The Idle American

A few days ago, my wife and I enjoyed a short road trip. Typically an hour’s drive to Stephenville, this day it was twice that. It took 40 minutes to make it through Granbury, where folks--weary of “sheltering”--seemed happy to be in their cars again, perhaps looking for “essential places.

Just because I’m 90 doesn’t mean I’m ready to die – or disposable

I’ve been a senior citizen for a quarter of a century, and I still sculpt, read and write essays. I speak five languages, and I use email and WhatsApp to communicate with family and friends in Finland, China, Norway, England, Israel, Russia, Thailand and throughout the U.S.

Hang Your Hat With Rotary

We all have known that it was just a matter of time before San Saba joined the rest of the world in the current pandemic crisis. This weekend it was announced that we now have our first confirmed case. This brings us into a new phase of life.

The Richland Springs Report

For all the numerologists, this edition comes out, 5-20-2020. I am not, and don’t look to find anything significant in those numbers other than it is a lovely day in May. Dwelling on numbers for just a minute, I was pleased to see the numbers in church increase this week.

The Postscript

“Waiting for the Sun” An enormous box arrives at our house. It is filled with food and cleaning supplies and, yes, toilet paper. I feel guilty. But the truth is, these supplies were ordered months ago. My husband, Peter, was a hoarder long before hoarding was in fashion. “Here you go!

Hill Country Naturalist

I wrote this while on vacation in the Texas Panhandle on April 26, 2015, just 12 days after the 80th anniversary of Black Sunday, the name usually given for the worst day ever, during the Dust Bowl years.

Notes from the Spring Creek Arts Guild

It is that time of the year when kindergarteners graduate and look forward to elementary school, eighth-graders graduate and look ahead to being high schoolers, high schoolers graduate and look toward a variety of paths forward, and college students graduate and look to a future of being...

Hill Country Naturalist

This topic came to me in an article in Texas Wildlife by Todd Steele about the various dangers we might encounter outdoors. I didn’t take a poll, but I bet the majority of people would answer the above question that they are most afraid of snakes.

The Idle American

If bodies grew weary of exercising, two of my friends, Dr. Lanny Hall in Abilene and Katheleene Green in Burleson, would be too sore to stand up. Truth to tell, Katheleene has been a devotee to physical exercise much longer. She attains age 100 come July 18. Dr.

The Richland Springs Report

The news of the day is… we are open. How wonderful it was to see people in church Sunday morning. Everyone did the social distancing protocol, there was no hugging or handshaking, and mothers picked up their own roses as they went out the door.