Summertime, and the Reading Was Easy

Like most folks who could afford or are able to do so, I have spent most of this summer inside, much of it reading books. Recovering from shoulder surgery provided an excellent — and legitimate — excuse to curl up with a book while listening to music through my hearing aids, which are Bluetooth enabled. This slightly annoyed my Beautiful Mystery Companion, who would be talking to me without receiving a reply, because I could not hear her. She has a hard time comprehending how I can read, or write, with music blaring in my ears. I chalk it up to my decades spent knocking out stories, columns,...

Blowing Out Candles and Butterflies

It’s been a long hot summer, not a drop of rain. -- Robert Earl Keen |———| I marked another birthday a couple of days ago. To do so, I took off from working at the library, woke up early, accepted birthday greetings from my Beautiful Mystery Companion and hopped on the zero-turn mower before the sun was high in the sky to mow the front pasture, which consists of about 3 acres. Mowing while listening to NPR through noise-canceling earbuds — wearing a long-sleeved shirt and pants bucked into my Red Wing boots, topped by a wide-brimmed hat — seemed like a good way to reflect on how I have...

‘Oppenheimer’ spurs childhood memories of ducking under a desk

My Beautiful Mystery Companion and I stole away on a weekday afternoon before the semester begins and headed to the Robinson Film Center in downtown Shreveport to see Oppenheimer, the box-office hit starring Cillian Murphy of Peaky Blinders fame, Robert Downey, Jr., and Matt Damon, among others. The Robinson is a non-profit boutique theater celebrating its 15th year. Like many folks in this age of streaming, we rarely go to movies anymore. The Robinson is a comfortable venue that shows both new releases and classics. It makes for a pleasant date, especially when paired with a meal at either...

The dog days have arrived. While we endured record-breaking heat in July, at least in the early part of the month a couple of thunderstorms broke up the heat. During these dog days, clouds wander in to tease us before dissipating under a relentless sun. I am generally out the door for my three-mile walk by 7:15. An hour later, I am soaked with sweat and filled with concern for the fellows I pass at two houses being built on this one-street subdivision, across the county road from Three Geese Farm. They likely have been at it since 6 a.m., cutting and laying brick — hot, dusty work in the best...

Finally Visiting the Library Named After Monk Willis

DENTON, TEXAS — In a broiling heat that is likely our permanent summer reality, my Beautiful Mystery Companion and I wandered the campus of the University of North Texas, stopping first at the bookstore to check out the merchandise but leaving empty-handed. I really don’t need another T-shirt or hoodie, though I am tempted. After all, technically I am a student here, working on a certificate in archival management from the School of Information. I am just two courses away from finishing and hope to do so in the fall — though I am on the waitlist for a required class that might delay completing...