| The Life Of Our Barn Patricia M. Snell © Copyright 2020 by Patricia M. Snell |
 Alll photos by the author. |
2020
Almost
every
week we spend hours in the barn cutting and stacking firewood. During
those hours, my mind wanders and I think about the life of our barn.
Here are my thoughts. . . .
| Cutie
Pie, Won't You Be My Valentine? Sara Etgen-Baker  © Copyright 2023 by Sara Etgen-Baker |
 Photo courtesy of the author.. |
In elementary school, I was awkward and
terribly shy and
believed I was unpopular and anything but cute. So Valentine’s
Day, the day of expressing friendship, admiration, and love, was a
source of apprehension for me. But I loved being creative, and my
ten-year old heart skipped a beat when Mrs. Cook, my fourth grade
teacher announced, “It’s time to make your Valentine’s
Day mailbox! Remember to bring an empty shoebox to school tomorrow. . . .”
Lucy Maud Montgomery
An Island Of Her Own Sara Hailstone © Copyright 2023 by Sara Hailstone  |
 Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. |
An
Island of her
Own
"It is known that she suffered from depression, that she was isolated, sad and filled with worry and dread for much of her life, but our family has never spoken publicly about the extent of her illness," wrote Macdonald Butler. "What has never been revealed is that L.M. Montgomery took her own life... through a drug overdose."
"It is known that she suffered from depression, that she was isolated, sad and filled with worry and dread for much of her life, but our family has never spoken publicly about the extent of her illness," wrote Macdonald Butler. "What has never been revealed is that L.M. Montgomery took her own life... through a drug overdose."
| A
Certain Breed Of Men Ewa Gerald Onyebuchi © Copyright 2023 by Ewa Gerald Onyebuchi |
 Photo by Hu Chen on Unsplash |
If there is a miracle in the idea of life it is this: that we are able to exist for a time – in defiance of chaos
-Binyavanga Wainaina . . . .
| My
Plate Is Full Sara Etgen-Baker © Copyright 2023 by Sara Etgen-Baker |
 Photo of Grammy. |  Photos courtesy of the author.. |
I
recently discovered some of my grandmother’s personal
belongings including two of her delicate China dessert plates. I
stroked them with my fingers, suddenly filled with a rush of
childhood memories of the many weekends I spent at Grammy’s
house in Dallas, Texas. On Saturday mornings, she always woke me
extremely early, 5:30 a.m., to be exact. . . .
Confessions of a Saddle TrampShannon King © Copyright 2023 by Shannon King  |
 Photo by Tom Drewry. Courtesy of the author. |
This
morning, when I went outside as I always do to greet the day and
smell the desert, the full moon sat on the mesa perfectly balanced,
just touching. Like a crystal sphere on a draped table waiting for
its scryer. In a second it was gone and replaced by the
sun. Gracing my day with her blue skies - celebrating – for
today I ride in Mexico. . . .
JerusalemLarry Schwandes© Copyright 2023 by Larry Schwandes |
 Photo by Raimond Klavins on Unsplash |
Jerusalem is one of
the most fascinating cities in the world. It is connected to three
major world religions. It has a very spiritual atmosphere. . . . Over the years it has become the home
to a fourth religion, the Baha’i Faith. . . .
| Covid-19,
The Killer of Bodily and Sociopolitical Goodness Pratheek V. Tangirala © Copyright 2023 by Pratheek V. Tangirala |
 Photo by Martin Sanchez on Unsplash |
. . . .The
world has progressed immeasurably for the better of the condition of
citizens. Far from the days of 1300s feudalism and the darkness of
right and left-wing dictatorships in the mid-20th century, more
people have lived in prosperity and liberty since the 1990s than at
any point in history. This potential, however, is fast crumbling. . . .
Ballooning, A Unique ExperienceDianne Honey © Copyright 2023 by Dianne Honey  |
 Photo courtesy of the author. |
Sitting
on the back veranda in the pale winter sunshine, I saw the swollen
river burst its banks.
The new white streak which appeared amongst the brown and green of the land below me was the beginning of the flood waters. The flood water began to creep slowly and relentlessly over the land filling every drain, depression and crack in the dry earth. About four hours later, in the closing part of the afternoon the flood waters reached the lowest point of our property and began to meander towards our dam to fill and overwhelm it. . . .
Age No Barrier - Forever YoungBeryl Trebble © Copyright 2023 by Beryl Trebble |
 Photo by ahmad syahrir at Pexels. |
I've
just received an E-mail photo taken at a recent Kenya Regiment
reunion in England. My friend of many years is in the picture,
looking very regal – rather like the Queen. Her hair is an ash
brown, her eyes are clear, and she doesn't look her age. Her diamond
and blue sapphire engagement ring makes people say "Oh, you've
got a Lady Di ring!" This miffs her off because she received
hers when Diana wasn’t even in gym slips. . . .
| The Time of My Life Sara Etgen-Baker © Copyright 2023 by Sara Etgen-Baker |
 Photos courtesy of the author.. |
In the 50s and 60s, middle school didn’t
exist—only junior high and high school. Junior high included
grades 7-9 while high school consisted of grades 10-12. This picture
was taken of me at the end of my 9th grade year as I headed to Austin
Junior High for its Spring Dance—a timeless, teenage rite of
passage of sort, a dance heralding the beginning of our upcoming high
school years. . . .
ChangeSara Etgen-Baker © Copyright 2023 by Sara Etgen-Baker |
 Photos courtesy of the author.. |
|
I
walk up the well-worn wooden steps of the little store on the corner
of Fifth Street and Armstrong Drive. We call it Landers
because that’s the name of the smiling man behind the counter
who knows all the neighborhood kids in Chandler Heights by name. . . .
Catching Lightning BugsSara Etgen-Baker © Copyright 2023 by Sara Etgen-Baker |
Photo of Granddad courtesy of the author.. |
When
I was a little girl, Granddad and I spent many summer evenings
together sipping lemonade and swinging back and forth on his vintage
metal porch glider. On one such evening, I sat with him; and we
watched the sun sink lower in the Missouri sky. The trees became silhouettes against a newly silver sky. I sat with him
silently watching their branches sway in the wind. Soon it grew dark,
and the first sound of the nighttime creatures came—the
chirping crickets and the buzzing mosquitoes.. . . .
Put On Your Apron, It's Time For Home Ec Class!Sara Etgen-Baker © Copyright 2023 by Sara Etgen-Baker |
Photo of Sara in the kitchen wearing the first apron she ever made. |
Before the Internet, fast food restaurants,
and takeout,
high school girls of my generation took Home Ec. Class. It was one
of the few electives available to us girls in 1965. Boys didn’t
take home economics. It just didn’t happen and by all counts
may even have been illegal.
We
girls didn’t take shop class. Doing so was unthinkable! . . .
Everyone Has A Story To TellBeryl Trebble © Copyright 2023 by Beryl Trebble |
 Photo by ahmad syahrir at Pexels. |
We were discussing Ben Fogle’s latest
adventures living with people who lived in extreme and remote areas.
The opinion was - couldn’t cope with that and why would you do
it anyway? Looking round the room it struck me that several people
had never even moved from the town of their birth. One lady had
never been on a plane or a ship; it was years since she went on a
train and had never been to London or a theatre. It made me sad
because there is a big wide world out there and if you have never
done anything exciting you have no wonderful memories to relive when
you are old. I realized I have lived a life beyond the wildest
imagination of many of my friends and when I am feeling blue can
think back on so much to cheer myself up and even surprise myself. . . .
Childless Mother of NineAbbie Creed © Copyright 2023 by Abbie Creed |
 Photo courtesy of the author. |
My
mother died when I was not quite three years old, four days after
giving birth to my baby sister Rosemary. My mother was well known at
the hospital since this was her ninth delivery in 18 years. The baby
was lovingly cared for by the good sisters who operated the hospital,
for the next 8 months. . . .
More...
The Snake DownstairsNomyezo Mqhele © Copyright 2023 by Nomyezo Mqhele |
 Image by JD from Pixabay |
I
had not been out of the apartment in a week. It might have been the
shadow of the Mercury retrograde, or the upcoming solar eclipse, but
my energy was at an all-time low and my anxiety was peaking. The
dirty laundry was piling up and the clothes that needed drying sat in
the laundry basket, funking up the place day by day. The heavy energy
was tangible, and something needed to be done. Something had to
change. . . .
Jungle BookViveck Crishna © Copyright 2023 by Viveck Crishna |
 Rhino in Kaziranga National Park - Photo courtesy of the author. |
My
earliest memories revolve around the animals that shared our home as
I grew up in India, and later the experience of many drives through
thickly forested trails, of seeing deer, elephants even the
occasional tiger, as well as the wide variety of bird life in their
natural habitat. These outings bring back a flood of
images which in turn translate into happiness in my mind. . . .
