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…
Author: Tim Cotton
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…
Negligible Acts
I’m trying to be a good steward. My plan won’t change the world, and in the interest of full disclosure, I don’t do it every single time, but it’s a start. Frankly, sometimes, I forget. I take my shopping carts from the parking lot corral instead of from the static display inside the store. Pushing…
The Ears Have it
Thwap, thwap, thwap, thwap, thwap—never another, always with the five thwaps. It’s a reset to stop the clinging. With her head shaking and ears readjusting, Ellie is like a lady poufing out her skirt after being seated too long or a man doing that grab ‘n pull on creases of his dress slacks when standing…
The Mundane—Reflections from South Dakota
I’m spoiled. I’ve seen the country on someone else’s dime, but it very well could have been yours. If so, I thank all of you. I’ve been to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, thrice within a month and a half— and I’ve enjoyed every visit. I found the people genuine and the scenery breathtaking (for a kid from the Jagged…