Category: The North Country

“Don’t heed the voice and put shovel to earth, unless mentally prepared to uncover the truth.” ********** “African-Americans made up approximately twenty five percent of the U.S. Navy during the War of 1812. In July, 1813, Commodore Isaac Chauncey reported “nearly 50 blacks” on board his flagship, the General...

“A  Crossbow Hunter’s Tale”      I bought my crossbow six years ago, fall of 2014, when New York State first made them legal hunting implements. I had read about them in the Department of Environmental Conservation hunting regulations, they showed some modern day crossbow photos there. I was captivated...

Author’s Note: I never know when or how a story or verse will arrive. They always seem to appear out of nowhere and catch me off guard. This poem originally came to me while I was standing in my kitchen making a big pot of wild turkey soup, which...

June 4th, 2020 The Backyard Wedding Planner DAY ONE: A GOOD START! “OKAY… I CONFESS!” “I – Dick Monroe – Father of the Bride – have been planning my daughter Chelsea Rae’s backyard wedding since the day she was born.” I realize that this may not be quite the...

     The event that I’m about to describe has haunted a dark corner of my mind since the night it occurred. Some may find it disturbing. I still do. **********   It was a Saturday evening in 1986.  I was a young lieutenant recently assigned to the 10th Mountain...

     Comic book war heroes. As kids, growing up in the ’70’s, my brother Ray & I loved ’em.  The Haunted Tank, Unknown Soldier, Weird War Tales- & my personal favorite -SGT ROCK.      “ROCK” was “Easy Company” Platoon Sergeant, “Top Kick” in a long series of WWII comic...

When I was a young officer in the 10th Mountain Division’s 1-22 Infantry Battalion, one of my most memorable experiences was standing in battalion formation, 550 battle ready men strong. Led by our Battalion Command Sergeant Major, echoing his words in single voice unison, line by line we belted...