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Posts published in “Essays”

Delayed In Toronto

How many times have you seen TV news reports of people stranded in airports, and thought, “Thank God that’s not me?” Usually the delay is…

River Views (July 15, 2015)

It's raining in July at the Macdonald ranch. Here it proves a welcome sight, damping down dusty roads and dry grass. Any rain in drought…

Busy Socially In A Rural Setting

I grew up where men seldom touched other men, beyond a handshake, and everybody was happy with that arrangement. But, when I came out to…

If There Must Be A Death Penalty…

Much ado about the death penalty lately... Some places want to reinstate the firing squad, which is interesting if only because one or more of…

The Moving Gravestone

My brother died in 2000. He was 51 years old. We had been estranged for over 20 years. We had lived much different lives. When…

One Mean Redskin

It appears that Native Americans are currently part of the national cultural conversation and I — well, wait. I should probably qualify that by saying…

Cherry Tree Myth

The Fourth of July has always been a mixed bag for me. As a boy, I loved the barbecue and fireworks party in our neighbors’ backyard. My friends and I ran around in the dark with sparklers, ate potato salad and burgers and corn and watermelon, and a man smoking a cigarette and drinking a martini set off spectacular fireworks smuggled into California from Montana.

Changing Horses

Fort Bragg is only ten miles from Mendocino as the crow flies. But a lot further by feel. Caspar bridge is like a Mason-Dixon line…

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