Bald EagleH. E. Wheeler © Copyright 2023 by H. E. Wheeler |
 Photo by Richard Lee on Unsplash |
Our
cabin meets the
end of a gravel lane in the backwoods of some property in the rural
foothills of Mount Rainier. It has about a thousand square feet of
livable walking space and a high ceiling that makes for ample
flailing about areas you would have to see to believe. . . .
The Beach, the Ballyhoo, the Barracuda and MeValerie Marcley © Copyright 2018 by Valerie Marcley |
 Photo
courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
|
Islands.
Islands seduce. At least for me. I spent idyllic childhood summers
barefoot on a little island. Oil lamps and candles, wild raspberries
eaten off the bush; fresh well water pumped into jugs, hauled back to
the cottage in a wheelbarrow; a surrounding frigid sea every plucky
kid gleefully jumped into from the pier, from the beach, showing off
to the shivering adults. The beloved seagulls' scolding caw. That’s
where islands’ first serenaded me. . . .
JoaquinMegan Chisum © Copyright 2023 by Megan Chisum |
 Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. |
“Look,
boys,” I said to my two sons as we were stopped at the light
waiting to turn into our neighborhood. It was dark out. We were on
our way home from my older son’s baseball game. It had been a
long day, and I was tired.
“What is that bird doing? I’ve never seen a seagull walking down the sidewalk so politely. What a strange sight!”. . .
“What is that bird doing? I’ve never seen a seagull walking down the sidewalk so politely. What a strange sight!”. . .
Hummingbird on the WindSarah Thomas © Copyright 2023 by Sarah Thomas |
 Photo by Robert Thomas at Wikimedia Commons. |
In
Texas, Spring is a brief and unpredictable time. Winds blow and
rains come, or a drought comes, and sun bakes or northern breezes
blow in and chill us for short return of winter. You wake up every
day unaware of what may have occurred overnight; unless you stick
close to the weather app on your phone or watch the weather channel. . . .
Bear WitnessHenry Loe © Copyright 2023 by Henry Loe |
 Image by keaton from Pixabay |
My
wife, Shayla, and I sat quietly on the porch as we admired the blue
tinted mountain range that encircled Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. We were
both exhausted from the non-stop activity during my family’s
annual reunion and spent the last two days boating, swimming, and
taking an all day trip to Dollywood. . . .
More...
Encounter With AnimalsSydney Dell © Copyright 2023 by Sydney Dell |
 Image by Mohan Nannapaneni from Pixabay |
Contemplation of a HornwormKatherine Purvin © Copyright 2023 by Katherine Purvin |
 Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. |
It
is easy to
overlook the smallest and most varied of creatures; insects,
arachnids, and various other arthropods are a constant of daily life
that we do not even think about their presence, save when it overlaps
with our own. The wolf and recluse spiders that creep along our
baseboards, the fruit flies and fungus gnats that spin about the
kitchen and the potted plants; the crickets and cicadas that make up
the symphony of summer nights. Yet an encounter with these creatures
can be just as wondrous as with any greater beast. . . .
One Horn, Two
|
 Photo courtesy of the author.. |
Sabi
Sands Game Reserve- South Africa-
The six of us silently file from the lodge to the parking lot where the three Land Rovers are lined up, their headlights cutting through the 5:30 a.m. darkness. . . .
The six of us silently file from the lodge to the parking lot where the three Land Rovers are lined up, their headlights cutting through the 5:30 a.m. darkness. . . .
The Macaque EncounterA Lesson in the Beauty and Fragility of the Natural WorldM’barek Ismaili Alaoui © Copyright 2023 by M’barek Ismaili Alaoui |
 Image by Heike from Pixabay |
As
a wildlife enthusiast, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to
visit some places in Morocco, and experience the country's unique
ecosystems and animal life. I had always been fascinated by the
desert landscapes and the incredible adaptations of animals living in
such harsh environments. . . .
A Tale of a SerpentAsma Janjua © Copyright 2023 by Asma Janjua |
Image by JD from Pixabay |
The Human mind is a
devious place. It is home to every perceived horror and evil, and can
conjure up images to spook and
haunt. Fear is an ignominy that can shackle your mind and lead you
into the realms of unimaginable. My fears know no bounds. I am afraid
of shadows, sounds, strong winds and water bodies. A cockroach can
give me a heart attack. An innocuous moth can give me shudders. A
snake can kill me by its mere presence. Ants, spiders, and bees have
enough power to render me berserk. . . .
Here They Come!Encounters with Wild Boars in Bhauwala, Uttarakhand, IndiaVijayluxmi Bose © Copyright 2023 by Vijayluxmi Bose |
 Photo by the author. |
Tails
held high,
snuffling and grunting, followed by yapping dogs, screaming children
and shouts of villagers, they would come every day, at noon, running
helter-skelter through the fields.
This descriptive essay demonstrates a socio-behavioural phenomenon of the villagers that I have observed in a small hamlet in Bhauwala in rural Dehradun, Uttarakhand in a forested area quite close to the famous Rajaji National Park. It also gives the reader a window into several issues of universal relevance, such as man-animal conflicts, conservation dilemmas and a glimpse into a corner of Uttarakhand that has a wild boar population. . . .
This descriptive essay demonstrates a socio-behavioural phenomenon of the villagers that I have observed in a small hamlet in Bhauwala in rural Dehradun, Uttarakhand in a forested area quite close to the famous Rajaji National Park. It also gives the reader a window into several issues of universal relevance, such as man-animal conflicts, conservation dilemmas and a glimpse into a corner of Uttarakhand that has a wild boar population. . . .
Baby BlueCharisma Everard © Copyright 2023 by Charisma Everard |
 Photo by Magda Ehlers on Pexels. |
The
first noise that you hear in the morning is either the best melody or
the worst tune waking you for your day. Noises that can be utterly
disturbing for example are the 20 alarms I set choosing the same
infuriating chimes and dings that IOS provides you with or waking up
to a lawn mower right outside your bedroom window. . . .
Chasing The Bear While Almost Bare-NakedKurt Schmidt © Copyright 2023 by Kurt Schmidt |
 Photo by the author. |
At
6:30 A.M on a late July morning I chased a bear in my underwear. I
sleep in Fruit-of-the-Loom boxers and had no time to get dressed. I’d
opened the bedroom curtains and caught him staring at one of my bird
feeders. I
tapped on the window and shouted. He saw me but didn’t budge.
In thirty seconds that feeder would be down. . . .
My Octopus: A Love StorySue Proffitt © Copyright 2023 by Sue Proffitt |
 Photo by Vlad Tchompalov on Unsplash |
So
when did I fall in love with the octopus? Like many people, when I
saw the film ‘My Octopus Teacher’; it was such an
extraordinary account of deep emotional connection between human and
non-human and I saw the octopus for what it is: an immensely
intelligent, emotionally aware, sentient animal. . . .
Rabbit StewLew Goddard © Copyright 202 by Lew Goddard |
 Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. |
The
little town was situated in the centre of at the western prairies.
The population rarely changed and then only due to the deaths and
births. Everyone knew every one in town and in the farm land around. . . .
The Whispering WingsMacjohn Ekwealor © Copyright 2023 by Macjohn Ekwealor |
 Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on Unsplash |
It
was a warm, sunny afternoon in the heart of Nigeria's rainy season.
The air was thick with humidity, and the vibrant green foliage seemed
to come alive with the sound of birdsong and the rustling of leaves.
I had decided to take a break from the bustling city life of Onitsha
and spend some time in the serene countryside, exploring the wonders
of nature. . . .
Rodent Right Of WayMason Sansonia © Copyright 2023 by Mason Sansonia |
 Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. |
It
happened when I was still pretty young, before I hit ten years old
even, but after I was old enough to walk to school by myself. Growing
up in Manhattan is different from growing up almost anywhere else in
ways that I might not ever be able to fully comprehend, but one of
the differences is getting to and from school. At a certain age it’s
a matter of walking or taking public transit, and always alone. You
get used to the streets and what’s on them, sometimes garbage,
sometimes a weird scene, but mostly just people. . . .
Meet Mr. HalyoHe's Likely In Your House Too!Stephen Berberich © Copyright 2023 by Stephen Berberich
|
 Image by Ian Lindsay from Pixabay |
This story is from the perspective of the animal. The story is
true.
Now I am convinced. They all left. I am alone.
I just flew through every room in the house. They are gone, except me, their captain. In November, I guided 30 of us into this house. I’m a smart and skilled squadron captain of our particular horde. . . .
