Living in Society
Politics mostly social commentary.
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Today I celebrate my 65th birthday. Some baking will be involved — maybe homemade pizza for supper or an applesauce cake. Maybe both. Maybe something else. I plan a trip to the county seat, a tour of our yard and garden, and a walk by the lake — the beginnings of a late winter to-do list.… Read more
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Rain fell from the roof to the downspout then to the semi-frozen ground below. The sound of trickling raindrops was background for Christmas Day at home. We did things together, and talked, sharing ideas, sharing video clips from the internet, and deciding a menu. Christmas dinner ended up being bowls of vegetable soup with cornbread… Read more
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A Russian airplane with 92 people on board crashed into the Black Sea near Sochi, Russia today. While rescue teams search for survivors, it appears all lives were lost, including 72 members of the Red Army Choir who were enroute to Syria to entertain Russian troops. The world is saddened by the loss. Here is… Read more
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BIG GROVE TOWNSHIP — The Big Grove Township Trustees don’t sell many grave plots. One of our responsibilities is a pioneer cemetery called Fackler’s Grove where no one has been interred for several generations. Oakland Cemetery, near the City of Solon, was expanded with an additional acreage before I was elected to the board of… Read more
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Anthony Sells built the first sawmill in Big Grove Township in 1839. There were a lot of nearby trees, hence the name. Things changed. Farm fields, and eventually subdivisions, replaced the Oak-Hickory forest. Except for the state park and a few scattered parcels, the change has been decisive and permanent. Memory of trees persists as… Read more
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Holiday tradition in our house includes cleaning and decorating beginning mid-December. Dec. 18 is our wedding anniversary. This year we plan to celebrate 34 years of marriage with a meal at a local restaurant. Our wedding anniversary is also when the Christmas tree goes up with decorating to be finished by Christmas Eve. As we… Read more
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The president-elect made stunning cabinet picks in the 30 days since the general election. I don’t like any of them. As political institutions re-tool, it’s clear millionaires and billionaires will be the primary beneficiaries of Trump’s administration. He won the election so it’s his right to name a team and set an agenda. As my… Read more
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Time to slow down and consider what’s next for a while. Enjoy one of my current faves, followed by Bob Dylan’s Nobel Prize acceptance speech: Bob Dylan’s Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech Dec. 10, 2016 Good evening, everyone. I extend my warmest greetings to the members of the Swedish Academy and to all of the other… Read more
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President-elect Donald Trump made a victory lap in Iowa last night, speaking to a crowd in Des Moines estimated at 5,000. The word “great” was used frequently, at least once in quick succession, referring to the “great, great people of Iowa.” At least one of my neighbors attended. I did not. The internet was filled… Read more
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Snow fell over swords of grass making a mottled, pre-dawn blanket of white and dark. It won’t last long. Stored heat in the driveway already melted some of it. Snowfall portends winter and the end of autumn work. We turn indoors to the somnolent beast within. The 2016 general election was a pisser. Almost no… Read more
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