As I trod the trail in a fir-fragrant afternoon under a hazy sky, I “got to thinkin’” as I joke with Valerie when I have a spell of contemplation. It wasn’t a solitary walk, Dusty the ragamuffin dog alternated between lagging behind and speeding ahead depending on how interesting the scentscape was in either direction….
When I was growing up, my grandma had a great system for spending time with her grandkids. It ensured bickering would be low to nil, and the level of care quite manageable. She would invite all of us kids to spend a week with her and grandpa at their modest but cozy home during the…
My wife Valerie and I love podcasts about plant-based living, mindfulness, and health. The hosts and guests tend to be quite concerned about the environment. That might be no surprise, but what raises my eyebrows is when the host ask their guest something like: “How is the family? You’ve got five kids right?” Whoa, five…
When you think of the words “dog lovers”, you might have visions of the legions of breeds, their breeders and fans at their show-of-shows, the Westminster Dog Show. A great sendup of this world can be found in the Christopher Guest mockumentary “Best in Show” (which also includes Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara, more recently…
“A Kinder World” – image copyright Susan Pitcairn – susanpitcairn.com This week more than any other since October when I kicked off my writing efforts, I am struggling to write. Valerie was listening to a podcast today where a man described the pandemic like a mix of the trepidation around a tsunami or hurricane and…
In 2008, as the full weight of the global economic collapse came to bear on American consumers there was a brief period of sanity: average house sizes bucked the trend and began to decline. Since the early 1980s, average detached homes had grown by about 50%. After the economic crisis, the average size settled back…
What does it take to change a mind? This is not just a question about individuals, but also our “collective mind” as a society. Last weekend, Healthy World Sedona (in Sedona, Arizona) held a conference that looked at this question through the eyes of world-class speakers on plant-based living. Speakers included Dr. Michael Greger of…
A group of boys was milling about on the path by the edge of the canal. As my wife and I walked closer, we could see their arms swinging and the arc of their fishing poles as they cast their lures into the ribbon of water in the concrete trench. We came across a piece…
If only we had the numbers! Someday we will be in the majority. Then, we can effect real change. Whether you fight for farm animal rights, to keep plastic out of the ocean, or to ensure equal pay for equal work, this thought has probably crossed your mind. Using the United States as one small…
At least we caught the problem before blowing up the engine. On the other hand, it was still a drag to sit for two hours and wave irritated drivers around us at the service station. Gasoline in a diesel pickup is a bad idea. Use the green nozzle, not the black one, folks. Trust me….