The danger is to the deer not to people — I have pulled off thirty ticks in the last ten days, which convinced me to take a walk on an asphalt path along the river today and keep from tromping through high grass. One of those little deer ticks could make me sick if I don’t get them all squished. …

He was all waxy in a scratchy suit — Introduction It was summer 1959, so after a breakfast of zwieback and Gerber baby applesauce (my Mother was peculiar), I was sent outside like all the neighborhood boys, dogs, cats, and goats. I was not to be seen again until my Mother blew the whistle announcing a supper of chipped beef…

A tiny blue flash — I am walking through a scrubby meadow on a mowed trail. Suddenly I hear, almost feel more than hear, a succession of low-pitched tiny pips. It’s either an indigo bunting or a sparrow. Indigo buntings have to reach for the highest place to let out their song. A sparrow will…

Ours was the third-best cave in Hannibal — Gripping intro The great river roiled and roared as I tried to steer the tiny craft across the snarling torrent. Several times snags and sawyers raised their ancient heads out of the vortex and only by Providence were they narrowly missed. …

She could drag me over the rainbow — Down by the River by Neil Young is well written and just OK in its original form. I have to admit I have some issues with the intermittently pompous Mr. Young. Southern Man is dumb and the work of a man who does not know better. …

Federal Reserve raises rates based on the moon pie index and a little old-fashioned moxie — (Note: I do not know anything about money and am not giving financial advice. You gotta be cracker crumbs to take any advice from me.) Welcome to my place there buddy Jest tromp through the sunflower meadow and come on in. My door is always open to you. Can’t close it and never could! Don’t trip…

Wear those cowboy pants and bring a lariat and marshmallow topping — “Farmer Jordan’s on the party line. Is he going over to her place with his banjo and the grape jelly?” “Farmer Jordan’s on the party line.” Ahhh the familiar call of the brown thrasher. But what you may ask is a party line? Originally a bunch of houses would share…

Write to achieve understanding not to spew anger — I must admit that I am an editor and as such, I read memoirs. My little story is only a reflection of my own opinion and not my fellow editors. They believe a memoir is fuzzy and tastes like soap. Memoir authors choose a pivotal moment in their lives and…

Wildlife Trekker Monthly Challenge: Wild Baby Animals — It is heading for a 110-degree heat index so we took our dog friends for an early walk. When I got home I grabbed my camera and raced over to the nearby preserve but the heat had the birds hiding in shady bushes. …