Now I am convinced. They all left. I am alone.
I just flew through every room in the house. They are gone, except me, their captain. In November, I guided 30 of us into this house. I’m a smart and skilled squadron captain of our particular horde. . . .
Bear StoryEddy Daniel © Copyright 2023 by Eddy Daniel |
 Photo by Andre Tan on Unsplash |
“THIS
IS
THE STORY OF TWO DEER HUNTERS WHO
ENTERED THE WOODS
IN THE NIGHT …”
Those
are the first words of a framed poem hanging in my home study. The
handwritten note on the back of the frame reads, “The result of
a deer hunt with Jack Byrd at Kyle Norman’s cabin on November
16, 1964.” The framed poem was presented to my dad, Bob
Daniel, at the Old Hickory Council of the Boy Scouts of America’s
annual dinner later that month. , , ,
BuckyGary Mulnix © Copyright 2023 by Gary Mulnix |
 Photo courtesy of the author. |
We
were having an easy winter but everything changed February first.
Temperatures dropped and it started snowing, every day. We didn’t
see the sun for three weeks. The deer herd that lived in my back yard
had a tough time finding enough to eat. They trimmed up my
arborvitaes as high as they could reach and gobbled every ivy leaf
that wasn’t covered with snow. They even ate my rose bush,
thorns and all. . . .
Excuse Me? I'm An Animal LoverRachel Lutwick-Deaner © Copyright 2023 by Rachel Lutwick-Deaner |
 Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. |
Loving
animals does not mean loving actual animals or the animal world. It
can mean loving the idea of animals. It feels sometimes that we are
in a post flesh-and-bones era, that the internet has ushered this in.
However books allow a certain degree of this kind of a life. We can
love to read about things that we would never love in real life,
things that we would never try or touch. . . .
Possums at the Cat SanctuaryPriscilla King © Copyright 2023 by Priscilla King |
 Photo by Skyler Ewing at Pexels. |
“Get
away! Leave my cats alone!” I screamed. The possum scrambled
over the side of the porch.
The possum facing my half-grown cat had looked four or five times the cat’s size. In 1993 I was not accustomed to possums; locally, they’d been hunted almost to extinction in the days when everyone kept free-range chickens. I associated them with the Deep South and thought they were unbearably ugly. . . .
The possum facing my half-grown cat had looked four or five times the cat’s size. In 1993 I was not accustomed to possums; locally, they’d been hunted almost to extinction in the days when everyone kept free-range chickens. I associated them with the Deep South and thought they were unbearably ugly. . . .
Running Away From HomeSara Etgen-Baker © Copyright 2023 by Sara Etgen-Baker |
Photo of Sara on her Schwinn bike.. |
North
Texas summers
are hot and dry and generally quite humid. And in the summer of 1959,
the scorching sunlight and intense heat ignited one of the worst
droughts on record. The sidewalks sizzled and roasted my bare feet,
and the heat permeated the already parched ground in front of our
home leaving huge cracks and crevices. The grassy lawns—yellow
and burnt—smelled like bales of hay that had been sitting in
the summer fields too long. . . .
Pink Pearls of WisdomSara Etgen-Baker © Copyright 2023 by Sara Etgen-Baker |
Photo of Sara'sGranny--Myrtl Etgen-Houchin. |
The luxurious,
time-worn building located at Sixteen Eighteen Main Street was like a
majestic Paramount Movies studio set. Mesmerized, I lingered at
Neiman Marcus’ front doors and pretended that perhaps Gina
Lollabrigida, Ann Margaret, or even Rock Hudson would emerge from the
set onto the street where I stood. . . .
The Coral Reef's CryAna Maria Hernandez © Copyright 2023 by Ana Marie Hernandez |
 Photo by Hiroko Yoshii on Unsplash |
I
have always had a passion for snorkeling. Born and raised in Miami,
FL I developed a respect for the ocean surrounding my city. The waves
that calmed me throughout my childhood. I would look out at Brickell
Bay and dream of being an explorer. . . .
Traveling To The PastRene Volpi © Copyright 2023 by Rene Volpi |
 The last senate of Julius Caesar by Raffaele Giannetti. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. |
How
wonderful would it be to hop around to a different point in time from
our past? I always wanted to visit the 6th C BCE, have a chance to
meet the Buddha in person or....Rumi. . . .
The Forest Was QuietMark Bucaling © Copyright 2023 by Mark Bucaling |
 Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. |
The
forest was quiet except for the sound of leaves rustling in the wind.
I was on a hiking trip with my friends, and we had been walking for
hours. The sun was setting, and the sky was turning pink and orange.
Suddenly, we heard a loud rustling noise behind us. We all turned
around to see a majestic moose staring at us. . . .
Saving The DucksSandra Fischer © Copyright 2023 by Sandra Fischer |
 Image by Alexa from Pixabay |
One
spring morning I was pulling weeds in the flower bed while my husband
mowed the lawn. I inhaled
the sweet smell of freshly cut grass and took pleasure in the daffodils making their
appearance from the bulbs we had planted in the fall. They stood
at attention, their
yellow-trumpeted blossoms announcing spring’s unmistakable arrival in Indiana. . . .
More...
Dusty Ashes |
 Image by Carlos Lincoln from Pixabay |
With
his name splattered big and bold on bright orange signs, their skinny
wooden sticks stabbed in snowbanks, toothpicks in mashed potatoes, I
used to think Frost Heaves was a person running for political office.
Every year, following Punxsutawney Phil’s forecast, the
ubiquitous signs canvassed town and I’d think, Man, that guy
just doesn’t give up. . . .
Little Orange PeopleSteven Stilwell © Copyright 2020 by Steven Stilwell |
 Image by Herbert Aust from Pixabay |
Thirty
feet is the perfect height.
This one coherent thought raced through my brain between flashes of pure terror. I couldn’t even close my eyes. All I could do was stare at the hard firm dirt of the jungle floor below me from the spaces between the enclosure bars. Thirty feet. At that height you’ll either land on your head and death will be instant or break every bone in your body and live to regret it. . . .
More...
The White Brested WaterfowlChaitanyamoi Chetia © Copyright 2023 by Chaitanyamoi Chetia |
 The waterfowl in the kitchen. Photo by the author. |
In
the morning as I go out for a stroll in the grassy land I would see
a few waterfowls roaming in the field; they would stealthily glide
along the walls of our house and to everywhere, chirping as
they passed by. Sometimes, they would accelerate their walking with
their long legs and would conceal in the bushes; and would try to
hide in a course of bricks placed next to one another near the
boundary walls. . . .
|
Valerie Byron © Copyright 2023 by Valerie Byron
|
|
Lola?
Of course not. Of course it wasn’t her real name. You don’t
have to tell me anything about women, no sir! And if you want to know
why it wasn’t her real name, I’ll tell you. Lola is a
“type,” not a name, and it would be a mighty clever
mother and a mighty disillusioned one who could picture the kid she
was suckling grown up and twenty-one. But I’m not telling you
about Lola. I’m telling you about June and Judy and Bill and
me. . . .
| My
Granny, A Jew Nonpareil Ezra Azra . © Copyright 2023 by Ezra Azra |
 Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. |
Jane
Goldstone, 1890-1973.
My Granny was born on the family farm in the town of Ifafa, in Zululand, in British Empire South Africa. She was the second of five children to William and Maria Goldstone. . . .
My Granny was born on the family farm in the town of Ifafa, in Zululand, in British Empire South Africa. She was the second of five children to William and Maria Goldstone. . . .
Turning PointeSara Etgen-Baker © Copyright 2023 by Sara Etgen-Baker |
 Photo of Ann en pointe. | 
Aunt Ann. |
“Point
your feet! Rotate! Don’t stick your butts out! Stay out of
your heels.” I looked up from where I was sitting. There
was no music—only the thump-thud sound of the dancers en
pointe and the ballet master shouting. “Dance to the
tips of your fingers and toes! Plié! Spot!”. . .
More...
Gone Fishin'Sara Etgen-Baker © Copyright 2023 by Sara Etgen-Baker |
Photo of Sara's dad. |
Early
one Saturday morning when I was about ten, Dad gently nudged me from
a deep slumber. “Time to go fishin,’ Sweetie.” Reluctantly I uncovered
my face; blinked; closed my eyes; and blinked
again. I sat up, stretched my arms above my head; and yawned,
remembering how I’d pleaded with him the night before. . . .
More...
