Lying in bed this morning, listening to the raindrops tickle the tarp that topped off the roof, my mind wandered to tents— canvas tents. The stripping and shingling took longer than the time allotted; it is understandable. Showers arrived, unmentioned by those tasked with keeping us abreast of weather events in our area. The meteorologist…
Author: Tim Cotton
Travels with Charlie…and Lily; Steinbeck Would Approve
Little did these dusty travelers know, two W.A. Bean red snapper hot dogs saved them from sleeping in the middle of the well-haunted Black’s Woods, out on old Route 182. Bear with me; I can explain. I grilled hotdogs late in the afternoon, believing it best to clean out the fridge before leaving the camp…
Oh, How Good It Can Be
Follow me north or east, for that matter; I can take you somewhere where you’ll forget how bad it is because you’ll see how good it can be.
Drinking from the Neighbor’s Garden Hose
While true, drinking from a garden hose has become the most commonly recited Interweb fact from Boomers and Gen Xers alike. It’s a fact that pops up in my feed almost every week, and recently, it’s been making even more frequent appearances in Internet memes, videos, and other sundry posts. There’s a certain charm to…
Alternate Route
“I noticed three distinct but separate scenes on that road—each Americana diorama included people chatting outside, seated in lawn chairs.”
Chew the Gum
“You can attach a lot of meaning to a lone piece of gum loosely held in its tattered original packaging. You can save it for a while, sure, but it’s better to chew it.”
Sunrise or Sunset? The Choice is Yours
I think we all enjoy a sunset. I’ve sat on enough southern beaches with gaggles of other humans waiting for the sun to drop below the horizon. Not too long ago, on the west coast of Florida, we found a chair each evening for the event. But it’s the clapping that ruins it for me….
Pillows
The months-long delay between Dad’s death and the funeral service felt like a good idea. I firmly believe in making decisions based on facts, not feelings. In this case, my sibling-centric vote fell between feelings and facts. Delay seemed like a good idea. As Friday closes in, I cradle some regret. I should have voted…
Memorial Drive
The sun’s late afternoon trajectory, a fiery arc, pierced through the dense forest on my right. As it descended lower on the horizon, the trunks and branches, like sentinels, intermittently blocked my view, teasing the shards of light that danced and shimmered as I pressed on, maintaining a steady pace. The Memorial Day wind, at…
Fiddleheads
We fed on furled fronds from a fledgling fern; fantastic they were. The S.O., a female, fawned over the ferns since arriving in Maine from further south. “Can you grab some fiddleheads in your travels? Please. I can’t get them down here,” she said. “I am waiting for the roadside sellers, dear. None have revealed…