Clare Consultation, LLCFracking — Any Hope of Listening Here?
NOTE: Here’s a brief statement by a conservation writer and a response from a person with another opinion. Both are residents of the same area of Montana. My question to myself – to all of us – is how can these two people listen to one another? How can they be in conversation toward some level of understanding – even action? Is it possible? And before I leave you to read their… Read More
Ode to a Street Gentleman
This is a repost of a blog from New Year’s Day, 2011. That day I wrote about a man named Bill who I haven’t seen now for over two years. He’d be 68 by now. The street people around here who know him haven’t seen him or heard anything. I’ll keep asking, but all of us have the feeling Bill’s life may have passed. I’m spending lots of time considering house and… Read More
One Change Leader — My Mama
There it was – the enormous stack of mail that comes from being away from home for awhile. Daunting as it seems, it’s always possible, even curious, to riffle through – separating the “must attend to this” ones from the far more plentiful immediate candidates for the recycling bin. In a way that has become exceptional and continues a bit thrilling, there was a hand addressed envelope from a real person —… Read More
Shutdown — One Viral Video and a Sort of Bipartisan Response
[NOTE: Viral Video from title — http://www.votevets.org/home] [later NOTE: It’s 10-16 around 10:00 PST — the headlines I see say it’s over. This is a relief. Now the clean-up starts. And, by way of apology for any implication that furloughed Federal workers were not experiencing significant financial and professional stress (but rather were only on “paid vacation”), I offer this link to the real stories of real people — all Federal employees severely… Read More
My Uncle Abbott and World Peace
As I begin writing, the body that carried my beloved uncle’s vivid spirit is being placed in a grave. I am, of course, not there, but thousands of miles away. Uncle Abbott died October 3. He was born August 17, 1926 – 87 years were his to know and walk through here on the surface of this beautiful planet and among all of the rest of us. Those of us who had… Read More
Annunciation
[Posting from the UK – this second guest blog from Gary Ferguson writing here about the change in “making things fresh.” His are helpful words – a good, even vital reminder – here where we live on the outskirts of all the bluster and impulse in DC toward shutting down the government. Read and enjoy — mmc] A number of years ago, while teaching a nature writing class in Yellowstone, I had… Read More
On Break in Lisbon …
–Will return next week with the second guest blog from Gary Ferguson. Until then ~~ mc
Unplugged — a guest blog
Gary Ferguson is a writer. His subject over the past 30 years has the natural world and the relationships we have with it as human beings. His setting has most often been Yellowstone National Park, but here, in the first of two guest blogs, Gary tells of his three months with 14-17 year-olds in the desert wilderness of Utah. People living these years are change-on-legs as far as my memory and observation… Read More
American Work from the Ground Up
Labor Day is the American holiday designated to honor workers. Historically, the day arises from the American Labor Movement in the late 1800’s. The tradition continues — you likely noticed it last weekend – as a way of honoring the contributions of American workers to the health and wellbeing of our country. Also vital to the country’s emergence and continuing welfare is American Wilderness – a presence, a natural fact, that has… Read More
“He knows everyone in business.”
Every word was about kindness, about humility, or generosity of the most precious kind: of time and attention, of friendship and guidance, of wisdom. Last Thursday night, a man well into his 80’s retired … again. This time from a talent and career management firm called Right Management. I still don’t know enough about this man, Jack Stowell. My friend, Terry OConnor said, “Come as my guest. Jack wants to meet you.” … Read More