Bumper CropSara Etgen-Baker © Copyright 2023 by Sara Etgen-Baker |
Photo of Sara's mom. |
Spring
washed in like the tide, advancing confidently with warmth and
sunshine one day and retreating the next. Some days the pansies and
daffodils in Mother’s garden were bathed in lukewarm air that
gently encouraged them; on others, the wintry wind gusted fiercely
demanding a return to the bitterness of the months before. But like
the tide, spring wouldn’t be stopped. . . .
Moose Encounters of the Close KindKass Wood © Copyright 2023 by Kass Wood |
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. |
I
can’t truthfully say I’m an avid hiker. Not compared to
my sister, Laurie, who will hike anything, anywhere at anytime there
is anything resembling a trail. But I usually say yes to an
invitation to hike with her or other friends who invite me. But for
not being an avid hiker, as I review many of my vacations they were
spent hiking the Tetons, Jasper, Pagosa Springs, Valley of Fire,
Zions National Park, Banff, Glacier National Park, Yellowstone and of
course, my own backyard, the stunning Wasatch Mountains in Utah. . . .
The PhoenixLeah Rose © Copyright 2023 by Leah Rose |
 Photo by RODNAE Productions at Pexels. |
Thwack!
I feel the heel of my foot make contact with the wood, but it doesn’t give way. Urging myself to not get discouraged, I close my eyes, blow out a sigh, and return to a starting position, preparing to strike again. . . .
I feel the heel of my foot make contact with the wood, but it doesn’t give way. Urging myself to not get discouraged, I close my eyes, blow out a sigh, and return to a starting position, preparing to strike again. . . .
HumBrooklyn Judd © Copyright 2023 by Brooklyn Judd |
 Photo courtesy of Wikimedia commons. |
Waking
up early felt like a sin, but taking a cold shower after all the
other girls had beaten me to the warm water was easily the greater of
two evils. When I’d spent the earlier few months saving up to
go to summer camp, I hadn’t quite imagined how much sweat,
dirt, and smoke would cling to my skin, or just how little hot water
the camp showers had available. . . .
A Night on the BayMike Holland © Copyright 2023 by Mike Holland |
 Image by 👀 Mabel Amber, who will one day from Pixabay |
Back in 1970 I was renting a room from my
old pal who
had just gotten back from Vietnam. Drafted into the Army at the end
of the sixties, Fred was determined to catch up on the fun he’d
missed, as you’ll see. . . .
Minature MagnificenceCynthia Todd © Copyright 2023 by |
 Photo courtesy of Wikimedia commons. |
I’ve
done that. I’ve held a hummingbird in my hand. What a splendid
creature he was, his luminous, emerald-green feathers accentuated by
a necklace of magenta. It was an awesome and wondrous experience, but
it didn’t feel like one at first. Oh, the stress and struggles
that were upfront payments. . . .
Middle of NowhereMike Holland © Copyright 2023 by Mike Holland |
 Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. |
Last week at work I’m out in West Marin, on
Nicasio Valley Road, near Point Reyes- Petaluma Road. Nice road,
smooth, encourages fast travel. Sixty? Easy. More if the Highway
Patrol wasn’t always around somewhere. One lane in each
direction, they’re ten feet wide, plus a breakdown lane on each
shoulder. At times you can walk out into the middle of the road and
stand there, listening to the quiet.
So I’m out there because someone called and said there’s a dead deer on the side of the road. . . .
So I’m out there because someone called and said there’s a dead deer on the side of the road. . . .
My Search For Roger and the Door Left OpenAlan L. Brainard, Jr. © Copyright 2023 by Alan L. Brainard, Jr |
 Photo furnished by the author. |
This
story is about a journey for answers and the unwillingness to believe
someone is dead and to carry that uncertainty for a lifetime. The
lack of the grieving process can be debilitating. To constantly
wonder, where they are; hospitalized or captured and unidentified? An
unreported prisoner of war, killed or died on the way to a prison
camp and not witnessed or reported? The detail of this story is about
a certain kind of “stand-still” that surrounds one’s
heart when there is no closure. . . .
Transtibial Prosthesis? What Transtibial Prosthesis?Lily Finch © Copyright 2023 by Lily Finch |
 Photo by Richard Loller, 2016. |
My
uncle unpacks his choppy-lake silver rod, reel, and five-weight line
that holds a pattern when he casts: a Griffith's Gnat, dressed
specifically to attract fish as it sinks into deep hollows cast from
the boat. He heads to the gravel bar at his private hole. The change
in depth allows the line to stretch out, letting the loops fall
gently: It's not long before he feels a jolt, a snag with a run, and
then the strike that bites back against his concentrated reeling. . . .
|
Chocolates and an Ukulele
P. S. Gifford
|
|
It
is rarely dull driving and there have been shifts that have been
doozies. They might sound fictional, but I assure you they are true.
Last night was rather eventful to say the least. . . .
Last night was rather eventful to say the least. . . .
Of Christmases PastSara Etgen-Baker © Copyright 2023 by Sara Etgen-Baker |
Dave amd Sara at tje Christmas tree.
|
It gradually turned chilly between
Thanksgiving and
Christmas. Although Frosty the Snowman rarely visited our part of
Texas, his pal, Jack Frost, surely did. He wafted his way through
the drafty house, chased by welcome bursts of heat from the floor
furnace—a square metal floor grate that funneled heat from the
living room to the rest of the house. . . .
The Cherokee Cut Tom Bush © Copyright 2023 by Tom Bush
|
 Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. |
December
1860
Chapter
1
"Billy, go get Tom. Just tell him I need him," Billy's father said.
Billy Ward was almost eighteen and lived with his parents, three brothers, and six sisters in Davidson County just outside Nashville, TN. His family had a comfortable but busy life in a small but growing community. . . .
This Old HouseThe Place We Called HomeSara Etgen-Baker © Copyright 2023 by Sara Etgen-Baker |
1230 N. Rogers Street, Springfield, Missouri.
|
The
old house, built
in 1895, was the best of weathered antiques having hugged North
Rogers Street from days of horses, to days of horse-powered engines,
and now to electric cars. As the story goes, Grandad purchased the
old house shortly after returning from WWI by merely signing his name
on a piece of paper. He added ‘indoor’ plumbing, a
garage, a carport, remodeled the inside, and replaced the roof—a
roof that protected the house and would do so for many-a-year to come.
Big Man Tiger!Warren Blake © Copyright 2023 by Warren Blake |
 Photo by Vignesh at Pexels. |
Tigers
of the Tropic Rain Forest are very elusive beasts. A rare sighting
sends a tingle down the backbone. This particular
encounter did not involve an actual sighting, but it was literally
hair-raising. . . .
More...
Things of the HeartSara Etgen-Baker © Copyright 2023 by Sara Etgen-Baker |
Photo
property of Sara.
|
People sometimes tell me the
heirlooms given to me hold no value over how my heart feels, but
these things have memories, stories of where they've come from that
tug at my heart. They’re scattered about my home, adorning it
as subtle nostalgic strings upon which travel the finest emotions of
bygone days. . . .
My Undergraduate Encounter With Animals
|
 Photo by the author. |
Right
from my childhood days, I have longed to study medicine. Although I
came from an agricultural region where more than 70% of the
population engaged in agriculture, I buried my head conducting
procedures on countless lizards within my neighbourhood. . . .
The Road Trip Of Our LivesYessenia Gutierrez © Copyright 2023 by Yessenia Gutierrez |
 Photo by Rick Han at Pexels.. |
My
love and I decided to go on a road trip during the worst time of the
year, May. The month of May is characterized by raining a lot. He had
prepared so many fun things for us to do. We were heading to Orlando,
Walt Disney World. Where dreams come true. Where the magic
happens. . . .
I've Had A Hard LifeMort Morford © Copyright 2023 by Mort Morford |
 Photo by Luna Lovegood at Pexels.
|
There’s
a simple principle about understanding human beings; when someone
tells you about themselves – believe them. . . .
Visit From GrandmaMort Morford © Copyright 2023 by Mort Morford |
 Photo by Brian Wangenheim on Unsplash
|
It
was in the early 1970s, when such things made sense. Or, even if
experiences like this didn’t, or even couldn’t make
sense, they happened anyway.
I
had forgotten about it, or perhaps, not really forgotten, but, like
many life changing moments, this one got blurred into others and was
largely swallowed up by necessity and survival. And in my case, being
in my twenties, in the moment and continually in motion.
| Six Months After Covid Laura Rokowski-Cole © Copyright 2023 by Laura Rakowski-Cole |
 Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich at Pexels. |
The polished glass
betrays me. I peer dejectedly at that matriarch mocking any remaining
vanity I can feign. My scalp jauntily ousts my silky tresses while
crevices on my lips form painful ulcers. . . .
