Pre-dawn light.

Journey Home

Tales from the pilgrimage.

Sustainability

  • Note to my Congressman

    Dave, Congratulations on your reelection last month and thanks for the conversation after the Second District convention. My wish list is brief, here it is. Create a process to audit where defense dollars go. We are spending a lot on defense, more than I believe is needed. We ought to be able to determine where… Read more

  • What I Like About the County Seat

    There are things I like and dislike about nearby Iowa City which is the seat of Johnson County government. Here’s a post about what I like in no particular order. Parking at the Administration Building The primary reason I travel to the county seat is to take care of county business. When the board of… Read more

  • COP24 and What’s Next

    Like others, I was skeptical the broad coalition to act on climate formed during and after the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Paris would last. This week at COP24 in Poland, three top oil producing states, the United States, Russia and Saudi Arabia, along with… Read more

  • Thanksgiving Leftovers

    I put Thanksgiving leftovers in a plastic dish for my lunch at the home, farm and auto supply store. Low levels of activity characterized the last week. Once I finished morning sessions at my writing desk, I didn’t leave the house much. I don’t like the thought of going to work today, yet two shifts… Read more

  • Bernardo Bertolucci and General Motors

    Bernardo Bertolucci (77) died yesterday in Rome, Italy where he had been suffering from cancer. The bigger news was General Motors’ decision to reduce workforce and eliminate six car models, including the Chevrolet Volt rechargeable gas-electric hybrid. What do they have in common besides their coincidence? They both hit me where I live. When I… Read more

  • Protect Our Planet, Protect Ourselves – 24 Hours of Reality

    It’s a fact: Fossil fuels are driving a climate crisis and threatening our health. On Dec. 3 – 4, Climate Reality and former Vice President Al Gore will be joined by an all-star line-up of artists, thought leaders, and scientists for 24 Hours of Reality: Protect Our Planet, Protect Ourselves. Tune in and learn how… Read more

  • Act On Climate

    Every few years, interest in climate change spikes, according to internet search frequency reported by Google Trends. When the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released their special report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5º C above pre-industrial levels on Oct. 8, searches spiked again. Searches are already trending downward. Newspapers in our area… Read more

  • Into the Light

    I spent much of Black Friday loading customer vehicles with large, bulky items that were on sale. It was often a three-person job. Management had us come in an hour before the store opened at 6 a.m. to put the final preparatory touches on what is one of our biggest sales days of the year.… Read more

  • A Vegetarian Menu

    What does a Thanksgiving menu look like in an ovo-lacto vegetarian household? Roasted pumpkin seeds Pickles and crudités Deviled eggs Wild rice pilaf Baked sweet potato Steamed green peas Kale and black beans in tomato sauce Cranberry relish Apple crisp Almond flour shortbread cookies Sparkling apple cider Read more

  • Into the 2018 Holidays

    This year’s holiday season is just beginning. I’ve been reluctant to turn the page on a year of transition and hesitate still. We’re writing a Thanksgiving Day menu together and thus far know there will be our special recipes for wild rice and cranberry relish, along with sweet potatoes, green peas and an extensive relish… Read more