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Posts published in “Essays”

A Brief History Of Fire In The West

When I was a youngster in the late 1950s a series of thick foggy evenings meant my father would usually conclude supper with the comment,…

Zombies In The Orchard

I was walking down the Talmage road one afternoon in late summer/early fall, about an hour before dusk, if memory serves. As I recall, the…

Mendocino Mineral Madness

While researching Mendocino County’s geology as I prepare to write a 150-year history of Mendocino County I was re-reading “Mineral Commodities Of California” published in…

19th Century Mendo Dentistry

At this time of year in 1879 Mendocino County was consumed with news regarding what came to be called “The Mendocino Outlaws,” a band of…

Visiting Friends In New York & Philadelphia

Later this week I’m flying to Philadelphia to visit friends that just moved there from Brittany, in France.  Then I’ll be driving up to New…

Giant Grant Score for Parents & Friends

The Fort Bragg City Council met October 23, in a fast-moving session that gave away $3 million bucks to the richest not for profit in…

Gettin’ Messed With By Texas

When I moved to Texas back in 1981, the first thing that struck me about the state, after the stifling heat, humidity, and lack of…

Bach Blows

For at least as long as people have talked about the weather, they have made music about it—from rain dances to pastoral symphonies, from the…

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