Yearly Archives: 2009

The Bee-Loud Glade

It’s been a bad year for bees. Too much rain in Vermont, honey production is way off. On the other hand, varroa mites don’t seem as bad this year, which may also be due to the rainy weather. Or maybe it’s part of the mites’ natural cycle. No one seems to know. For me, it’s […]

Copping an Attitude

I just got home after several days of travel. Between living in a non-hub city like Burlington and the state of the airlines these days, it was unsurprising that I didn’t get home last night, as scheduled. After the better part of two days hanging around airports or crammed into a seat in coach, I […]

Call Me Charley

I must have been in fifth or sixth grade when we were assigned to read “Call Me Charley,” by Jesse Jackson. Not that Jesse Jackson, but Mr. Jackson the author was an African American and “Call Me Charley” is about an African American youth trying to fit into a white community. Mr. Jackson said he […]

Withholding Consent

During last week’s Fourth of July festivities, it occurred to me that the celebration of our nation’s founding commemorates a political act. We could reasonably date the founding of the United States to the battle of Lexington and Concord or the battle of Saratoga or the battle of Yorktown. It’s true America was born in […]

The Children’s Table

Are you planning a huge barbecue for the Fourth of July? Will it be in the backyard? (The kids are hoping for a pool.) Will it be at a state park or beach? (Send the teens early to hold down a grill and several picnic tables.) Wherever it happens, if the crowd is large enough, […]

Joe Biden Date Night

Barack Obama is causing me trouble. Me, personally. The president and first lady are making a habit – a very public habit – of reserving one night a week for a date. Marriage maintenance is important for couples who’ve been together a while, especially if they have kids and the day job demands plenty of […]

Act Accordingly

There are two ways of relating to government: 1) I think my government is acting in my best interest – and act accordingly or 2) I think my government is not acting in my best interest – and act accordingly. Most of us fall between 1) and 2). I was closer to 2) for eight […]