On August 7, 2007, Barry Bonds drove a baseball deep into the San Francisco night, thus becoming, arguably, the all-time home run champion of baseball.  In doing so, he forever linked himself with a 1995 green Ford Escort station wagon, a champagne toast in front of San Quentin prison and a… Read full post »

In the vast, rolling basin and range desert of central Nevada the night sky is so dark and the stars so bright you sense that, if your vision were perfect, you might be able to see the distant edge of the Universe.  Maybe even farther.   From my sleeping bag I let… Read full post »

Here in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, the Amish are as thick as thieves.  To say this is not to imply that they are bandits, burglars or roving bands of suspendered thugs in straw hats.  Quite the contrary.  To the outside world they appear to be honest, hard worki… Read full post »

The old woman, thin and frail, lies motionless in a hospital bed.  A single intravenous tube drips precious fluid back into the collapsed veins of her emaciated body.  The room is still and timeless, yet the hall outside is a constant bustle of noise and activity.  The woman and her hu/… Read full post »

There’s an excellent chance that you haven’t given the following much thought.   I have.  Here for your consideration are my nominations for the five most influential harmonica players of all time:

1. Larry Adler – The chromatic harmonica was practically invented fo… Read full post »

I married into a large, traditional, first generation, straight-off-the-boat Detroit Polish family when I was in college.  As a result, I ended up attending more than my share of Polish weddings

For reasons that I am about to describe, one wedding stands out as particularly memorable. … Read full post »

Up until this morning, the squirrels had been winning.  I’m not talking about the Battle of the Bird Feeder or the fact that they maraud through my bonsai garden like miniature bulls in a china shop.  I’m talking about the head games, the test of will - the outwit, outlast, outn… Read full post »

It was a lead pipe about four feet long and about an inch in diameter.  When it hit the old man’s head it sounded like a baseball bat hitting a watermelon.  And when the old man’s crushed skull hit the pavement, it sounded like a canvas bag full of… Read full post »

A couple of nights ago a friend (with obvious music industry connections) emailed me and asked if I would like to attend a Buddy Guy concert at the Forum in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.  Two free tickets would be waiting at the door and I was to be his guest.

 “Buddy… Read full post »

“Daaaad?” 

My twelve year-old daughter chimes sweetly, voice melodic, her eyes probing slyly sideways for a hint of my reaction.  “We have SQUARE DANCING in gym class tomorrow, and I’d rather die than do square dancing.  Can you write me a note that says that I… Read full post »

The Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides, hereafter referred to as “metasequoia”) is a surviving relict of a family of trees that goes back in the fossil record almost to the beginning of the Age of Dinosaurs – well over 200 million years.  By about 40 million years ago,… Read full post »

I met an old man years ago.  He was an artist and an illustrator who came regularly into the San Francisco lithography shop where I worked to have his handiwork printed and bound.  He drew humorous and realistic illustrations of the highest quality, in a variety of media and styles, for… Read full post »