Category Archives: Uncategorized

This barred owl perched outside our sliding back door. It was watching squirrels stealing food I had put out for songbirds. I’ve never seen an owl catch a squirrel. To do so, an owl would need to surprise the squirrel … Continue reading →

Left for Dead is a thoroughly researched true account of castaways on the inhospitable Falkland Islands during the early 1800s. They endured years of severe hardships compounded by unimaginable treachery while trying to survive. The story is a compelling and … Continue reading →

During the early 1900s, a dam was built to generate electricity on Washington’s Elwha River. In 1938, Olympic National Park was created and surrounded the dam site. The road to the dam became one of the few access places into … Continue reading →

Low interest rates and inflation have forced some of us into the stock market trying to protect the purchasing value of our old-age-care savings. I prefer dull businesses like utility companies. I found one electricity-generating company with a twelve-year record … Continue reading →

Picking blackberries was a summertime passion of mine as a boy and has remained so until recently. Before moving to Washington, I cultivated commercial thorn-less blackberries. Washington’s abundance of robust wild blackberries surrounding our property, albeit with thorns, delighted me. … Continue reading →

I’ve taken another of The Great Courses. The premise is that the Middle Ages weren’t stagnant but had great technological advancements. This course is a thousand times better than History of Engineering a required course for my mechanical engineering degree. … Continue reading →

Before moving to Seattle, the only time I’ve lived in a state with a professional sports franchise was the Auckland Blues rugby team in New Zealand. Although I watch professional football on TV, I’ve never attended a game. Therefore the … Continue reading →

Recently I described an unidentified bird to other bird enthusiasts. “There’s an app for that,” they claimed. “You just take a picture and ask AI.” Kit downloaded the bird app to her phone. Later I saw a robin hopping on … Continue reading →

Kit and I have traveled to hundreds of places including many tropical climates but never to Hawaii. Last week we spent on Kaua’i with Kit’s family. Kaua’i is roughly circular and 26 miles across with about 75,000 residents living around … Continue reading →