Where Is Justice?Mort Morford © Copyright 2023 by Mort Morford |
 Photo by Kindel Media at
Pexels.
|
Several
years ago I was on a jury.
The case was straight forward; a registered sex-offender had failed to register his change of address. . . .
The case was straight forward; a registered sex-offender had failed to register his change of address. . . .
My Life Doesn't Look Like The Pictures On The BoxMort Morford © Copyright 2023 by Mort Morford |
 Photo by Pixabay. |
My
life doesn’t look like the picture on the box
For some reason, when our lives reach the number of years that end in zeroes, many, if not most of us have the ever-increasing sense that our lives are not turning out the way we thought they would. . . .
For some reason, when our lives reach the number of years that end in zeroes, many, if not most of us have the ever-increasing sense that our lives are not turning out the way we thought they would. . . .
| Deporting My Valentine Karene Horst © Copyright 2023 by Karene Horst |
 Photo by Manny NB on Unsplash |
February
13, 2017- Single
yet again for
another Valentine’s Day, my thoughts turn as usual to
chocolate. No one sends me flowers. Cards kill trees unnecessarily.
Instead, I’m baking myself and my co-workers a sugary
concoction of chocolate, melted caramel, cream cheese frosting and
more chocolate. . . .
More...
Haunted HappeningsThe Ghost of His Father and Paranormal ExperiencesKelly Maida © Copyright 2023 by Kelly Maida |
 Photo by Emily MacDonald at Pexe;ls. |
My Fear of DogsAbram Gabriel © Copyright 2023 by Abram Gabriel |
 Image by Alexa from Pixabay |
WHEN I
WAS IN 1ST THROUH 3RD
GRADE, I PASSED BY A SLAUGHTERHOUSE ON MY WAY TO AND FROM
SCHOOL. NOW I'M AN OLD MAN, BUT I CAN STILL SMELL
THE
BARRELS OF SCRAPS. THESE CANS ATTRACTED FERAL DOGS
FROM
THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND BEYOND. . . .
Mom and PopDoug M. Dawson © Copyright 2023 by Doug M. Dawson |
 Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. |
It
was a long time ago - I’ll give you the exact date in a minute.
I had moved into this town from somewhere else and didn’t know
anybody. I was looking to make some new friends and this kid just
seemed to pop up from nowhere. He walked up and introduced himself
and we started up a friendship, right then and there. . . .
My Dolce VitaKatarzyna Knas © Copyright 2023 by Katarzyna Knas |
 Photo by cottonbro studio at Pexels. |
Buongiorno
and principessa were the only Italian words I knew,
when I
embarked on my ambitious year-long project to study Italian in Rome
in the summer of 2005. These two words wouldn’t get me very
far, but I wasn’t worried. I was excited and ready for
extensive studies and wonderful intercultural encounters. I was
abroad for the first time in my life. . . .
In Sasquatch We TrustMort Morford © Copyright 2023 by Mort Morford |
 Photo by Zdeněk Macháček on Unsplash |
I
live in the Pacific Northwest. If you picture a map of the USA, I
live in the extreme northwest corner of that map.
And
as you look at that map of the USA, notice that the upper left corner
has a little notch in it. That is Puget Sound. . . .
Life Lessons in the WildernessJames Osborne © Copyright 2023 by James Osborne |
 Photo by Steve: https://www.pexels.com/photo/gray-deer-eating-grass-397850/Photo by Steve at Pexels. Photo by Steve: https://www.pexels.com/photo/gray-deer-eating-grass-397850/ |
It
was a joy watching wild deer drink at a stream just a few yards from
where I sat almost every day that summer. Some of them were does with
fawns whose tiny cinnamon-colored backs bore galaxies of white
camouflage dots. . . .
| My Quiet Hiding Place and other Selected Poems Dante A Cinelli © Copyright 2023 by Dante A. Cinelli |
 Image by David Schwarzenberg from Pixabay |
I
have. a secret hiding place as I know do you. . . .
The blue jays, sentinels of the garden, have been busy today. Early this morning as I was walking the hound, I heard the first commotion—an alarm not like any other in the animal world. Looking up I saw two jays in hot pursuit of a large red-tailed hawk that was fleeing so low that it had to rise in order to clear the peaked roof of the workshop before disappearing into the safety of the canopy of the woods. But it had just begun. . . .
The blue jays, sentinels of the garden, have been busy today. Early this morning as I was walking the hound, I heard the first commotion—an alarm not like any other in the animal world. Looking up I saw two jays in hot pursuit of a large red-tailed hawk that was fleeing so low that it had to rise in order to clear the peaked roof of the workshop before disappearing into the safety of the canopy of the woods. But it had just begun. . . .
The Poison That CuresSalam Syagha © Copyright 2023 by Salam Syagha |
 Image by Storme22k from Pixabay . |
It was a hot summer
day. The sun was throwing its golden locks softly hitting the fig,
and grapes trees to rise and ripen in the vast brown fields that are
spread on our village’s skirts. I was anxious to meet my
grandfather who had invited me the previous night to accompany him in
an adventure. . . .
| Being Quiet in the Woods Pat Mann © Copyright 2023 by Pat Mann |
 Photo by radek-kozak on Unsplash |
It Could Only Happen In AfricaBeryl Trebble © Copyright 2023 by Beryl Trebble |
 Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. |
I
love animal
stories and the stranger the better, especially if they are related
to people I know, and of course having lived in Africa, most of them
have a twist in the “tail.”. . .
The Giving LightAbbie Creed © Copyright 2023 by Abbie Creed |
 Photo from Wikimedia Commons. |
Some
very
special lightening bugs took an incredible journey on a spaceship.
Many years ago, when five of my six children were attending
elementary school, my oldest son had a particularly good friend who
had a business catching lightening bugs for money. . . .
|
Snake
Encounter
Robert Flournoy © Copyright 2023 by Robert Flournoy |
 Photo by
Worldspectrum at Pexels.
|
We
were in Cambodia, but not by any stretch of the imagination were we
supposed to be there since it was off limits at the time. The North
Vietnamese army was there, but restrictive rules of engagement
prevented us from taking it to them. We were recon, trying to determine
strength and position. . . .
More...
One Old Man and One Old KangarooBeata Stasak © Copyright 2023 by Beata Stasak |
 Photo by Mateusz Feliksik at Pexels.. |
I Spend My Time on This Earth Doing My Bit. That's All I Can DoBeata Stasak © Copyright 2023 by Beata Stasak |
 Photo by Hiếu Hoàng at Pexels. |
Let me tell you a story...
My godfather was taught beekeeping by his father. He takes his commitment to nature and bees very seriously. . . .
More...
The Neighborhood CelebrityAbbie Creed © Copyright 2023 by Abbie Creed |
 Photo by Jacques Le Henaff on Unsplash. |
Written for all the children in my life.
It
was the last day of school when my son, Kelly, was ready to graduate
from the 8th grade
and I was a bit delayed getting home from school teaching job, that I
was met with a bit of excitement. I walked into my bedroom to find a
glob of something right in the center of my bed. There was no way to
tell what it was, but it was breathing. . . .
More...
It Was The Summer of 1980Mort Morford © Copyright 2023 by Mort Morford |
 Photo by John Moeses Bauan on Unsplash |
It
was the summer of 1980. Mt. St. Helens had just erupted in May. In
the Pacific Northwest, earthquakes, tremors, and now volcanoes, had
become yet another surging undercurrent of the landscape.
The Pacific Northwest is perhaps most famous for its weather – a chill, damp, and often piercing wind is almost always present.
In short, it’s a place with weather – and other – conditions, one needed to be prepared for. . . .
The Pacific Northwest is perhaps most famous for its weather – a chill, damp, and often piercing wind is almost always present.
In short, it’s a place with weather – and other – conditions, one needed to be prepared for. . . .
Skinny White Girl |
 Image by Kiều Trường from Pixabay |
When
I open the envelope, a $5,400 insurance bill screams at my face, as
if its flap were on fire. The temptation to strike a match to the
scrawny paper is overwhelming, but since my cancer diagnosis, medical
bills have burrowed in my mailbox, inspired to procreate. . . .
|
Goosed
James L. Cowles |
 Image by Christel from Pixabay |
Like
many of our friends, my wife and I love animals, and we realize that
every time we humans take up space to build our human habitats, we
are bumping critters aside, and taking up a little more of their
space. . . .
Carpe DiemRoger Barbee © Copyright 2022 by Roger Barbee |
 |
The above Latin phrase, made
famous by the American
movie Dead Poet’s Society, was first used by the
poet
Horace. Its use by Horace is most accurately translated as “Pluck
the day,” and after the movie it became popular in American
culture and before long it was printed on tee shirts, caps, and mugs.
