The ages of man

They form a palindrome

Today’s palindromic wisdom was recently discovered in the lost manuscripts of the author of “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust”....

Fiction: Finsoup (a novel) [24]

From Good to Bad

By edRogers

[Reviewed here on the novel’s publication day, October 6, 2018: “Coming soon to a Barnes & Noble store near you?”]

Charlie and Margot returned to the Customs warehouse at ten minutes to the hour. Margot joked, “It shouldn’t take two hours to decide if he wants to talk to us or not.”
    When they walked into the warehouse, Jennifer was waiting for them. “Mr. Morales would like to hear more about your business idea. If you’ll follow me.” She turned and started across the wide expanse of concrete toward a set of stairs on the other side.

Thunder Down Under: Jet airplanes for the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Western Australia

A Rio Tinto LifeFlight PC-24

By Vic Midyett

In my February article on the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, I reported that beginning in the second half of this year three new jet airplanes would be delivered to the RFDS in Western Australia, and one of them has been delivered to our local office, located at a small airport 20 minutes from where we live – Jandakot Airport.

One Hundred, Fifteen Years Ago Today: December 17, 1903

By Moristotle

[A visit to the Wright Brothers memorial at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, in October 1986 unexpectedly provoked me to write a poem, and the arrival of December 17 again renews the thrill of the remembered occasion. Originally published on December 17, 2006, during this blog’s first year, without the image.]

Oh, calm brothers, a thousand glides
off Kill Devil Hill and you know
your Flyer’s cambered wings can catch enough

Fiction: Finsoup (a novel) [23]

Blue Monday

By edRogers

[Reviewed here on the novel’s publication day, October 6, 2018: “Coming soon to a Barnes & Noble store near you?”]

Juan waited for the guard to unlock the gate. He could see Tai’s black Town Car parked in front of the office, so he knew he was there.
    The guard wanted to see his pass. Instead, Juan flashed his badge. Few people ever read the bottom part where it said “Retired.” The guard opened the gate without another word.
    The secretary was another story. “You cannot see Mr. Tai without an appointment.”

Fiction: Finsoup (a novel) [22]

Update

By edRogers

[Reviewed here on the novel’s publication day, October 6, 2018: “Coming soon to a Barnes & Noble store near you?”]

After Charlie explained to Howard and Tommy about the bomb, Margot made snacks and they moved to the back porch. The two visitors seemed to take the bomb scare as a matter of fact and showed little concern that they might be in danger. For some reason, Charlie found that worrisome; after all, it’s not every day that a bomb is planted in a friend’s car.

Fiction: Finsoup (a novel) [21]

A Day of Surprises

By edRogers

[Reviewed here on the novel’s publication day, October 6, 2018: “Coming soon to a Barnes & Noble store near you?”]

Charlie was on his second glass of water after three aspirins. He had remembered too late why he hated drinking wine. It was the mother of all hangovers. He had awoken in an empty bed, and when he came out of the bedroom, Margot handed him water and aspirins, and he headed to the couch. That was as far as he had gotten, and now he lay there waiting to die.

Poetry & Portraits: Penny

Drawing by Susan C. Price

Penny
By Eric Meub

[Originally published on March 11, 2017]

Behind us naps the Byzantine and Belle
Époque of the Excelsior Hotel;
before us, Adriatic shallows flood
a Canaletto flat of sand and mud.

Fiction: Finsoup (a novel) [20]

Friday Is Fish Night

By edRogers

[Reviewed here on the novel’s publication day, October 6, 2018: “Coming soon to a Barnes & Noble store near you?”]

Charlie was trying to talk Margot into staying home. “We eat fish every Friday. Let’s cook something here for a change and go for fish tomorrow night.”
    “No, Charlie. I’m going out for dinner; you can stay home if you want. And what I mean by home is your home on the mountain.”

The elders giggle

By Victor L. Midyett

I watched the American PBS news one afternoon a few weeks ago. They discussed several observations of people being fearful and not willing to connect or talk with their neighbors anymore, or urban dwellers v. rural dwellers. Closer to home, communities v. communities, organizations v. organizations, friends v. friends, family v. family, the employed v. the unemployed. Perhaps even churches v. churches.

Fiction: Finsoup (a novel) [19]

Rufino Makes a Move

By edRogers

[Reviewed here on the novel’s publication day, October 6, 2018: “Coming soon to a Barnes & Noble store near you?”]

Rufino had been awake for hours. The fear of being caught by the Taiwanese was becoming a handicap. It was filling his mind – his every wakening thought was about dying. Every sound and every person who looked too long in his direction became a danger to him. If he were Edgar he could go to the States, or if Paulo he could return to Nicaragua, but his home was Costa Rica, and he had no other place to go.

Paris Journal: Kew Gardens remembered through notes & photographs

Victoria Gate to Kew Gardens

June 20, 2017

By Moristotle

[I was, of course, remiss not to include this account here shortly after our return from Paris after June 2017. I publish it today because today a couple of my friends are visiting Kew Gardens!
    And, in case you’re wondering what a visit to Kew Gardens has to do with this Paris journal, please be reminded that Carolyn and I took a four-day side trip to the British Isles last year to visit our Welsh friend Penelope Griffiths, who writes our column “Penny for Her Thoughts.”]

For our visit to Kew Gardens today, we were out of our hotel for about seven hours, catching the 65 bus [near the Hotel Xanadu in Ealing] toward Kingston at around 9:30 a.m.

On Franklin Hill Farm: A Great Blue Heron

And other birds I’ve been blessed to see and sometimes photograph

By Bettina Sperry

For the past several years, I’ve had many opportunities to observe our local population of woodpeckers, bluebirds, kingfishers, various owls, and even eagles that nest several miles down the road from Franklin Hill Farm, by our neighborhood lake. I’ve even had the blessing of finding the most beautiful bird’s nest constructed out of duck feathers.

Thunder Down Under: Spirit of determination

Detail

By Vic Midyett

I had breakfast with a friend a few weeks ago, after which we went for a walk along the Swan River, which runs through Perth and spills out at Fremantle into the Indian Ocean.

Fiction: Finsoup (a novel) [18]

Walking Dead

By edRogers

[Reviewed here on the novel’s publication day, October 6, 2018: “Coming soon to a Barnes & Noble store near you?”]

Rufino opened his eyes and fear gripped him. That last thing he remembered was being hit by a bullet and falling backward. He had been wearing a lifejacket in case they found that rat Charlie, and it must have saved his life. But how did he get to be in a hospital?
    The nurse saw that he was awake and came to his bedside. “How are you feeling? You are very lucky.”