Monthly Archive: November 2015

Phenological

Black Friday. A headline reads: “Trading in stock futures this morning is directionless.” Another headline: “Active Shooter in Colorado Springs.” Things run their course. Daylight flags, inspiration too. What’s going on? The almanac says:...

Dead Reckoning

A road through the middle of nowhere can get pretty rough. This one was posted with a sign that said: “Unstable Surface, Temporary Speed Reduction, 5 MPH.” The sign was rusted but we obeyed...

Sixty

We were lost on back roads and came upon an intersection with a 4-way stop. Three of the roads were dead ends, including the one we came in on. Close by was a forlorn...

Myriad Things Electric

Where do they come from? Where do they go? In the more frolicsome days of youth, I would head out into the woods to follow dark streams, stony and thin—or sometimes game trails—just to...

This I Believe

Hello. I do considerable reading in the history of American religions. It’s one of my longstanding interests, though I myself am not religious. For instance, this evening I was reading something about the Shakers....

Standstill

  Early November. Sun just going down. “Unseasonably warm,” they say. I’m heading home from the car dealership. New snow tires. But right now I’m stuck in Albany traffic, a standstill on I-787. Road...

On Your Way

Back to the service center at the car dealership. I figure they’re my best bet for an explanation as to why every warning light on my dashboard is wildly flashing like a Reno slot...

A Crossing

Night ride across New Jersey. Aren’t they all? But for this one the sun is dressed up for Trick-or-Treat, so it shines. Corridors of commerce. Crowded highways. Aggressive drivers. Stoplights with jug-handle turns. Filigree...