However, the word “pluck”, for whatever reason, proved
too much for American sensibilities and the phrase became translated
as “Seize the day.” (Such a refinement). . . .
|
Oh, Deer!
|
|
Oh,
Deer!
I
grew up in a small New England Village, one steeped in farming,
fishing, and hunting traditions. It was accepted and even expected in
certain circles that “you filled your tag limit.” That
venison made a big difference for many families. . . .
| What
Will Be Pamela Scott © Copyright 2023 by Pamela Scott |
 Photo courtesy of Pixabay. |
After
Paul's funeral, I
thought about the old woman.
She lived at the end of
the street where I grew up in one of the told tenement buildings. She
stood at her living room window and spied on her neighbours. She
creeped out me and my friend and we’d pull faces up at her
window. She'd lean out to yell down at us and we'd run off. . . .
LutfulGiles Ryan © Copyright 2023 by Giles Ryan |
 Photo by Nivedh P on Unsplash |
I’ve taken long walks in a few risky places and one such place was Bangladesh.
In the fall of 1978 I was managing an NGO’s field office in Sylhet, up in the northeast shoulder of the country bordering the Indian state of Assam. I was supervising a group of field engineers whose main work was surveying the road embankment projects carried out in the district. . . .
NightwalkerGiles Ryan © Copyright 2023 by Giles Ryan |
 Image by Hans Toom from Pixabay |
I
saw him before he saw me.
It
was about five in the morning and I was on my way back after an hour
or so walking the streets of Clyde Hill and Medina, some six or seven
miles to start the day. The wind was blowing quite strong from the
north – away from him and toward me – and the gusts were
enough to sway the branches of the tall cedars, creating more noise
than usual. . . .
| The
Blind Cow and the Unbothered Owner Amanya Aklam © Copyright 2023 by Amanya Aklam |
 Photo by cottonbro studio at Pexels.. |
Just
like any other calf, Kahuuga was jolly, playful and beautiful.
Kahuuga was a cross breed with white patches in its dark skin
complexion. It was graced with a star sign colour brown in the
forehead, an indicator that it was meant to be a cow of great
significance to the herd. . . .
Dragonflies and the Great Blue HeronJames Osborne © Copyright 2021 by James Osborne |
 Image by Munruthel from Pixabay |
For
more than a
decade, Great Blue Herons had a special meaning for Judi and
me.
I had no hint at the time that our affection for these graceful birds
would one day come to have a far deeper significance, through tragedy
and through joy....
SongsFred Cheney © Copyright 2022 by Fred Cheney |
 Image by usuario322 from Pixabay |
Cutting
brush when you own a 60-acre woodlot never seems to end. I cut brush
when I’m swamping a new trail to some place I’ve visited
often, and will visit again, often. I cut brush by the side of trails
already swamped to expand the view, to give head room, to give
shoulder room. . . .
Our Filly Was A 'Night-Mare'James Osborne © Copyright 2021 by James Osborne |
 Photo by Mathias Reding on Unsplash |
Some men cherish
time in their workshops on weekends. It began just like that for me
one Saturday afternoon but ended as a reluctant co-owner of a
racehorse. . . .
A Bush, Bumblebees, and a ButterflyRoger Barbee © Copyright 2022 by Roger Barbee |
 Image by Thanasis Papazacharias from Pixabay
|
Next
to one side of our screen
porch is an abelia bush. Now in early August, it is covered with
small, white nectar producing blossoms, so each morning the hum of
bumblebee wings bathes the summer air as they move from bloom to
bloom for the bush’s sweet juice of life. . . .
More...
Murine StepsZary Fekete © Copyright 2022 by Zary Fekete |
 Image by Robert Owen-Wahl from Pixabay |
6:32
A.M.
There is a mouse in my kitchen. For a few days, I have been hoping it might not be true. I heard scratching… I thought it might be the upstairs neighbour’s cat… but the little black droppings in the kitchen cabinets are unmistakable. I’ll need to get some traps. . . .
Finding ElzadaLinda A. Dougherty © Copyright 2023 by Linda A. Dougherty
|
 Photo by Marco Chilese on Unsplash. |
In
June 2020, I wrote a short story in this publication about my high
school friend, Elzada and of my hopes to find her and close the
spiral of my age-old regrets. This is the ending of that story that
really began in 1969. . . .
West Quincy StoryValerie Forde-Galvin © Copyright 2023 by Valerie Forde-Galvin |
 Drawing by the author. |
I came of age
in the nineteen-fifties. It was a time of promise. Jobs were
plentiful. The increasing number of highways enticed people out to
the suburbs where they bought cookie-cutter ranch houses and raised
their two and a half children. Father knew best and The Beaver's
family was the ideal. . . .
Walking Home From SchoolNaoma Moody © Copyright 2023 by Naoma Moody |
 Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. |
My
sister and I had
just finished our day at White School located in the country near
Durand, Michigan.
There was nothing that stood out for this normal one-room school day with one teacher for grades K-7. . . .
There was nothing that stood out for this normal one-room school day with one teacher for grades K-7. . . .
Tea SetChaitanyamoi Chetia © Copyright 2023 by Chaitanyamoi Chetia |
 Photo by Angela Roma at Pexels. |
“This
is a soiled note, give me a new one,” I said to the cashier at
a hotel with the sweets in my hand. The cashier opened the cash
drawer, inserted the soiled note and gave me a different one. This
time again a soiled note came at my hand that was torn in the
middle. Again I returned it to him. . . .
The Cookie Lady(Revised)Maureen Moynihan © Copyright 2023 by Maureen Moynihan |
 Photo by Vyshnavi Bisani on Unsplash |
My
mother calls, speaking in 20 point Impact Bold font, punctuating each
statement with a fantastic sense of urgency:
|
Valerie Byron © Copyright 2023 by Valerie Byron
|
|
Seventeen Guides and a LionessLesley Mukwacha y© Copyright 2023 by Lesley Mukwacha |
 Image by Henk from Pixabay |
Being
the head ranger at a fast-growing game reserve in Zimbabwe, I was
assigned the duty to take seventeen young aspiring newly recruited
guides and game scouts for a seven-day intense training program in
the Victoria falls national park, something I enjoyed and was very
good at. . . .
More...
Hello, AgainMaureen Moynihan © Copyright 2023 by Maureen Moynihan |
 Photo by Alina Skazka at Pexels.. |
|
Valerie Byron © Copyright 2023 by Valerie Byron
|
|
I
remember so clearly being 20 years old. That was sixty years
ago and yet it seems like only yesterday. I have so many
memories of my younger days, but specifically I recall writing poems
and love lyrics about my future soul mate. I had a very
specific image of what he would look like. . . .
When The Lions VisitLesley Mukwacha y© Copyright 2023 by Lesley Mukwacha |
Photo by David Clode on Unsplash |
Having
completed the
first part of our two weeks training as recruits for one of the
biggest tour companies in the world, we were ready to proceed to the
next level, the practical side of Overland guiding. The whole first
week had been consumed by mostly theory, stuff like learning company
policies and accounts, meals, and trip planning, plus clients
handling; not so exciting but very important and necessary. . . .
More...
The JohnMaureen Moynihan © Copyright 2023 by Maureen Moynihan |
 Photo by Wesley Pacífico on Unsplash. |
It’s
easier to get a turtle out of its shell than a husband out of the
bathroom. I’ve found pounding on the door while hollering
“Isn’t your ass cold?” is not an effective
strategy. Sliding notes under the bathroom door also yields poor
results:
“Hello! I’m the trash. Please take me out!”
“Hello! I’m your dog. Please take me out!”
“Hello! I’m your wife. Please take me out!”. . .
“Hello! I’m the trash. Please take me out!”
“Hello! I’m your dog. Please take me out!”
“Hello! I’m your wife. Please take me out!”. . .
Dinner With MelErik Tillman Ferguson © Copyright 2022 by Erik Tillman Ferguson |
 Photo of Mel Webber courtesy of UC Berkeley News. |
It
was in the year of our Lord 2525, I mean 1990, in a little old country
town called Austin, the venerable site of the annual ACSP conference,
hosted by none other than Texas itself. While there, I attended several
university alumni receptions, including one hosted by Berkeley. . . .
|
Random
Thoughts
Looking Back Along The Way Robert Flournoy © Copyright 2023 by Robert Flournoy |
Photo by Omar Lopez on Unsplash
|
I
am thinking of an old man who lives alone in a cabin far back in the
Rocky Mountains, who on Valentine's Day, with some silver wire and pebbles from a brook,
made beautiful ear rings with no one to give them to. . . .
