nature
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Reestablish American Elm Trees In Wisconsin, Your Help Requested
“Remember those two beautiful elm trees out there? When I and Biff hung the swings between them? … Yeah, like being a million miles from the city.” — Arthur Miller (Death of a Salesman) As a boy, I recall elm trees everywhere. Like so many other people in our state, I was sad to see them… Continue reading
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Letter From Home: “Just Like That!” 3/12/26
There’s a certain morning each year when, no matter what is occurring or what the radio newscaster is saying, I simply stop and smile upon opening the window blinds. It always happens overnight on Lake Monona. The deep winter‑long silence of ice is just gone. Granted, it does not just (snap my fingers) disappear. The… Continue reading
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Letter From Home: “Turning Pages In The Sun” 2/15/26
There’s a particular kind of joy that arrives the moment winter finally loosens its grip. That is what happened this weekend in places around Wisconsin. It’s not loud or dramatic. It’s quiet, like the soft sound of a book page turning. Sitting for the first time this year at the table and chairs on our… Continue reading
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Kites On Ice, Smiles From Madison’s Yesterday
I looked out at the huge expanse of open water on Lake Monona today and thought immediately of rich memories from two decades ago, when winter’s magic froze the water, and the sky was filled with colorful kites from around the world. (Before venturing further, I want to note Clean Lakes Alliance will have Kites… Continue reading
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The Old Farmer’s Almanac Still Shapes Us
For all the chaos and turbulence that blast their way into our lives, some constant mainstays continually comfort us and remind us that not everything needs to be upended. A few weeks ago, James and I bought the latest edition of The Old Farmer’s Almanac, that humble, yellow-jacketed companion of what is described as a… Continue reading
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Letter From Home: “Embracing The Seasonal Change” Late Summer 2025
Over the past several weeks, Madison has been gripped by intense heat and humidity. The air has hung heavy, leaving people listless and wondering—especially as runners pass by our homes, glistening with sweat—how do they do it? These were the days when even the faintest breeze brought relief, and we could only imagine the bracing… Continue reading
Caffeinated Politics 