NACRE PURFLING, ANTONIO STRADIVARI, JANINE JANSEN And NELSON MANDELA

It is Sunday the 29th of June, 2014 and Maine has been suffering through some of the best summer weather ever. Whenever someone mentions something nice, like the weather, around these parts the usual response it, “Yeah, but it won’t last”. Therefore I use the term “suffering”. (I am not a Mainer by the strictest … More NACRE PURFLING, ANTONIO STRADIVARI, JANINE JANSEN And NELSON MANDELA

Thrashing About, Searching for the Cool Spot, Waiting for Godot

I’ve been back in Boothbay for over a month. Summer has arrived, the trees are getting it on, and the gardens in the yard around The Castle are fruiting and flowering. My body is finally rested and I have established a daily routine of sorts. This post is about daily routine. The one I have … More Thrashing About, Searching for the Cool Spot, Waiting for Godot

Going Home Part I

HOME AGAIN, HOME AGAIN, JIGGITY JIG Part I   How wide is this country? This episode of “Playing Fair and Being Kind” begins with a look at the distance from Spokane, Washington to Boothbay, Maine. Google makes it a little over 3,000 miles by car and about 45 hours of driving time. It is a … More Going Home Part I

Homesickness, Beautiful Drives, Seeing the Fecundity of the Pacific Northwest

While visiting Ed Birdsong in Salinas I learned how rich the soil is and how kindly the weather is in the valley where he lives. The farmers are able to grow four seasons. The mountains protect from the winds off the Pacific and the surrounding ranges drain into the Salinas river providing moisture. “The Country’s … More Homesickness, Beautiful Drives, Seeing the Fecundity of the Pacific Northwest

Adios, Coronado! Eating Like a Basque in Bakersfield; Brad Frisius in Visalia; Discovering the Salinas Valley!

The last three or four days I stay in Coronado are only bearable because I am near my son Mark and his family. The noise from the Navy doing their thing is never going to amuse me or allow me serenity while on vacation. Helicopters, gunfire, more helicopters, and explosions. The population of the RV … More Adios, Coronado! Eating Like a Basque in Bakersfield; Brad Frisius in Visalia; Discovering the Salinas Valley!

Tenting on Government Property Has Its Ups and Downs

In the past week I’ve watched helicopters hovering over the South Bay practicing rescues over and over. Two choppers took turns getting as close to the water as possible and when one of the crew jumped into the bay they would gain a little altitude and do something mysterious to me from my observation point. … More Tenting on Government Property Has Its Ups and Downs