Throughout Advent, I have been collecting a soundtrack to get me deeper into the season. Tonight, I was greeted by two songs at our annual “Blue Christmas” service — one I sang and one I heard — that helped move me along towards the manger, sadness and all. Tonight, I thought I would share them…
Today has been a sad day. My dear friend, David Gentiles, died three years ago today. Three years later, this day lies between the anniversary of the death of my father-in-law, Reuben, who died a year ago last October and January, which will mark the first anniversary of Lola, our Schnauzer who died after…
I saw Joy dressed as a postal worker tenaciously attempting to infect everyone in line up against Impatience in the form of a woman still in her workout clothes complete with jewelry and then I stood behind Clumsy or so she seemed — dressed in faux fur and fumbling at the self-serve machine I was…
I love my wife for walking out of church this morning. She began our worship, you see, by using a song they sang on the 2012 Freedom Ride to help us figure out a way to allow us room to deal with our grief over Sandy Hook in our service. So we sang, I woke…
One of the gifts I got for my birthday was time. It’s something I always ask for and Ginger takes my request quite seriously. After a marvelous birthday breakfast together at Guglhuph, a wonderful German bakery and restaurant here in Durham, Ginger and Rachel, my mother-in-law, left me there with over three hours of time…
I tried prose tonight but all I could do was drop a gravel load of anger in the middle of the page this is no time for stones I tried to be relevant but all I could do was take my best shot in the ranting wars in hopes of getting hits this is not…
Tonight, I cooked dinner for some of our neighbors as part of my participation in our Old North Durham Neighborhood Association auction not long ago. For tonight’s post, I offer the menu — with links to recipes. Roasted Asparagus and Poblano Soup Winter Salad Autumn Gallette Vietnamese Caramelized Catfish “Sliders” on a Sweet Potato Biscuit…
I love telling stories. I also love repeating them — just ask Ginger. I do, however, come by it honestly: it’s a family trait. One of my favorite repeatables is one I have heard my brother tell many times and comes from his days living in Akron, Ohio. His barber there was a man who…
on the cusp of a new year back edge of the old one may I see life as frontier ‘stead of something that’s done may I age with more grace and far fewer demands stare out into space and work with my hands make love the last word and thank you the first let my…
It’s December in Durham, which means we have no idea what the weather is going to do from day to day. Right now, it might as well be May; tomorrow may feel like, well, December. Who knows. As I sat in our kitchen this morning, trying to decide whether or not to turn on the…