Gather 'round…
Committee might be a strong word. Soapbox, maybe. I am nearly through with my 5th book on Social Security, retirement, and investment; I've been on somewhat of a run. It's been enlightening, actually, and inspiring on many levels. So much so that I am teaching a class this month, to share all the eye-poppers and... Continue Reading →
A little follow up on yesterday's post... It took me a while to find it, as the much-coveted book has already been surrendered to the library, but I thought it worth reposting Mike Perry's closing essay from Roughneck Grace. Kind of sums up those times around the fire, no matter how they're spent. A bit... Continue Reading →
Well, we're home. OK, we've been home for over a week. But alas, the only writing I've gotten done since landing is the boring kind that meets a deadline. Boring, but lucrative, as long as your vocabulary is equipped with a vivid imagination. The North Shore was gorgeous, as always. There was that rocky start,... Continue Reading →
It's 1am. I am supposed to be diving into my thirty-seven degree sleeping bag on the shores of Lake Superior after a mad midnight setup spree right about now. But instead I am pit-stopped on my couch, typing my way to bed. We can debate the sanity of the midnight arrival plan later. 45 minutes... Continue Reading →
Our basement is leaking. Record rainfalls combined with ten years of sunken backfilling around the house, and of course, our basement is leaking. I'm not so frustrated that the rugs are sopping, or that the fans and dehumidifiers have been erected in an obstacle course worthy of an olympic sport at the base of the stairs.... Continue Reading →
Fall is arriving, on the backs of the wind, breaking through the sunlight and scattering it more and more every day. The cool is exhilarating. The dry is refreshing. The breeze and the crispness of the evening make me pine for the North Shore. How is it that such a place can become so precious?... Continue Reading →
Mid-July, in an email exchange revolving mostly around calculus, carpooling, and a boy named Fred, my dear friend - let's call her Yolanda* - appended the following personal news: Yolanda: Our clothes dryer broke down, so I picked one up for $35 on Craigslist. Hoping it doesn't burst into flames. For now underpants are on... Continue Reading →
We've officially changed our status from farm to wildlife preserve. Hostile wildlife preserve, but the distinction is lost on the wildlife. Last Wednesday I posted about the chipmunk that destroyed Scott's pride. I am happy, for Scott's sake, to report that our little chippy must have sensed the collective rise in the blood pressure of... Continue Reading →
I picked some ragweed today. All along the driveway. Species Ambrosia confertiflora, the carpet that greens up the roadside, masquerading as some pretty little tea leaf. I picked some ragweed yesterday, too. Same little tea leaf. And I pulled some serious ragweed this weekend. Ambrosia trifida, the giant stuff as tall as me that has... Continue Reading →
There is a tent set up in my yard. It is raining. The rain fly is laid out on the ground next to the tent, and the tent is holding probably thirty-two gallons of water, the current rainfall doubling the volume already held when the tent was set up this morning. There are tarps strung... Continue Reading →
We returned yesterday from our annual week in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. There is always a bit of culture shock as we re-integrate into the civilized world, and this year was no different. I took a walk this morning. On pavement. I was not navigating a boulder-riddled portage trail under the weight of... Continue Reading →
I staked up some peppers yesterday. There is a 'heat dome' hovering over the midwest, and this is precisely the time that I generally choose to twiddle in the garden. Because I make poor choices. It was approximately seventeen hundred degrees when I noticed that the garden was suffering from a bit of a wither,... Continue Reading →
![[Way Back Wednesday] Moderation, even in writing (gasp)](https://i0.wp.com/kjottinger.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/moderation-image.jpg?resize=40%2C40&ssl=1){kind=small}
Tales From the Nexus 