lot more cooking for myself than I did when I worked full time.

Cooking for one is a discipline, though, especially when that One is loathe to eat the same dish too many times in the same week. I take care to cook …[MORE]

My father died last week. He had been battling cancer off and on for the last several years. His decline in recent months had been evident, so his passing was no surprise to anyone. Still, it’s one of those things you just can’t fully prepare for.

When my mother called to tell me he had been placed in hospice care, …[MORE]

Both being creatures of habit, my dog and I always walk the same path on our morning perambulation. Since we almost never deviate from our route, I can say with certainty that a particular tree branch has been on a certain property line for a few months now.

The two adjacent houses both use a lawn service; both have …[MORE]

I haven’t disappeared, but I’ve been called away on family business. I may not have the time or focus to write here for a few days.

Don’t give me up. I’ll be back.