Witnessing the Ugly Side of Birding — At first, I did a double-take. My wife and I had just turned the corner onto Erickson Ave. just west of Harrisonburg, Virginia. As we passed the Word Ministries Christian Church entrance, I noticed two large birds to my left, just south of the church. Both birds furiously flapped their…

There’s more there than nostalgia, however. — Of all the holidays in the calendar year, Christmas is my favorite. I know this baby boomer is not alone in that declaration. I have many fond memories of Christmases past. The most memorable seem to be snippets of bigger pictures, but they are still meaningful after all these years. …

True stories that didn’t make the headlines. — I’m glad 2021 has ended. We would all like to forget it for a million reasons. Likely, we never will, nor should we. With politics and the coronavirus and its variants making most of the headline news, I kept track of some of the more quirky but still significant events. …

Yes, it is possible! — Like most everyone else, I was shocked and saddened to hear of the death, injuries, and massive destruction left by the late-season outbreak of strong tornadoes that hit the country’s midsection like a gut punch recently. This family of tornadoes brought sorrow to innocent people. Survivors were thankful to be…

It’s more than preparation. — We are halfway through the season of Advent already. Advent in the Christian tradition occurs the four Sundays before December 25. That is the day earmarked as the birth of Jesus. Advent is generally understood to be an annual time of preparing and waiting for Christmas, the personal recognition of…

There are many assorted reasons — December has always given me plenty of reasons to embrace the 12th month despite its sometimes wicked weather. Though not the most important, I’ll confess that the first reason is personal, perhaps even selfish. My birthday is in December. …

With November waning. — Like the last sliver of the moon, November is waning. December is upon us as if we needed a reminder. After our crazy hot and dry summer and warm and pleasant October, November serves as a buffer between those golden memories and the chilly days ahead. …

The ways it has real meaning — In the U.S., Thanksgiving Day is always the fourth Thursday in November. Do we truly understand the breadth of what Thanksgiving means, though? Yes, we have our childhood memories of loving, familiar faces gathered around a dining room table ladened with savory food. For me, and perhaps for you, I…