Press "Enter" to skip to content

Posts published in “Essays”

Driving Around Anderson Valley

I spent a lot of time in my car this past week. Some weeks are like that - I have many appointments and they take me all over the place; other weeks I spend more…

An Interview with Superintendent Simson

I interviewed Louise Simson Superintendent of Anderson Valley Unified School District in her office at the administration building next to the Elementary school. She is a very high-energy and enthusiastic woman. Her style is informal…

Jules Tavernier & The Elem

A striking 19th century Jules Tavernier painting at first glance seems focused solely on native Pomo dancers performing before a large group of Elem Colony indigenous people gathered in an underground roundhouse on the eastern…

Ukraine as Dostoevsky Novel

Hatred for Russia is surging. A University in Italy even cancelled a course on Dostoevsky, one of Russia’s famous writers of the nineteenth century. Looked at differently however, Ukraine is actually turning turning into a…

Insane Clown Posse: Threat Or Menace?

A friend has two kids in public school, so I apologized to her for the education they’ll not receive, and she went on to tell me what they do when classes let out:  Video games. …

Going Home

In these turbulent times it is good to go “home,” even if for just a short visit. Almost 20 years have passed since I lived in a place our family always called “the Crofoot house.”…

Ripped Van Winkle

Ripped Van Winkle strolling through the hills Known for herb the local pub distills Decided he would just step in and hoist a glass With some conscious members of the peasant class The barkeep was Peter Van DamRecently…

-