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Posts published in “Essays”

Ukiah City Council: On The Wrong Side Of History

On Wednesday evening, October 2nd, I attended the Ukiah City Council’s regular meeting to speak in support of the council passing a resolution to support State Proposition 36. I made a comment, urging the council…

Somewhere, A Bird Is Homeless

Hurricane Helene came a-knocking last week, then spent most of her time knocking down trees and power poles. I got off easy with lashing winds and walls of water that hardly lasted an hour. Cleaning…

Handel Organ Banquet

Join me in a tankard-raising toast to today’s release of my colorful new album, Handel’s Organ Banquet! Hailed along with his contemporary J. S. Bach as the greatest organist of his age, Handel left behind…

Navarro’s Lost Sister City

Down the road from Navarro, very near the 1964 high water mark, there was once a thriving little town complete with post office, a school and a telephone exchange. It has disappeared almost without a…

Please Oh Please Fence Me In

Some friends recently returned from hiking the Appalachian Trail. Or maybe they’re leaving next week. No matter. I’m not interested in details of planning the trip or stories of adventures encountered. The whole hiking, biking,…

Day Tripping – Perfect First Day Of Fall On Coast

Most days on the Mendocino Coast are beautiful, but last Sunday, the first day of Fall 2024, was quite possibly the most perfect day I’ve experienced there yet. First, the day started under a blanket…

Street Runnin’ Man, ’67-’68

It was a short walk to San Francisco's primary riot venues from my grungy tenement apartment at 925 Sacramento Street. Either up the hill to the Fairmont and the Mark Hopkins, or through the Stockton…

Tall Guy Brewing: Fort Bragg’s De Facto Community Center

Meeting Patrick Broderick, the brewmaster and owner of Tall Guy Brewing, is a lot like meeting a gigantic seven-year-old with tousled sandy hair and twinkling eyes. He ambles amiably through his taproom and, although well…

Rednecks, Hippies & Me

I don’t like it when sniveling little punks from the suburbs make snide and condescending comments about rednecks. “Oh yeah, those rednecks, those scary hillbilly goat-sodomizers in their overalls and Nascar jackets.” It’s a bunch…

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