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BAY BOY: FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO COOS BAY WATER

One or my favorite writers traveled across the country from California to New York. He called the Hudson “the river of his birth” which got me going. You can tell if you have a favorite author if they ‘get you going.’ I thought of the river of my birth, except it wasn’t a river. It […]

BLUE ZONE BLUES

Like many of my readers I’ve gone through a few things. Which you’d expect after nearly seven decades. But does that mean everyone else has too? Google ‘blue zone.’

HUSBAND GOALS, FATHER GOALS 2023

Husband goals? First, get married. Father goals? Then have kids. But what’s next? Let’s start with husband goals.

THE WESTERN WAY + + +

The western way shows a solitary figure on a journey of self-discovery. That was my goal when I started. Just me and the boys and a dog. John, Bill, Stu, and Ruby. I would encase the memory like high-silica ground water does to fallen logs buried in mud. Except my memory would take three weeks, […]

AMERICAN SOUL SEARCHING CONTINUES

The American soul is elusive. One time it’s here, the next time it’s there. More than one searcher has found it, only to discover what others have: “They are wrong.”

BIG BROTHER WORK NEVER ENDS

Big brother comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. A good big brother can be a guiding light. Growing up with someone who knows their role can set the stage for a good life. On the other hand? Roles can change.

HOMEWARD BOUND FOR NORTH BEND TOWN

Homeward bound will always be North Bend, Oregon. For me, maybe not you. What feels like a nice memory is more than that. Let’s go with a living testament to the hardworking people who still call it home. Hard working?

DANGEROUS PLACES #1: MATERNITY WARD

Dangerous places are pretty obvious. Who doesn’t have a list of them. Here in Oregon, land of the great outdoors, we have plenty of danger. But, instead of a list picturing the grandeur and beauty of this great state, then spoiling if by saying climate change makes it all dangerous, let’s work a little harder.

GOOD ADVICE FROM ‘THE EXPERTS’

Good advice comes just in time, right when you need it. First you’ve got a problem that stumps you, then you discover the solution. You read about it online or overheard a conversation in line. And you acted on that good advice that came from . . . ?

OREGON BLUES ON A FATHER / SON DAY

Oregon blues are a different blues. I blame the clouds. But no clouds on Waterfront Blues Festival Saturday, which is why I wore a rash-guard hoodie instead of layers of sunscreen. It was a no cloud Saturday awash in family time: