Author: Vic Socotra

Swamp Postcard: Christmas in the Cross-Hairs?

I was briefly stunned into waking consciousness by a news blast yesterday afternoon. I know, I had almost dozed off in peace, but sadly that is how we get our news these days. I was reviewing some of the more amazing claims about the recent election- you may have heard them- that involved alleged casualties […]

Seasick Summit, Part Two

Editor’s Note: This is part two of an account of a small event that happened a while ago. At the time, it was part of something much larger than a politician’s visit to a simple aircraft carrier conducting routine operations in the Mediterranean Sea. There was something else much larger going on. The Soviet State […]

Life & Island Times: Food Memories

Editor’s Note: Here are Refuge Farm the left-overs are gone. Home-made apple pie and the best cream cheese pie topped with cranberry sauce bit the dust before bedtime last night. I got up this morning prepared to deal with the great issues of the day, and Marlow bright back some particular insight on tase and […]

Arrias: America Second

Here’s a quick quiz: What happened on June 21st, 1966? It’s a bit esoteric, and I suspect it isn’t even taught anywhere any more, but it was an important date, for it was the date that French President Charles de Gaulle sent a brief note to President Johnson that contains this simple line: France is […]

Seasick Summit

Editor’s Note: Yeah, I know, we got back in the saddle yesterday to try to sense what is coming in this tumultuous year. I have a sense for what is going to happen this week, as the Electoral Summit’s proximity will drive all sorts of entertaining adventures. All the talk about Presidents and who they […]

Back in the Saddle

I said we could get back to normal today, the day after the actual day after. But let’s start slow and ease into it. The left-overs will last until this evening. I think there is a slice of Culpeper home-made apple pie that may linger to breakfast tomorrow. It is a splendid, if finite, replacement […]

Off the Clock

It is officially an off-the-clock Friday. We used to have a different name for it- something about retailing. I forget. But today, under gentle gray skies with a whiff of Autumn still in them the dishwasher is empty, the left-overs beckon, and life is good. As with all celebrations, there are a few things left […]

Life & Island Times: Thanksgiving

Editor’s Note: On these special Holidays, I remember those who lived in their time, and who shared their times with the young ones. The men had been inadvertent warriors in their time, and all thankful to have survived. The women were strong and indomitable, proving they could do what needed to be done until peace […]

Swamp Postcard: Thanksgiving Plows New Ground!

Ah, what fun! It is important to remember we have what used to be an important national holiday tomorrow. Or not; it seems that California and New York have officially minimized the celebratory spirit. Other states have banned alcohol sales at 5PM local, since the former holiday used to be one that featured festive themes […]

Wild Excitement! Frabjous Day! Caloo, Calay!

Oh, OK. So maybe it is not that way where you are. There is some other stuff going on I am trying to capture in the Swamp Postcard series. But that isn’t near resolution yet. I have issues pending, some of them for quite a while. With the help of an experienced software engineer, I […]