hancock
-
Letter From Home: “Little Raccoon” 6/18/26
A couple of weeks ago, James and I sorted through a large drawer containing childhood memories. I picked up the well-used and somewhat frayed hardcover copy of Little Raccoon. My father would come into the dining room, and without ceremony, he’d reach for the book that was included in a pile of my childhood reads. I… Continue reading
-
Letter From Home “The Embosser” 5/23/26
The old man in Maine looked like he had more local wisdom than anyone around, so I asked if he had lived there all his life. “Not yet,” he said while grinning back at me. The best folks to talk with when traveling are the ones with weathered faces and eyes that link with yours:… Continue reading
-
Gay People Are Part Of Every Family
I was reminded this week of a truism. Gay people are a part of every family. One of the chief bullies from my high school years has a gay brother in a long-term committed relationship with his partner. Good for the brother. That fact intersects with my life, and to be honest, I hope that… Continue reading
-
Letter From Home: “That Neighborhood Feel” Reprint From 7/8/09
It was a pleasant sound that drifted across the warm air. A group of about ten women from a writers’ group had gathered on a neighbor’s back patio to talk about their creative projects and offer each other feedback. (Our neighbor is sending out her first children’s book to publishers.) Their light‑hearted banter and gentle… Continue reading
-
Walter Cronkite Is Smiling With Artemis II Astronauts, “Oh, Boy”
Did you feel like a little kid at some point on Monday as the images from Artemis II were sent back to Earth and the four astronauts on board traveled further and deeper into space than anyone has ever done? Watching the news about this event, my mind raced back to the man who made… Continue reading
-
Letter From Home: “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah And A White Pine, Too” 3/30/26
There are those days in life when you must stop and slow down, recognizing that what is playing out is truly wonderful. Not because you are on vacation or won the lottery. As the day is put into perspective, all the events are rather ordinary. Yet putting them together, and taking nothing for granted, they… Continue reading
-
Dean Richards: A Chicago Voice We Counted On
On this blustery Saturday, when a heavy coat is needed when walking outside, I sit at my desk to write what I hope will be a warm column about Dean Richards. This is one of those pieces that are from a list of topics needing a comment or two, but get left behind, given the… Continue reading
Caffeinated Politics 