Simon the Cyrene

HuntsvilleAlabamaNovember  2013 A couple thousand years ago, give or take twenty minutes, in and around Jerusalem, this happened, then that happened and so forth, all leading up to Jesus’ trek on the Road to Calvary.  You may recall that the soldiers compelled Jesus to carry his own cross to the site of his crucifixion.  That… Continue reading Simon the Cyrene

Jolly Green Giant

Blue EarthMinnesotaJune  2008 And thus we come to Blue Earth, Minnesota.  A short distance off the interstate and there it is, just like in the pictures, the world’s largest Jolly Green Giant, all fifty-five feet of him.  Lisa says, “That’s an awfully large giant.”  I say, “Actually, that is a normal size giant.” THE EARTH… Continue reading Jolly Green Giant

The Dance of Life

summer  2018 It started on a walk with Mike, my excellent friend and excellent hiking partner, telling me about his hike at Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend, Washington, where he saw two bald eagles at the same time.  Some of us go a lifetime not seeing a bald, and here, he sees two… Continue reading The Dance of Life

Possum Opossum

PittsburghPennsylvaniaSpring 2016 This is Jean-Clawed.  He lives with me.  We’re roommates. This is what Jean-Clawed is looking at. This…  thing…  is on my back porch.  It is an opossum.  It does not live with me.  Clearly, you can see that, by the expression on Jean-Clawed’s face. What we have here is the two extremes.  When… Continue reading Possum Opossum

Marty’s Dry Boots

Dolly Sods WildernessWest VirginiaJune  1998 Reminds me of the time when a group of us were backpacking in the Dolly Sods Wilderness in West Virginia.  It had rained heavily over the past few days and our trail was flowing with runoff from the long storm.  Proper trail etiquette is to hike on the trail, regardless… Continue reading Marty’s Dry Boots

Practicing

at homeMay  2014 To try to be ready for high places, which terrify me, I clean the windows on the third floor of my house, leaning out one sash window to get to the adjacent one. I’m not sure I’m getting the hang of it, this going up high stuff.  I have to ask my… Continue reading Practicing

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Mount Kaboom

Mount MagazineArkansasJune  2012 The origin of the name Mount Magazine comes in a rather uninspired way.  You could also call it uninspired.  Seems that in the old days, French explorers were making their way around this area when a landslide occurred.  One of the Frenchmen exclaimed, “Great leaping toadstools!  That sounds just like an ammunition… Continue reading Mount Kaboom

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The Cheaha Shuttle

Cheaha MountainAlabamaNovember  2013 None of the hiking trails on Cheaha Mountain take you to the summit.  They all bypass it or end on a road which requires at least a half mile of pavement walk.  The best hiking route I can find is the Lake Trail.  Since this is a linear trail, out and back,… Continue reading The Cheaha Shuttle

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A Preponderance of Dogs

Mount FrissellConnecticutMay  2014 Continuing, we are not even a quarter of a mile in on our summit hike and already we have encountered a number of dogs, a preponderance of dogs, one might say.  A pack of dogs.  If they were emus, I would have to say a mob of emus.  Or eagles, as sometimes… Continue reading A Preponderance of Dogs