State park trail entry point.

Journey Home

Tales from the pilgrimage.

Living in Society

Politics mostly social commentary.

  • Blow Up the Coordinated Campaign

    In Iowa, the Democratic Party organizes the nuts and bolts of statewide campaign operations around something called the “coordinated campaign.” The coordinated campaign has been a blessing and a curse. On the short list of preparations for 2016, one hopes the coordinated campaign is blown up and re-invented into something that can win against what… Read more

  • On New York City Media

    The twitterverse is in angst about yesterday’s passing of David Carr. I don’t recall reading his work until this morning. I may have missed something. The most important news to come out of the peculiar stew of New York City journalism this week was not Carr’s death nor NBC News Anchor Brian Williams’ suspension for… Read more

  • Everything is Changing

    We look up from the grindstone and notice everything has changed. When did that happen? Most often it’s climate—torrential storms that ripped through the yard, knocking down trees and branches—but it is more than that. It may the human condition: a long walk to our worldly end—replete with biological aging, physical ailments and the like.… Read more

  • Monday is My Friday

    Deeply invested in an economy of multiple income sources, part time work, no benefits and flexible hours, discussions in the national media about job growth, the 30-hour work week, and changing job descriptions  fall upon deaf ears. I’m happy to sustain a life in a turbulent world, avoiding big jobs like the one left in… Read more

  • Supporting Education

    There is a piece to be written about education and how it is supported in Iowa, although not the one that comes to mind. It is a timely topic because the way our K-12 schools receive government funding includes what is called “State Supplemental Aid,” or as some slow to cultural adaptation legislators call it,… Read more

  • Digging by Moonlight

    No question—the driveway had to be cleared. Both of us had commitments in town, so the foot of snow had to be dealt with. I was outside digging at 4 a.m., illuminated by a full moon and clear sky. It took two hours. After our daughter moved to Colorado, I would run on the lake… Read more

  • Walking the Walk

    Twelve participants in the Great March for Climate Action made a reprise visit to Washington, D.C. last Wednesday. Ed Fallon, march founder, tried to get meetings with the White House and the Environmental Protection Agency to coincide with the end of the march last September, however, key people were unavailable at the time. The White… Read more

  • No Winter January

    We had a brief, light snowfall this month, and that’s it. With four days left in January, it seems unlikely winter as we know it will come. We have had the scenic vistas, frozen lakes and automobile crashes associated with Iowa winter, but the temperatures have been nowhere near cold enough to kill off pests… Read more

  • Sunrise

    The sky was colorful and glorious. Then dawn came. January is waning. To what it will yield is uncertain. We haven’t had winter yet— the killing of pests, stopped flow of sap and soil moisture protection. Whether winter will come at all is also uncertain in these days of extreme weather. Many wouldn’t miss winter.… Read more

  • Snowfall

    Imagination can better capture the actuality of falling snow. Better than my smartphone, or camera. Better than words on a page or screen. Falling snow is. That is enough. Read more