Rocky Mountains, who on Valentine's Day, with some silver wire and pebbles from a brook,
made beautiful ear rings with no one to give them to. . . .
The Golden Ring and the HorseshoeChaitanyamoi Chetia © Copyright 2023 by Chaitanyamoi Chetia |
 Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. |
I
lost the golden ring I used to wear in my middle finger; I lost it
accidentally; I used to get up from sleep in the middle of the night
whenever the ring that I had lost come to my mind. The golden ring
was a polished cat’s eye gemstone; it had a streak of light
running lengthwise through it which gave it a real look as that of a
cat’s eye. . . .
| Family
Vacation and Fate Robert Flournoy © Copyright 2023 by Robert Flournoy |
Photo courtesy of the author.
|
In 2010 my daughter was a senior in college, my son having graduated two years earlier. To celebrate we booked a cruise for adults only out of Ft Lauderdale, with an itinerary that took us to various islands in the Eastern Caribbean. I coughed up the extra money to get us balcony suites, side by side, my wife and I in one and my children next to us. . . .
|
Valerie Byron © Copyright 2023 by Valerie Byron
|
|
On
a morning like any other, Horace Green reluctantly dragged himself
out of bed wondering what on earth the point was.
Leaving
behind the warmth of his snug cocoon, and the delightful dreams that
made going to bed early so appealing, he padded across the carpeted
floor to the bathroom. Turning on the shower, he arranged his shaving
gear neatly around the sink, and only looked up as the steam from the
shower formed a thick condensation on the mirror, blocking his view. . . .
|
The Kiss
P. S. Gifford |
|
Eleanor
Wiggins and Sam Fowler sat there admiring the glorious harbor vista
in front of them, just like they had done every Tuesday afternoon
between the hours of three and four for the last nine years. That
was, you need to understand, the only time they got to spend with
each other, and they preferred to share it right there at the very
spot upon which they fatefully met all those years previously. . . .
Inviting TroubleLesley Mukwacha y© Copyright 2023 by Lesley Mukwacha |
Image by Brigitte JAUFFRINEAU from Pixabay |
Dinner
was served, a delicious cottage pie, green salad and roasted tin
foiled banana with melted dark chocolate for desert; just the silence
told you everyone was enjoying their meal. The big fire in the middle
kept us all warm on this cold winter night. My clients were all
happy, why shouldn't they be, I was doing a great job of guiding them
through four Southern African countries they had only dreamt of. . . .
Regina, The Strange LionLesley Mukwacha y© Copyright 2023 by Lesley Mukwacha |
Photo by Chris Rhoads on Unsplash. |
The
smell of fried
cabbage coming out of the small kitchen where my mom was preparing
lunch will always be the one I blame for what happened four hours
later that bright summer afternoon. Sadza,(stiff porridge) and fried
cabbage, would be the meal of that day, no meat to accompany them,
and it had been the same meal for the past three days. I had had just
about enough of that. I wanted meat, I craved meat, I needed meat -
even fish would do. . . .
I Love Clock From My ChildhoodChaitanyamoi Chetia © Copyright 2023 by Chaitanyamoi Chetia |
 Image courtesy of Mun Bora on Facebook |
In
the year 2014, a clock tower was installed at Dibrugarh: with the
installation, the city gave a vintage look to the onlookers, and it
became the first city in the state of Assam to get a clock tower. It
was a 45 feet tower erected at Chowkidingee traffic point facing four
sides of the road at the intersection. The clock was elegantly
curved having graceful dials of 6 feet diameter each, facing the four
sides of the road. . . .
Believe MeLauren Barrett © Copyright 2023 by Lauren Barrett |
 Photo of Lauren. |
I
adjust the camera on my phone for what seems like the 100th time
trying to find the perfect angle and lighting to capture my face. It
isn’t working.
Sighing
in defeat, I get ready to press the join button. No one will care
what I look like in a chronic illness support group anyway. . . .
White EnvelopeGiles Ryan © Copyright 2023 by Giles Ryan |
 Photo by Richard Loller. |
It’s
a delicate business, paying a bribe. Unlike other transactions, the
amount you’re expected to pay may be unstated, no more than an
estimate, but whatever you pay must be enough, and yet you certainly
don’t want to pay too much, for that might spoil the market for
others. And the thing must be done properly, so as to leave no ill
feeling on either side. It takes a deft hand, and it’s not a
situation that allows for gaucherie. . . .
The Thornback and the Red-Headed ManSara Etgen-Baker © Copyright 2023 by Sara Etgen-Baker |
Photo
property of Sara.
|
Granny
called me a “thornback,” a derogatory term given to women
of her time who weren’t married by the age of 30. Yes, I was a
thornback—a single woman, approaching her 31st birthday. My
biological clock was ticking; and I feared becoming a spinster whose
only companion was a Siamese cat. But I would’ve preferred
remaining a spinster rather than spend a lifetime with a boring man
whom I didn’t love. . . .
Portrait of a Young Woman - July 17, 1793Giles Ryan © Copyright 2023 by Giles Ryan |
 Painting of Charlotte Corday by Johan Jakob Hauer.. |
It
is unique in the history of painted portraits. No other work of this
genre has ever been created in similar circumstances, or ever will be
again. The artist, Johan Jakob Hauer, is not well known but he was a
competent portraitist, and we may assume this is a good likeness. But
his most significant qualification was that he was available and
could work quickly, for he had not a minute to spare. . . .
More...
Promise MeSara Etgen-Baker © Copyright 2023 by Sara Etgen-Baker |
Photo
property of Sara.
|
La Profesora de InglèsSara Etgen-Baker © Copyright 2023 by Sara Etgen-Baker |
Photo
property of Sara.
|
This is a
memoir of my experience in moving
across the state of Texas and teaching in a border community just
outside of El Paso. It highlights my reasons for making such a
drastic move and the unknown outcomes of taking such a risk. . . .
The Witness TreeGiles Ryan © Copyright 2023 by Giles Ryan |
 Photo by Joy Deb at Pexels. |
I visited all the major towns of Bangladesh in those years, and in my memory they were much alike in this land of river deltas, although here and there a particularly elegant mosque would stand out from the general sameness. Depending on the time of year, going to these places might take several hours on a river boat, or some hours drive, perhaps longer during the monsoon when the rivers were high, with a longer wait at the ferry ghat.
Sometime
in 1979, when I had been in country about a year, my work required a
visit to Mymensingh for an appearance in court. The details are now
slightly dim in memory, something to do with an accounts clerk at our
local office forging a check or absconding with the petty cash. . . .
Life With The Butterfly WhispererSara Etgen-Baker © Copyright 2023 by Sara Etgen-Baker |
Photo
property of Sara.
|
I entered
Whispering Oaks and found the large French doors of the day room
flung wide open. I walked through them towards the verandah and saw
Pop sitting outdoors amongst some zinnias surrounded by a rabble of
butterflies. . . .
A Call in the Middle of the NightFredrick Hudgin © Copyright 2023 by Fredrick Hudgin |
 Photo by Kirill Dratsevich at Pexels. |
I
was sound asleep when the phone rang. The clock next to the bed said
3:32 AM. Cell phones hadn’t been invented yet. The phone hung
on the kitchen wall of our mobile home. . . .
Street Crime: Memories Of Life On 28th StreetElliot Wilner © Copyright 2022 by Elliot Wilner |
 Public domain image from Wikimedia Commons. |
In the
1940’s, when I was a young boy, 28th Street
Northwest was a nondescript street in the Cleveland Park neighborhood
of the District of Columbia, located about a half-mile west of the
National Zoo. Only two blocks in length, with just a single lane for
traffic, it was certainly a nondescript street in a nondescript
neighborhood, but for us children that street was our playground and
the center of our world. . . .
The Wolf Ate GrandmaValerie Forde-Galvin © Copyright 2023 by Valerie Forde-Galvin |
 Photo by Philipp Pilz on Unsplash |
In
my childhood, parents read bedtime stories to their children. In
theory, a child will fall asleep easily when listening to a familiar
soothing voice. In reality, the story choice makes all the
difference. So I have to ask why did parents chose fairy tales? What
were they thinking? Nothing was held back in these stories; nobody
seemed to realize that their content wasn't edited for children.
Today, because of its violent themes, my little book of fairy tales
would have been rated PG-13. At the time, I was six. I did not fall
asleep easily after bedtime stories. . . .
|
Valerie Byron © Copyright 2023 by Valerie Byron
|
Photo courtesy of the author. |
Today
started out pretty well for me. It's Sunday, December 23rd and for
once I don't have to worry about preparing for Christmas. My
daughter has offered to cook the meal in her new house, and my son,
Nick, and his partner, Lee, will be joining us, as well as my
husband, Bill. I didn't even bother putting up a tree this year. Didn't
really seem worth the bother, especially since I had thrown
away my artificial tree from last year in the trash by mistake. Of
course, that's par for the course. . . .
