In early March I took an exhilarating yet exhausting drive across the Ozarks. Though Springfield and Salem lie nearly on the same latitude in Missouri, they’re about 75+ miles apart. …
Prayers Around the Body
Do you ever have trouble sleeping at night? Judging from ads on TV, this must be a common problem. Ambling toward the far side of seventy I occasional wake up …
Gun Show-Train Show Smack Down
What I remember from a local train show yesterday was the fleam. I hadn’t seen once since running the Ozark Agriculture Museum. It’s a simple device. They were used to …
At Joan Ackermann’s in the Berkshires
I got to know Joan at the Humana Festival of New American Plays in Louisville, Kentucky. To me and a lot of others, especially on the East coast, she’s one …
Driving Advice from the Pros
Later Cameron Powers did well as a highway construction contractor, but his real love was playing music. He and his partner Kristina Sophia traveled in a big RV for several …
Forest Fires, Naked Rainbows & a New Book
In a murky thicket I’m finishing final edits and additions to Ozark Voices, my oral history book. Several chapters deal with the U.S. Forest Service. The head of this huge agency was …
Birdwatching from Madison, MN, to Subiaco, AR
Has our poet of overgrown fields flown the coop to become some exotic creature? Maybe a crow? Lots of critters inhabit Robert Bly. Can his work have wings into the …
First Killing Frost
Trouble sleeping. After sunset I walk in the woods where stars sparkle above soaring oak and hickories. What’s that noise? An armadillo, bear or ghost? I’m nervous in the dark …
‘Beyond Van Gogh’ Presides at a Mall
What a huge tent! Maybe this can be repurposed for an Old Time revival? A Trump rally? Or peddling fireworks? Maybe a wedding at the country club? “Beyond Van …
Unmasking the Paranormal Circus: Meditation on the Dark Side
What drew us here, to this scruffy parking lot in a mid-American shopping mall on one of the last nights of summer warmth? Was it the magnificent tent? The luminary …
Selected Scenes from a Delta-Variant Summer Road Trip
Best burger on the road: Kewpee Drive-inn, Lima, Ohio. A giant angelic baby stands atop the roof of the historic eatery. More dolls on the inside and a sign proclaiming, …
Biscuits & Gravy with Screaming Pope
This day of remembrance recalls twelve years ago when the Ozarks suffered a derecho. This squally system with dozens of tornadoes toppled millions of trees, smashed property, totaled our car …
Post for the Oral History Association
OHA has an active webpage and blog that’s steadily updated. I try to keep up with news in the field, but good intentions often take me elsewhere. Nevertheless, I was …
Earth Day at the Homeless Shelter
A freak blizzard early this week has meant snowmen coexisting with redbud trees in full bloom. The cold front probably nipped Ozark fruit and spring soirees. This photo is a …
Whippoorwill Morning
One of these mysterious bird sings downhill at 5 a.m. The world’s going to be new once again. Warm enough to leave windows cracked, love ballads from doves, owl warnings, …
Trial by Water
It began with a bang. Starting up water service in our cabin, immediately the plastic filter fell to the floor. The tank flooded the basement. Luckily thinking fast, I shut …
Surprised by This Spring
Has anyone else wept for the blooming jonquils or the ten people shot in Colorado a few days ago? They take my breath away as I drive into Arkansas: random …
Spring Construction: With Sister Tabitha Babbit & Kent Brown
Today I fastened down the top part of my new trellis. This has been a month-long project done with the help of Kent Brown, including pine provided by David Haenke …