Posts tagged as:

at play

{ 0 comments }

{ 0 comments }

Freakism, Burlington, VT

March 17, 2018

The term “freakism” was probably coined by the man jumping off the building here in 1970, Bart Howe. It was mostly a name we used for each other, a nod to those parts of us not in the mainstream. It grew to be a genuine “ism”, and also: a mantra, a rebel yell and outright babble at times.

Three decades have passed since we spent any time together; the last being a midwinter hike to the summit of Camel’s Hump, and an overnight stay under a Wolf Moon, where we fed the fire – literal and metaphorical – all night long.

Fast forward: I play music in nursing homes, and after one performance I emailed this little anecdote to a friend of mine:

As I was packing up, this old gal with a rolling walker comes by, smiles and says ‘… nostalgic..’ and walks on. Inscrutable Zen Master, throwing down a koan !!! Yikes !!!

And so I say there is more to nostalgia than first meets the mind’s eye.

{ 0 comments }

And Yet**, Old Saybrook, CT

February 8, 2018

** see previous post

{ 0 comments }

Eight miles out across this body of water is Prince Edward Island. I wouldn’t be surprised if you could actually walk halfway there, particularly at low tide (and the water was sooo warm). The photograph was taken in the early 1990’s, when the Confederation Bridge – which now connects New Brunswick to the Island – was still in its planning stages.

This beach was the northernmost point of a ten day road trip around the Bay of Fundy – car camping all the way, in private campgrounds and provincial parks – a magnificent vacation experience with the woman who would eventually become my wife.

Photograph taken with my Fuji 6X7 film camera.

{ 0 comments }

{ 0 comments }

Fishing Shack, Wilmington, VT

February 12, 2017

One antidote for the cabin fever that settles in after the holidays is to get away for a bit; in this case out to the ice and into your little fishing shack, away from everything (but yourself), if just for while. And – the best part – you can just pretend you’re out there to fish.

{ 0 comments }

end-of-summer-8226

{ 0 comments }

where-e-readers-fear-to-tread-7885

My friend Larry A. and I were talking about our grade school education in Catholic schools (his in NYC, mine in VT), and the experience of nuns as teachers. It was a fine start to our education, we both agreed, emphasizing as it did those all important basics like reading.

I am extremely grateful to those teachers – and my parents who so believed in education – for giving me every tool they possibly could to prepare me for what lay ahead. If I have any regret, it’s in my own lack of attention to what was offered.

MANY MANY THANKS to each of you, wherever you are now.

Alternate Title: Where E-Readers Fear To Tread.

{ 1 comment }

Victor-7461

Pretty amazing that our neighbor Victor has been playing in the Horseshoe League in Deep River for the past 52 years; he started in 1964!! This year he says he’s “doing ok”, averaging 24, down from a high of 33 in his younger days. (Rounds of 12, two tosses each round, 3 points for a ringer, 1 for landing within 6 inches, leaners included.)

victor-

{ 0 comments }