Soldiers Unknown and Known
Last week, we (“Grammie” and “Gramps”) received a number of text messages with photos from our grandson, who was on his way to Scouting’s 2026 National Jamboree in West Virginia. As part…
State of Mind: On the Road — Notes from Italy
I just returned from a few weeks in Italy. Here are some journalistic observations. Should you choose to visit Italy, be prepared. Italy is about…
State of Mind: The Curious Case of the Frozen Chickens
A couple of weeks ago, my dear spouse came across an interesting headline in the web news: “Owner Freaks Out When All Her Chickens Freeze…
State of Mind: SpaceseX
It’s time to think again about space, that good old “final frontier.” NASA’s Artemis project is finally getting off the ground and trying…
State of Mind: Louise Glück (1943–2023): Food and Friendship: A Remembrance
We never talked about words, Louise and I. By ‘words’ I mean literature. That may seem strange given that I have spent nearly 40…
State of Mind: Do You Hear the Voices?
In the 1984 film “The Terminator,” Kyle Reese, who is the character sent back from the future to protect Sarah Connor, the mother-to-be of…
State of Mind: ‘On King! On You Huskies!’
Several days ago, as I was pushing my cart around the supermarket, I found myself in the breakfast cereal aisle. I have not consumed…
State of Mind: A Goat’s Tale
“GOAT,” meaning “Greatest Of All Time,” has become a popular acronym lately. You often hear it in association with the name Tom Brady, who…
State of Mind: Out-Smarted
There has been much in the news lately about the threat of artificial intelligence, or “AI.” Artificial Intelligence is defined as the simulation of…
State of Mind: Let it Rot!
Just the other day a friend of mine was extolling the virtues of the “paleo diet.” In case you are not familiar with it,…
State of Mind: Life Is Grands
Winter afternoons in our house are very peaceful. Fireplace glowing, recliner back, feet up, reading while listening to classical music on Vermont Public (whatever…
State of Mind: Making a Splash (or Not)
It is not often a columnist gets an opportunity to speak to an important issue that affects approximately half the world’s population. I am,…
State of Mind: Westward Ho! the Great Panjandrum!
I lived in Adamant for many years. Well, technically, I didn’t live in Adamant. The hamlet of Adamant only has about eight or nine houses,…
State of Mind: The Seventh Season
I recently spent two weeks away from Vermont visiting a place called America, and let me tell you, America can be a pretty whacky place…
State of Mind: Poor Choices
I just saw a story on the web that back in 1978 the actor Harry Reems, best known for his “acting abilities” in films such…
The Dumbest Animals
Do you remember when any animal except a human was considered dumb because humans were “speaking” animals and “dumb” meant “unable to speak?” Then…