Author: Vic Socotra

Arrias: Good Governance

A fascinating event took place this past week; it wasn’t Senator Manchin stating that he would not support the multi-trillion dollar, all-in-one bill that had been beating around Washington for the last year, though that was related. What was fascinating was how, within seconds of his decision there were a host of articles from all […]

Life & Island Times: A Christmas Tree Story

Author’s Note: The first thing after arriving in Savannah Friday morning — one week before Xmas eve, we went shopping for nearly live Christmas tree. We found one and erected, watered, lighted and decorated it before the sun had set that day. The Home Depot tree tent was near empty of trees, the tree selection […]

Boxing Day and Miss America, 1954

The Chairman was still asleep as Christmas began to box up its various appurtenances for careful storage. Not that anyone was acting on it, except to tip our collective toppers to a marvelous holiday, and began to prepare for the next holiday with a somewhat harder edge, the birth of a New Year. There were […]

Christmas in Pyongyang

Not that it was- I think June or July in 1998 is more accurate. This image popped up in the holiday search for items to highlight the year to come against those of years past. In the image below, I was still active duty, and had been drawn into the web of my favorite Congressman. […]

Joy to the World!

On this glorious Christmas morning, there is a palpable joy in the air at Refuge Farm. The crimson-tinged sun rising amid the sky streaked with the passing clouds of an old year. Joy and merriment is abundant here. Splash carefully folded his sleeping bag, and a merry fire was sparking with delight in the Fire […]

On The Eve…

The Chairman was relaxed this morning, and his jolly spirit joined the mild breeze that awakened Refuge Farm with fresh spirit on a gorgeous holiday morning. The sun shone bright over the Piedmont, framed by thin but prominent strands of bright clouds that mimicked the gentle curves of the holly strung with merry enthusiasm on […]

Arrias: Holiday Eating Tips

Editor’s Note: This just in from Arrias, who provides some simple guidelines for dining on the Eve of Christmas. His sage advice provides a means of guiding ourselves through the Holiday with merriment and joy! And there is some other joy, in tune with the season right here at Refuge Farm this afternoon. Merry Christmas! […]

Life & Island Times: Seven Straight Days

Editor’s Note: Marlow and W return from a week on the road, seven straight days experiencing life on the rails and on the street in today’s America. You might want to call it ‘Home for the Holidays,” or an “Ode to Joy,” but on this day, a very special one, let us thank our lucky […]

The Holiday of Health

The Chairman had to shrug at this one. There is a major holiday coming up, and the timeline for the Eve has narrowed to “tomorrow.” He has held to a firm position that the holiday should be honored- indeed treasured- despite all the manifestations of looniness abroad in the land. You are aware of it […]

Hark, the Herald’s Sing!

DeMille has taken to a quick stop by the Headquarters at Socotra House in the morning to ensure that the Writer’s Section isn’t too far off the reservation in terms of tone and production. We skirted the line this week, running an Arrias piece that examined the three international situations bubbling with a half-boil. The […]