Category: Essays & Stories

A Weapon So Devastatingly Deadly, It Oughta Be TOP SECRET. ********** Saranac Lake, circa 1975: Our Pine Street Gang was pretty firmly established by then, ensconced in our family’s home headquarters on Stevenson Lane. There was me, of course. I was about twelve at the time, accompanied by the...

Returning Farmland to Forest A Lifetime Investment It was not part of the plan when my wife and I purchased our home, situated on one nine-acre post bank foreclosure subdivided parcel of an old north country farm lot. It was never anything I ever initially even remotely envisioned. It...

Exploring Adirondack Artistry Using Nature’s Canvas It’s funny the little things that quietly provide inspiration, those seemingly small childhood details that stay with us through life. I always admired the engraved “artist’s conk” scene pictured above. It adorned the fireplace mantle in our Stevenson Lane home through most of...

Every Goal Has Its Price ********** For nearly half a century the sprawling ranch style house situated just beyond the small north country city’s reach had been his family’s home. A young man’s version of he and his wife proudly bought it as newlyweds. It had grown with them...

********** He had never been a particularly religious man. At least, not overtly. Most of his conversations with God involved hurling a profanity laced framework of frustrated anger towards the sky’s cloud covered heavens around questions like, “Are you happy now?!?” “Do you find this amusing?!?” “Is that all...

My Adirondack Outlaw 2023 Year End Review A Wedding, a Retirement, an Epic Plane Ride, Speaking in Tongues, My Return to the Almanack, Cedar Log Surgery, 30,000 Readers, Ari Rae’s Apple Tree, an Alamo Shootout, a Green Christmas, and the Journey to SIXTY! Well, another hike through a year...

To Ari Rae Marra The Apple of Grampa’s Eye ********** ********** This is Ari Rae Marra. She loves to visit her Grampa’s house. Ari Rae and her Grampa have their own special greeting. Fist bump, high five, gentle head butt. It’s how they tell each other “Hello” & “I...

********** We were the RedskinsA Gridiron DreamLed by Coach RaymondWho made us a team Fobare at quarterbackCalling the playLeading the RedskinsWhen it was politically okay Tolhurst, Lamb, Cantwell, Sawyer (x2) Manning the LineCamelo at fullbackSpearheading each hard-fought drive Bach was the big backCarrying the ballCates on the outsideDazzling them...

                                                                ********** After hearing the news out of Colorado’s Supreme Court There is hope for Democracy At least for the Moment This is my Vanilla Ice Rap ********** Drumpf Drumpf Baby Yo!  Democracy- Stick It! Drumpf Drumpf Baby….Drumpf Drumpf Baby Free Press, STOP!  Shut up and listen! Liar...

An ADK Outlaw Bailout Pinned down & caged, running out of ammo as his quarry attempted an escape. Would reinforcements arrive in time? Two lifelong friends. One epic hunt. ********** Chuck & I first met in college. We each quickly realized we shared two things in common: We were...