Category Archives: Columns

Published pieces I’ve written, primarily in The Recorder, Greenfield, Mass.

Field Trip

Here I sit for the second time today, just couldn’t get started on my first attempt, distracted, too many options. To remedy the little stalemate, I decided to load up the dogs and take a walk through the twin sunken meadows, which always seem to lift me to a better place. When I returned a […]

Bait, Barbs and Poignant Memories

The sports desk flashed the green light Tuesday night, said Wednesday’s local schedule was thin indeed. “Oh good,” I thought. “Now I can go right to town on that column I started Monday and revisited Tuesday.” So, proceed with caution. I have been known to get carried away. Which reminds me. I was in my own little […]

Circling the Bases

I can see the rain pouring down outside, hear it splashing off the flagstone terrace. I knew I should have thrown that whole cord of wood in this morning. Blame the wife, an easy, unjustified target. Up just after 7, I made coffee, fed the fire, got dressed and immediately went to gather wood and […]

Cougars & Stuff

Daffodils stand straight as an Episcopal preacher, cardinals sing their joyous tunes and life is good, spring optimism saturating my nostrils, filling my lungs, penetrating deep into my cynical soul. I love spring but must admit it was not kind to me as a kid. When an adolescent’s sap ascends from his roots, oh my, […]

Snapshots

Wispy morning fog, sodden turf, earthy aroma, no deer, not far. I had been playing with a doe and her yearling the previous two mornings, fun. Drawn by the fresh, tender, tasty green stubble sprouting under the brown hayfield, they’ll be back. But it’s not like there was nothing else to jack up Lily and […]

Rock of Rages

Always dangerous to compose a column one day, then sit down for rewrite chores the next, exactly where I today find myself. So buckle your chinstraps, me a Cancer, waxing Full Sap Moon casting a contemplative midnight hue out back by the brook. Isn’t it nice how this last winter moon cleared the air, lit […]

Sowing Seeds

Lots of stuff and little space, nothing new, more like a weekly dilemma; that is, how to touch all the bases without busting allotted space, getting carried away, so to speak. Well, with snow falling, the press running an hour early and local activities canceled, why worry? There’s space to fill. To begin with, grandson […]

Spring Fever

I finally got back on my feet over the weekend and celebrated my newfound mobility by inhaling our tasty March-brown February, rare indeed, while traversing the western hills through Colrain, Shelburne, Conway, Whately, South Ashfield and a little corner of Williamsburg; my country, stained throughout by ancient family DNA, sugarhouses belching dense steam skyward along […]

Turkey Tracks

Whew! Finally at my accustomed Wednesday seat, albeit late. It’s been one of those days. One thing after another this morning, mostly related to putting a car that’s been sitting idle back on the road. Perfect running order when I pulled the plates. But that was almost two years ago. Try it some time and […]

Twists and Turns

Canes and crutches, a forgotten hilltown bookshop and, yes, not surprisingly, more cougar rumors, one old, one new, the latter quite fascinating. In fact, I’d hesitate to report it if I didn’t trust the source. Fun. Another full plate, with lots of space and little local news to fill it. So, why not run with […]

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