"So, do you have any New Year's Resolutions", I asked the young lady next to me. She seemed to be listening in on our "resolutions" conversation (that Poppins and I were having with the bar keep). It was early and our regular watering hole was empty. It gave me a [...]
Educational
149 posts
Did you know that Santa doesn’t exist in Iceland? Iceland’s thirteen “yule lads” (brothers) take turns coming down to villages from their cave home high in the hills starting on December 12th through December 24th, the Icelandic day to celebrate Christmas. Then, the lads return one at a time back […]
It didn’t make sense. I turned to Kate, our group leader, with a furrowed brow and pursed lips. “What’s going on?” I don’t know why I thought she would have the answers, when the pilots couldn’t even give us a concrete answer. But I was nineteen and she had been […]
Astronauts are gutsy adventurers! Wanting to experience a taste of space exploration, my friend Randi and I attended adult Space Camp. It was a life dream of Randi’s. The two of us joined a team of 15 adults, “The Pioneers.”. There was another 13 member adult team who we were […]
July of 2019. I took a little trip with the Zodiac “Thor”. 33 miles one way in open water. We explore some of the history and open water loneliness.
The mist rolled across the tiny fake village of Glen Haven. The enfolding morning fog was slowly retreating skyward as the sun burned it. I pushed the sticky door of the tiny “Park Ranger” office in the back of a newly reconstructed residence. The door squeaked open to reveal three, […]
Overcoming a fear is rewarding and terrifying. Like grieving, it takes time.
I hadn’t paid attention to the ground instruction. I was just excited that it was time to rappel. I had been chosen to join the upperclassmen of the ROTC program for some advanced training. Apparently, this freshman had shown superior land navigation skills and “rabbit skinning/preparation skills” and it impressed […]
Dentist-turned-“bush pilot” GEORGE ERICKSON flies his Piper Cub seaplane into the far reaches of the north. With a couple of close calls, Erickson sets up camp on unexplored lakes and rivers, fishes for trout, struggles with bad weather, overflies forest fires, and and mingles with polar bears, killer whales, musk […]
I slid by the muddy banks of the Grand River, gliding my kayak into the shadows of the trees. It was quiet, except for the gentle gurgle of water. Just then, I came upon a cow standing in the water. She looked at me – silent and still. I glared […]