February Memories of Hoarfrost and Castle Gardens
In February of 2003, Kit and I were living at Breakfast Creek. One bleak gray day, I exchanged weather news via email with my friend Ollie in Washington DC. “My
An Ashland Boy’s Remarkable Achievement
It is a well-established fact that the name Naughton is synonymous with Excellence. Case in point: I have held two official Guinness Book World Records and may have qualified for
Winter Challenges to the Respiratory System
It is February, and the second winter of Covid-19 isolation is upon us. On rare mild winter days, we look for signs of hope. We are surprised by joy
Another Great Adventure
This week, I began working an eight-week substitute teaching assignment in a second grade classroom, covering for a great friend and a wonderful educator who is taking maternity leave. This
Our ‘Constant Struggle’
“If a political party does not have its foundation in the determination to advance a cause that is right and that is moral, then it is not a political party;
Opinions, Oafs, and Oaths
“The slow-rising central horror of ‘Watergate’ is not that it might grind down to the reluctant impeachment of a vengeful thug of a president whose entire political career has been
The Magic of Ice
In the warming room at Boomerang Creek, the smell of a fire in our Buck Stove is comforting. The calming scent of herbs wintering over in a south-facing window fills
An Important Civics Lesson
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of
Remembering a Morning When Ice Came a Calling
As 2021 got underway, ice encased every tree branch and blade of prairie grass at Boomerang Creek. Housebound, Kit and I gathered in front of the Buck stove and reflected
How Did I Get Here?
While many people were nursing hangovers on January 1st, I was busy snuggling with my grandbaby, watching college football, and enjoying my fourth consecutive hangover-free New Year’s Day. It was
