May I die in the spring after one last winter’s storm The first flakes fell yesterday morning. My wife, son, and I were returning from our daily walk and discussing the upcoming storm. The walk was uneventful other than the anticipation we both felt about the imminent arrival of Winter Storm Jonas. Throughout our walk…
My family walks with me most mornings. As mentioned in my previous post, we have all grown quite fond of our family walks. But sometimes, if I have work to do out in the field or if the family has other obligations, I walk alone through the mountains behind our property. I enjoy the family…
Much to my relief, autumn has arrived! The leaves are slowly turning from their late summer dark greens to various shades of red, yellow, orange, brown, and even purple. The temperature is growing cooler – cool enough for jeans and sweatshirts and campfires. And multiple types of nut–bearing trees are providing natural, delicious (and free)…
Nearly every night since we arrived at our month–long stay at the cabin in the mountains, my family and I have listened intently to the sound of several owls, one of which sounds just beyond our dusk–to–dawn light’s illumination. “Who–who, who–whooooh. Who–who, who–whoooh.” Finally, after pulling into the driveway last night after a long…
My alarm rang at 6:29 this morning. At 7:30 I found the motivation to rise and greet the day. Misti and I stepped onto the cabin’s front porch and stared out into the Monongahela National Forest. We laid our mats onto the porch floor and began a stretching routine I adapted from the Army. The…
Yesterday morning I said goodbye to an old friend – a friend that I’ve held in high regards for over three years. For the three weeks prior to yesterday, the majority of my time has been consumed with the chores, errands, and odds and ends of moving. Everything else has been temporarily placed…
I’ve wanted to read “A River Runs Through It” for years. I saw the movie – you know, the one starring Brad Pitt, and thought it was fairly decent, but like any reader, I knew that reading the book would provide a much better experience. As I finished the third and final story within A…
I didn’t notice the continual sound of the shoals just upriver from us. I didn’t notice the birds flittering in the thick green bushes along the river bank. I didn’t notice the sun beating upon my bare shoulders. My entire focus was on watching the rest of the family as they paddled from the eddy…
Within the past several days, I’ve finished two books (one on the craft of writing and one about combat) and have started on another addition to my nature writing collection, A River Runs Through It. As a self–proclaimed nature writer, I am prone to study the work of the nature writing masters. Although I…
***Before beginning this post, I would be remiss to omit a sincere thank you to my wife and children. I truly appreciate your efforts to make this Father’s Day a special day for me. I love the char–coal grill. I love the hugs, kisses, and cards. I love my cake. And I love you. When…
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