The Things I Did To SurviveTerry Mulcahy © Copyright 2023 by Terry Mulcahy |
 Photo by Eduardo Soares at Pexels. |
In 1973 I
got arrested for losing
control of a vehicle on Interstate-10 in Louisiana. The vehicle
belonged to a carny who managed a big ride, but he owned a kiddie
ride - a small metal setup that allowed some ponies to be hitched up
and walk around in a circle. It was very popular with tiny fair
goers. Before I get into that, I should explain how I ended up there,
as I was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. . . .
Nice Day for a RideFredrick Hudgin © Copyright 2023 by Fredrick Hudgin |
 Photo by Javier Aguilera at Pexels. |
“All
right, get out of here! You’ve been moping and whining around
the backyard all goddamned day. I know you wanna go for a ride. So
GO!” My wife turned on her heel and stalked back into the
house, slamming the screen door loudly for effect. Josh, Beethoven,
and I looked at the door where she had disappeared, then down at the
garden where we had hoed, tilled, and planted since breakfast. I
looked up at the sky to see where the sun was—still a couple,
three hours till dark. A slow smile spread across my face—a
ride! . . .
Rescue From Machu PicchuElliot Wilner © Copyright 2022 by Elliot Wilner |
 Image by Elias from Pixabay |
In
late January of 2010, while on an escorted tour in Peru, my wife and
I and twenty-six other members of our tour group became
marooned
near Machu Picchu due to flooding from the Urubamba
River. More
than three thousand other tourists became marooned with us. . . .
More...
South Valley SweatTerry Mulcahy © Copyright 2023 by Terry Mulcahy |
 Terry working on Mark's house in 1983. Photo courtesy of the author. |
It started
out as a hole in the
ground - a mud pit. Mark used it to mix mud for his adobes. It was
about two feet deep and five feet across. Next to it was a pile of
lumber scraps. For nearly two years, Mark had been building his
house, mostly on weekends, and now was the final push to finish it. . . .
| Pages From A Political Activist's Diary Karen Radford Treanor
© Copyright 2023 by Karen Radford Treanor
|
 Karen and Bob Hawke, former Prime Minister of Australia. Photo by Douglas Sutherland-Bruce. |
In
the early days of this century (heavens to Murgatroyd, doesn’t
that sound strange?) I worked for a state Member of Parliament in
Western Australia. She was a progressive young woman who had knocked
off the conservative incumbent against all odds, to the bookies’
delight. . . .
More...
| Plutarch's Prejudice Ezra Azra . © Copyright 2023 by Ezra Azra |
 Theda Bara as Cleopatra and Fritz Leiber as Caesar in the lost film Cleopatra (1917)..Public domain. |
Plutarch
(46 anno domini - 119 anno domini) was a Greek man who lived
seventy-three years in the Roman Empire. He was, by every standard in
his time and in ours here in the twenty-first century, a highly
educated person. A highest formally educated person nowadays is not
especially noteworthy because of the millions of others equally
educated. . . .
| Best Time in our Ghetto Ezra Azra . © Copyright 2023 by Ezra Azra |
 Photo by Oxfam East Africa via Wikimedia Commons |
Loud
vocal sounds, day and night, were not unusual in our ghetto of
Clairwood. At night, most of the time, we slept through them. When we
paid attention to them, day and night, it was for the first few
seconds in order to determine if the situation involved us. From an
early age we became experts in those few seconds' determinations. If
we assessed we were not involved, we could not care less; by the
natural laws of self-preservation; water off a duck's back; Emperor
Nero fiddling while Rome burned.
| The Farm on the Red Hill Ezra Azra . © Copyright 2023 by Ezra Azra |
 Photo by Petr Ganaj at Pexels |
The
farm on the red hill was a most dangerous thirty-acre place, and,
paradoxically, because of the danger, it was farmed reasonably safely
and profitably.
The farm was in a part of sub-tropical Africa where one of the natural and everlasting dangers forever is and will forever be, poisonous snakes. . . .
The farm was in a part of sub-tropical Africa where one of the natural and everlasting dangers forever is and will forever be, poisonous snakes. . . .
| When Fear Turned Into Fun Ezra Azra . © Copyright 2023 by Ezra Azra |
 Photo by Radu Vladislav on Unsplash |
I
was running for my life. My pursuer was almost twice my size, and so
I was not about to stand and fight. Mind you, if he caught me, he
would not have had it all his way. Both of us were Clairwood ghetto
gang members. . . .
| Somewhere in Ukraine Ezra Azra . © Copyright 2023 by Ezra Azra |
 Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. |
On
a farm in Ukraine, somewhere between the Carpathian Mountains and the
borders with Slovenia and Hungary, along the Dnister River. The time
was about three o'clock in the morning. It was raining. . . .
| A
Quaker Summer Reminiscences of Gini Waters Gini Waters
© Copyright 2023 by Karen Radford Treanor
|
 Photo of Barbara, Virginia (Gini),and Florence Bullock--furnished by Karen Treanor |
I
was clearing out old computer files and ran across the attached
short, short story which I thought might interest you. I found the picture, which
dates from the same era and location in a box of Mother’s
things. The writer—my mother-- died in 2008, aged 92.
(She’s the fishergirl in the middle of the photo.) . . .
More...
| George Orwell, 1903 - 1950 Ezra Azra . © Copyright 2023 by Ezra Azra |
 Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. |
The famous English novelist, George Orwell, was the pseudonym used by Eric Arthur Blair.
Eric Arthur Blair was born in India in 1903. India was a country in the British Empire. His Father's name was Richard;
his Mother's, Ida. . . .
| How Does One Properly Inter A Coon? Or, Tail of a Coon Pat Mann © Copyright 2023 by Pat Mann |
 Photo by Tim Umphreys on Unsplash |
I
received this email yesterday from a coffee buddy that moved from
sunny Florida back to Indiana with a peculiar request.
Pat,
Had a funeral today for a coon. I forgot, "do you bury them with their tail up or down?" . . .
Pat,
Had a funeral today for a coon. I forgot, "do you bury them with their tail up or down?" . . .
Sugar BabiesTerry Mulcahy © Copyright 2022 by Terry Mulcahy |
 Photo courtesy of Atahan Demir at Pixels. |
Frequently, hurricanes and tropical storms
passed
near Baltimore City where I grew up. There would be high winds,
sometimes hitting 100 miles an hour along the Maryland coast. One
such hurricane passed by in 1960 causing severe flooding. It was just
before my parents moved from our house in downtown Baltimore to a
location a bit higher in elevation. There was heavy rain in
Baltimore, but we had our yellow raincoats and black galoshes - those
rubber boots that buckled up from the toes halfway up our calves. . . .
|
The Dutiful Nevada Wife She Drove Him to the ER Henry Lansing Woodward © Copyright 2023 by Henry Lansing Woodward |
 Photo by Mikhail Nilov at Pexels. |
We
had just discharged our last patient, the man with the shotgun wound,
and were still parked in the ambulance parking area in front of the
double doors leading into the emergency room. After each
transport (not all dispatches result in a patient or a transport of a
patient), there is always some cleaning and restocking. The
four things always needing to be done, besides re-stocking, were to
wipe down the gurney, change the linens, wipe all surfaces and mop
the floor. Always. . . .
|
The Elevator Game The Story of Two Brothers at University Henry Lansing Woodward © Copyright 2023 by Henry Lansing Woodward |
 Photo by Jason Dent on Unsplash |
It
was a little past midnight when the alarm went off. The call
was at Juniper Hall on the campus of the University of Nevada in
Reno. We responded CODE
THREE
lights
and sirens, and because we were close to the University, we arrived
at the scene about four minutes after receiving the dispatch. . . .
Ocean City Took My Breath AwayTerry Mulcahy © Copyright 2022 by Terry Mulcahy |
 Photo courtesy of the author. |
Stopped
breathing. Just like that.
The ocean had been cold. Much colder than I'd expected from a warm
Spring day. It was early in the beach season. The winter had been
harsh. Cold currents still flowed past the shore where my parents had
dragged all of us kids. . . .
Dead DogsSam DeLeo © Copyright 2021 by Sam DeLeo |
 Image by Jana from Pixabay |
When
I was young, my first stepfather returned from a trip to the
countryside with bad news. He was driving down a dirt road when our
Siberian Husky jumped out of our GMC Jimmy and died under its wheels.
He never learned what made the dog jump. . . .