Propriety

I woke up thinking of Finishing School. I certainly didn’t attend, but in a dream as I woke, a servant right out of Arabian Nights was massaging my shoulders as I was served some food. I picked up an odd-looking table knife with a handle so tiny that it seemed the rest of handle had … Continue reading Propriety →

Stranger Danger

I ride the bus. Often. Actually, I ride the bus to get wherever I’m going unless I’m walking, riding my bike, or occasionally getting a ride from a car-driver. In a big city this would be absurd to even comment on, but in the Midwest we generally reserve our buses for the extremely poor, those … Continue reading Stranger Danger →

Porch Memory

Every summer we'd make the eight hour trip to Williamsburg, KY from Dayton, OH to Grandma’s house. It was really Uncle Clyde’s place, her son, but we thought of it as her's since we saw little of him and she was always there. The front porch on the old house was bigger than rooms in … Continue reading Porch Memory →

American Genocide

If something like, say a pandemic that no one was to blame for, were to “wash over the country”, the largest losses would be to those that are recipients of our previous culture’s caring. Talk about budget-balancing!

Discomfort Zones

“Yes, getting older is hard.” She was trying to show sympathy with my frustrations, but the comment only made me more irritated.

Lessons from the Winds

The tornadoes are teaching me patience as I’m detoured, slowed by drivers distracted by the destruction and some even doubly distracted by photographing destruction. They are helping me reinforce learning that I already had, but sometimes forget, about the inherent goodness of even the people badly behaved in the normal course of things.

The Baloney Rind Trail

Long ago before Interstate 75 was a thing, there was a very specific route 'home' for the thousands of Ridge-runners, Briar-hoppers, and Hillbillies living in and around Dayton, Ohio. They all had varied routes and all went "home”

The power of scent

Someone else said they think of a grandmother each time they smell roses. Scent has the power to conjure our past and the people who live there. Sometimes good; sometimes bad. Sometimes just talking about a smell can do the same.

Dead Leaders

Would anyone be surprised that I’ve been annoyed? I didn’t think so. I have also been wistful this weekend. I am always sad to hear that someone’s time is up. That’s it; you’ve done all you can do; there are no more do-overs, apologies, compliments. The opportunities to love and learn a new thing are … Continue reading Dead Leaders →

Triangle Park

Back in 1960 Ramsey recorded the “… the larger, more picturesque specimens in which the trunk circumference four and one half feet from the ground measure four feet or more. …” Looking at the map and the circles representing trees it is clear that many of the trees that were recorded in 1960 are gone and a walk through the park one will see the stumps of trees cut for any number of reasons.