My first birthday

My brother just sent me this video, which he created from one of my father’s old 8mm home movies. Travel back with me into the past to my first birthday party, August 1947, in Stratford CT. Surrounded by parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Kind of blurry and way too short, but wonderful to have!…

My sore back tells me it’s spring

Oh man, I am getting too old for this. I helped with picking garden setup this morning, although we had a good turnout of men and a few younger people for a change, so I didn’t feel too bad taking on just the easy jobs. Especially because it was pretty humid and humidity always knocks…

Soggy Trail Walk

When I heard the rain pattering down this morning, I almost didn’t go to the conservation trail walk. But I did drag myself out and it was actually quite a lovely walk. A bit soggy, but lovely. The first spring green is finally starting to come out and somehow the rain makes it all greener.…

A visit to the Thoreau Institute

Once a month, my town’s Conservation Commission holds a Conservation Coffee where residents can get together with the conservation team for an informal discussion of current issues. To keep things interesting, the event is held in various venues around town. I hadn’t managed to get up early enough to attend any of these before, but…

What a difference a week makes

It’s been a long, cold winter here in the Northeast, and spring is coming later than usual. About two weeks ago, when I would normally be thinking of planting peas, I went out to my garden and found this: Discouraging. Then last Monday, I was scheduled to lead a guide training walk at Garden and…

Dallas Buyers Club

I hadn’t paid much attention to Dallas Buyers Club, until it won two acting Oscars. So when I went to see it the other day, I didn’t know much about it. I actually thought it had something to do with medical marijuana or cancer drugs, but learned that it was actually about AIDS drugs in…

The cats are growing up

When I met Pekoe back in late Oct. he weighed 5.4 lbs and was as thin as a rail. His estimated age was 6 months. Now he’s about 11 months old, weighs about twice what he did then, and measures 32 inches from paw to paw when splayed out like this. A big boy! Jasmine…