Category Archives: Uncategorized

but there will be trees missing and new traffic lights. We did the 700 mile round trip to Connecticut this week for Thanksgiving at my brother’s house. He’s a great cook and graciously agreed to host 15 of us who found his Northwest Connecticut home to be the middle place between our starting points inContinue reading “Well, you can go home again-“

I did the thing. The 75 Hard thing. Mine was modified, so, for those of you who have done the REAL 75 Hard, forgive me. I did the “Soft 75.” For 75 days in a row (no cheating, no skipping) I did these 5 things: 2. Followed a vegan diet and had no alcoholic drinksContinue reading “on day 76”

If you know me, you know that I love a challenge. There is something about setting some goals, and trying new behavior patterns for a time that I find invigorating and a doorway to spiritual growth. In the past I have taken on the challenge of training for and running five different marathons and twoContinue reading “2023 test run”

Three things my mother taught me: About Diane Arbus How to iron a shirt The rhyming scheme of a sonnet. This is not an exhaustive list of imparted wisdom, but in these recent days I’ve been thinking about my mom as I wander through my own life; these are moments of recollection that make meContinue reading “three things”

Lately, I’ve been looking to the end of the year and anticipating the completion of my year of following a vegan diet. People have asked me if I will continue to eat this way or if I will celebrate 2023 with a cheeseburger and fries. Some days, that cheese burger sounds pretty great… and otherContinue reading “Fourth quarter thoughts on veganism”

I know, I look a little peculiar: Leggings, sweatshirt, baseball cap-             (That’s the acceptable part) Headlamp, fanny pack, walking stick             (that’s the peculiar part) I’m not in the woods, after all, I am finishing my morning walk in suburbia. But I started out before the sun was up and so: Headlamp to see. Fanny packContinue reading “Morning Walk. On Turning 64.”

I.  Redeemed Yesterday we returned to the Rocky Knob Trail to try, try again. Just 35 feet from where we turned left, last week-       the left that led us down the hill and into the        Mountain Laurel Wilderness…          a wilderness of self -doubt, dark forests and skinned knees… Just 35 feet further fromContinue reading “a triptych in Rs.”

Last month when I was doing a few days on the AT, I reflected that while one always hopes for an “incident free” and “safe” hike, the best stories come from mishaps and mistakes encountered along the way.  In fact, “trail names” are often derived from when something goes wrong.  Earlier this spring I met a thru-hikerContinue reading “Not the Rocky Knob Trail”

There is a saying in the hiking community: “You pack your fears.” I fear that I will not have enough water when I hike. I fear that the springs will run dry. I fear that my 5-inch water filter will jam up and not work. This filter that stops 99.9999% of bacteria- salmonella, cholera, E.Continue reading “gift”

five days on the Appalachian Trail August 2022 Note: the title of this blog and some references in its body have been changed since its first release on Aug. 19th. A friend wrote to enlighten me about the term “gypsy” (The original title of the blog post was “psalms, gypsies and rain,” ) and inContinue reading “psalms, rogues and rain”