State park trail entry point.

Journey Home

Tales from the pilgrimage.

Living in Society

Politics mostly social commentary.

  • On Our Own Into 2016

    “Publishers are not accountable to the laws of heaven and earth in any country and regardless of my opinion, editors and publishers will print what they will.” I wrote this in a letter to the editor of the Quad City Times in 1980 reacting to a popular feature section called Soundoff. “(It is) little more than… Read more

  • We’re Going Home — Hamburg Inn No. 2

    With yesterday’s announcement Hamburg Inn No. 2 is being sold by 68 year-old David Panther, another chapter in the long exodus of sixty-somethings from Iowa City’s public stage is closing. With growth and a burgeoning new population, long time aspects of Iowa City iconography have changed and are changing. Old is giving way to new.… Read more

  • Iowa Caucus — 8 Days Out

    Stuff is getting real as we enter the last days before the first in the nation Iowa caucuses on Feb. 1. The Democratic race has been somewhat dull and uninspiring. Set aside the hubris-imbued early drop-outs (Lincoln Chafee and Jim Webb), those in the race, Hillary Clinton, Martin O’Malley and Bernie Sanders, bring little we… Read more

  • Three Recent Cancer Victims

    The recent passing of David Bowie, Alan Rickman and Brian Bedford, all from cancer, reminds us that no matter the place people hold in our imagination we are grounded in a humanity that can be taken from us equally. They will be missed. I know least about David Bowie. He was one of many rock… Read more

  • Society in Decline?

    How does one recognize society is in decline? We participants probably can’t. In 1540 conquistador Hernando de Soto sent a messenger to Quigaltam, supreme leader of a people whose ancestors had built mounds and lived in the Mississippi River basin for 700 years, to say, “the son of the sun” expected his people to obey… Read more

  • Hillary and the Polar Vortex

    BIG GROVE TOWNSHIP, Iowa — The ambient temperature dipped below zero degrees overnight, signaling the arrival of the polar vortex. Soon it will be time to prune the apple trees — most likely next weekend. I worked a door knocking shift for the Hillary Clinton campaign on Saturday. While a lot of people weren’t home,… Read more

  • Into Winter 2016

    One week into my new job at the home, farm and auto supply store I believe I can make it. I move a lot of 40 pound bags of pet food, 50 pound bags of bulk grains and 70 pound sand tubes, providing upper body exercise without straining my back or shoulders. I can do… Read more

  • Big Grove 2015 Highlights

    Having yesterday off work at the home, farm and auto supply store, I made a trip to the grocery store and considered last year. Here are some highlights for interested readers. Reading list. A key realization was most of my reading — and I still do a lot — is short articles, mostly on my… Read more

  • When I’m Sixty Four

    As my 65th trip around the sun begins, here are some things about where I’m going. Without good health, family and friends, and a sound financial system, it will be difficult to do much beyond the lot lines where we spend most of our time. I’m lucky to be in good health and working on… Read more

  • Christmas 2015

    Chard and celery are growing in the garden and not ready to pick. It’s Dec. 25 for heaven’s sake! Grass is greening and water is standing in the ditch. Ambient temperature is 30 degrees — freezing, but not quite. The spring-like weather belies the holiday decorations inside our home. Our daughter pulled back to back… Read more