As purposeful as weeping is to the one grieving the loss of a loved one, so needful are the thorns on the rose blooming in the garden. Introspection for the sufferer, protection for the flower. “It takes all sorts of weathers to make a year, and all tend to the same issue, of ripened harvests […]
To Ponder
It’s About Our Water
Co-Authored by Kirk Kirkland & Al Schmauder. In the face of escalating urbanization in Pierce County, a concerning lack of oversight exists in monitoring drinking water usage and assessing evolving trends. The repercussions are evident, with increasing water pollution, diminishing well levels, and the cessation of winter flow in Clover Creek. Acknowledging these environmental challenges, […]
Across the Fence: Mannschaft
Looking into lists of Germanisms in the English language, I recently came across one that astonishes me and that I have never heard anybody use before. “Mannschaft (pronounce: ‘munn-shufft, meaning team) apparently refers to Germany’s national male soccer team whereas “Nationalelf” (pronounce: ‘nut-sea-o-naahl-elf, meaning national eleven) is the nickname for Germany’s national female soccer team. […]
Letter: CPSD…?
The other day on Facebook I read the following.. “Smart men don’t tell you how smart they are.Rich men don’t tell you how rich they are.Tough men don’t tell you how tough they are.Honest men don’t tell you how honest they are.Con men do.” Since 2016 I have never seen the word narcissists (thinking very […]
The Glory of the United States
When I see various states in the United States of America threatening to run their state like they are in their own country, I think of the film Glory. When I hear demeaning comments about any group of people in America, I think of the film Glory. When I hear about cities and states working […]
Letter: ImPACT
She was attractive – tall, a redhead, and slender. Like a flower in a greenhouse, peeking down the road, she had flagged down the passing motorist. That’s when the nightmare began. Now she stood in a long line of mostly women in a hallway running past courtrooms. At the very end of that tunnel comprised of […]
One in the Bush – Rufus Leaking
My wife Rose appreciates shopping at places where she knows she can find what she wants. Our local Walgreens on Pearl Street is a favorite stop. Quite often I drive her there and then wait in the car for her to get what she wants and needs. I used to walk around inside the store […]
Letter: ‘Ditto’ As Used With Devotion
The day before Valentine’s Day, one year ago, the Oncologist turned from the computer screen where she had been reading my wife’s report, and she said, looking at my wife laying there on the tilted-back exam chair and then at me sitting nearby, holding my wife’s hand: “You’ve reached the end of the journey. You’ve […]
Letter: Be Still My Heart
Submitted by Aaron Arkin, Steilacoom. One TV show I regularly enjoy is a PBS formulaic but very watchable detective mystery series set on a small Caribbean island (Death In Paradise). With its colorful Creole characters and who-done-it and how-was-it-done plotting, conundrums and misdirection, it engages the audience as they try to solve the mystery. Its […]