Can we picture the Springs as it will be, as it should be? When I recently viewed “Picturing the Springs” by Michael Acker at the Depot Park Museum, I could not stop thinking about what our Springs community once was, what it is now, and... Continue
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Bless the many caring individuals, church ministries, and private charities who struggle to feed, shelter, and keep alive the cast-offs, the superfluous population, the losers in our social Monopoly game, who have been cast from the comforting quotidian routine of daily life as an ordinary... Continue
A flash of red springing from the forest floor or a dash of pink jutting from a rocky outcrop always stops me in my tracks. For years, I’ve been taking pictures of incredibly beautiful and unique wildflowers during my walks and hikes in Sonoma Valley... Continue
Chapter 49: 1948/49 • Sonora ~ Just three months after my arrival, my mother—along with losing her mind—lost her brother, Gordon Gregory Chatfield. He died in Letterman's Veteran's Hospital in San Francisco at the age of 42 from his WWII injuries (he fell off the... Continue
I’ve been wondering about the purpose of things, personal and universal. Of course, it’s possible there is no purpose as such, and the very idea of purpose is simply a by-product of human thought. But the universe seems purposeful, and one might say the existence... Continue
It was the ugliest divorce I've ever seen and I’ve seen a few. But I couldn’t help my friend right then. I was having a challenging day myself. I woke up to a power outage, tip-toed over to turn off my electric blanket so that... Continue
I have spent many a recent winter praying for rain, and this season, its finally came! Beginning in late December, we saw storm after storm pummel our state – sometimes you get more than what you asked for. Climate change has pushed our county into... Continue
Often after speaking at a local government meetings, I hear, “Well that’s just your opinion, just anecdotal.” I consider myself a logical, observant person. I do my best, not to just make things up. I think this comes from my years as a business and... Continue
“It says here that seniors are changing their spending habits due to inflation,” my wife mentioned to me yesterday, “eating out less, just like us,” she added. “Yup,” I replied, “we’re just a statistic.” For many years I’ve said, “I’m just a statistic,” a comment... Continue
Chapter 48: August 16, 1948 • Sonora ~ I was welcomed into the family two years after Mom’s first breakdown, though not by her. She didn’t want another child, she wanted out. As far as she was concerned, I was a fifth burden tacking on... Continue