Category: The Great Outdoors

Adventures in nature

North Country

A couple weekends ago we explored Sonoma County, scoping it out as a possible place to relocate. Unfortunately, it’s further from Chico than where I am now, and that upsets little Em. It’s also pretty damned expensive. But we’ll see. And last week Molly, Ember and I headed north again for two nights, and visited the ocean during a break in the rain. Lots of pretty country around. I know there are some fabulous people […]

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M-m-m-m-my [De]Generation

In The Who’s 1965 hit My Generation, Roger Daltry tells us, “I hope I die before I get old.” While his sentiment may be a bit extreme (and by “old” he probably meant around forty), I see his point. Let me tell you about my own [de]generation. At my dentist appointment a couple weeks ago I overheard the doctor say to a patient in the next cubicle, “Your tooth looks fine. There’s nothing alarming. Not […]

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Mixed Bag

July 11, 2022 One evening in Delaware a couple weeks ago, Ma and I couldn’t quite agree on where north was. I pointed that-a-way, while she was sure it was over there. “I’ve lived in this town all my life. I know where north is.” I get that, but my phone’s compass didn’t see it her way. “Something must be wrong with your phone.” Nonetheless, last week I put my faith in the very same […]

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Peaks & Valleys

Before I launch into yet another scintillating tale of travel, this time into a deep canyon, I’d like to show you a video. As you’ll recall, my sister Kate recently had all Dad’s 1960s home movies digitized. Last week I came across this archetypal sibling drama—older sister tortures younger sister—which both makes me snort with amusement and cringe with embarrassment. Context: pony-tailed, 8-year-old Katie and a certain towheaded 11-year-old climb a wooden archway between rooms.  […]

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