State park trail entry point.

Journey Home

Tales from the pilgrimage.

Living in Society

Politics mostly social commentary.

  • Father’s Day Weekend

    A benefit of an American lifestyle is having the occasional weekend off. Yet the weekend is more French than American — le weekend! In June 1977, over two weekends, I was in France with a French infantry marine unit. Those days imprinted the meaning of “weekend” on me even if I don’t get to weekend very… Read more

  • Chinese Chicken

    My current inspiration is a decorative image of a rooster, made in China, and purchased at a home, farm and auto supply store. Eying the clearance aisle wooden chickens for weeks, I finally bought one at a deep discount. The price tag was not much and the cash register receipt describes it as a 17-inch… Read more

  • Briefly on Politics

    BIG GROVE TOWNSHIP, Iowa — On Tuesday, June 7, Hillary Clinton won the California, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota primaries, securing enough delegates to win the Democratic nomination for president at the July 25 national convention. I agree with Jeff Weaver and Tad Devine, key Bernie Sanders advisors, that Clinton isn’t nominated until the… Read more

  • Pickled Items

    I’ll be taking a break for a while. I’m as busy as ever figuring out what life is and what my life will be. In August I’ll be filling in for the editor of Blog for Iowa. Regular posting will resume no later than then. Like the air traffic controller, we can only land one… Read more

  • Cemeteries and Decorations

    BIG GROVE TOWNSHIP, Iowa — A couple of years ago the Solon American Legion moved their annual Memorial Day commemoration from Oakland Cemetery to the new service memorial at American Legion Field. As remaining World War II veterans depart on their long journey after this life, the new field is level, lessening the possibility of… Read more

  • We Like Amy Nielsen

    Once Amy Nielsen of North Liberty set her mind on getting involved with government in one of Iowa’s fastest-growing cities there was no stopping her. When Mayor Tom Salm died unexpectedly in 2014, she pursued a council appointment after nine-year councilor Gerry Kuhl was appointed mayor. The city council chose someone else. Nielsen then ran… Read more

  • Into the Dirt

    SOLON, Iowa — At a table under a locust tree on Main Street I chatted with Kurt Friese, his wife and son as people gathered for his political meet and greet. Most of the small group of attendees are not in my circle of political friends. Maybe they should be. I’ll support Friese in the… Read more

  • Politics Doesn’t Take a Holiday

    JOHNSON COUNTY, Iowa — Talk about politics is everywhere as the June 7 Democratic primary approaches. There is a lot to think about in the two races with a field: U.S. Senate and county supervisors. Well maybe not that much. The four U.S. Senate candidates participated in a foreign policy forum in Des Moines last… Read more

  • Book Review – A Sugar Creek Chronicle

    In A Sugar Creek Chronicle: Observing Climate Change from a Midwestern Woodland Connie Mutel produced an engaging narrative of her efforts to cope with change while living on a parcel of Oak – Hickory forest in Northern Johnson County, Iowa. The narrative is about climate change as the title suggests. It is also rich with… Read more

  • Mogul Rising

    As bad as the Ronald Reagan presidency was for middle and low wage earners, a Donald J. Trump presidency could be worse. Last week’s tit for tat about jobs for West Virginia coal miners is an example of how Reagan’s policies resulted in decimation of an industry, people forgot, and then Trump asserted he could… Read more