I am NOT a fan of using chemicals in my yard! However, after we spent an inordinate amount of money replacing a fence that had been decimated by hackberry trees, I needed something that I could use…

Gods, Police, and a Porsche

It’s been 8 months since I last bought gasoline. Last December I took delivery of my Hyundai Ioniq 5, a battery electric car (BEV), which I mostly charge at home in my garage. So when I…

Last week we ventured east to the Twin Cities Irish Fest, held each year on Harriet Island in St. Paul, Minnesota. The “we” consisted of my wife, myself, and our good friends, Paul and Jodi. The…

The Western Wind-down A whole calendar year since I was on the Greater Manchester Ringway. We can blame relatives - my daughter and son-in-law (pending) have moved house. It's not that they haven't…

Geocaching – the word's largest treasure hunt. Did you know about it? I did not, until last week.

On my last day in Berlin, I went to the second to last museum on my list: the GDR (German Democratic Republic) Museum. 1 This museum was created to commemorate and showcase to future generations how…

When planning our return trip to Los Angeles, I decided to check out what else we might see while ww were there. John gave us lots of suggestions. The list of freebies and budget-priced attractions…

We took a trip to Mundenhof animal park yesterday. I’ve been hiding inside most of the summer, because temperatures around here have been insane. After a shorter heatwave with days over 40°C,…

I picked my folks up at the airport this afternoon to take them home after their recent visit to the Bay Area, and I was astounded to hear that though they've been on island for almost 20 years,…

Our driving tour of southwest Saskatchewan unveiled some real hidden gems, and here are my personal top ten. Welcome to Letters From Windermere, where I write about: HISTORY: mostly Western Canada…

An early morning cruise; suddenly, I was aware of a large creature swimming alongside the boat. "A beaver? Surely not- must be a muntjac.... no! not at all deerlike, and with a big flat tail!" We…

I am sitting on a chair in Victoria. I stayed with my brother’s high school friend. Me and my Italian cousin and my brother’s other friend. We swam in the ocean yesterday. We saw some sea otters. I…

Some birds throw some vocal pauses into their repertoire. And in prayer, the Spirit can do a lot with the pauses between the notes in your song.

Visited the Toltec ruins at Tula today and spent some time reflecting on just how long people have been building and celebrating and puzzling the mysteries of the universe.

Anything but studying

I’m lying here in this little world I’ve built. Everything around me carried on my back for over 100km now. I’d love for some more room to spread out, but it’s all the space I actually need. It keeps…

I went looking for a Ruff.

Whether it offers breathtaking natural features, a historic landmark, or simply a place for viewing other phenomena, a park can serve as an amazing magnet and catalyst for economic development. …

A few months back, we went to Costa Rica for my nephew André's Bar Mitzvah. I have no photos of André in this post, but rest assured we love him more than these birds. We just happened to spend a few…

We went to Xinjiang again! Yes, again. Last year we went to the north. This year to the south. But before then we spent a few days around Shennongjia, where I saw this little mouse munching on grass.…

If you are considering getting some trekking poles, get them. If you never thought about it — and you hike at least occasionally — get them. If you are a hiker and think you don't need them, you…

Marion portion of Linn County Trails and Bikeways Map (downloaded from linncountytrails.org) (8/18/2026) Linn County's first designated bicycle boulevard, announced ten years ago, may be forgotten…

Four utilities, four different systems. Electricity and gas are fully liberalized, so you pick a retailer and can leave whenever you want. Water isn’t liberalized at all, so you get whoever…

Sailing Greenland: unforgiving weather, breathtaking fjords, remote settlements, and the relief of reaching Labrador.

Where we put woodchips, the weeds were kept at bay. Where we didn’t, nature won. It’s time to fight back.

I've begun returning to work now. My work in the archives has begun, and I have recently also been put to help with the organisation of the scores. When I first applied for this exchange I thought…

Anytime I visit St George Utah, I try to find time to go hiking in Snow Canyon State Park. Snow Canyon is filled with amazing geographic features including multi-colored sandstone cliffs, extinct…

How my daughter's intervention turned my patio into a five-star insect resort. Jennifer was over for tea (still no milk, the heathen) when she caught me mid-rant. I was passionately explaining to a…

With all the rain we are getting this Summer, there are so many different kinds of mushrooms in my backyard. Everything from small orange slime balls to large black caps...

How to get around Queenstown? Good question. Most people will use a car in Queenstown, but what about getting around Queenstown without a car? Well, that depends. The best way to get around…

Last month, a press release from Wildlife Poisoning Research UK (WPRUK) revealed that more White-tailed Eagles had been poisoned in Dorset, with high concentrations of Second Generation Anticoagulant…

We're spending a little under 2 weeks in the Netherlands. Figured, mostly correctly that it would be a touch cooler than NYC. First couple of days were tough with the temps well into the 90s but…

• We went to Leukerbad with friends visiting from Sweden • Should come there again soon; pretty nice place with lots of hikes around • Finally +23 in Zürich •...

Its August and I am about to make the long pilgrimage to Australia to visit family. Just to be clear I am not from Australia so this isn’t a journey home for me. Australia is very similar to my home…

On my last day in Japan, I ate a strudel based breakfast fit for a champion at the local konbini1. Next, I traveled by bullet train to Shinagawa and then made my way to the Narita Airport via JR…

December 14 in Auckland , Allie and I spent some more time with her cousin in Mission Bay for lunch and some ice cream . We headed over to Achilles Point afterwards. While taking some photos from the…

A stripped roadside pachinko parlor where a giant daruma still stares down the empty aisles.

Musing about one last big trip with a parent, and the crossroads I face afterward.

I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to move to San Francisco last year and build my startup.

Today I want to share about the trip with my wife to Mexico. As with French Polynesia, the format is again an excerpt of my thoughts as I had them during the journey: originally published in a…

In northern Spain, still awestruck after last weeks' total Eclipse. Reading Jane Jacobs' The Death and Life of Great American Cities . Enjoying the little things: dog walks, bike rides up the hills,…

Opening I am at Perth International Airport, writing this before the flight home. My wife booked a cheap trip to Perth for January. I looked forward to it. Shortly afterwards I lost my job. The first…

Before the sun set, we changed to starboard tack. At first it meant that we were going slightly too much north, but as per the forecast, the wind slowly backed towards north and we could point…

Mexico City Contrasts - Libraries

I was returning home from lunch on an otherwise uneventful Friday last week. Unlike most of the days, I wasn’t listening to music or texting someone while walking. Not habits I’m proud…