Author: Vic Socotra

Les Miserables

I remember the last time I was in the cathedral of Notre Dame in a city that at this distance in time- like San Francisco once was- is frozen in amber magic. A lot has changed since I last visited either of them. A pal sent a “poop map” of the City by the Bay […]

Country Living, Part 1076

(A glorious image of the fuscia foliage erupting from the rich red Virginia soil. My stupid satellite internet connection refused to load it.). The Masters Golf Tournament had to start way early this morning- 0930 tee offs- due to the next wave of storms sweeping inexorably out of the heartland. Tiger was something else. Tornados […]

Arrias: Reparations

I have a couple Georgetown alumni in the circle. Here is what Arrias has to say about that. – Vic ======================= Reparations I’ve read that students at my alma mater are pushing the school to provide reparations to descendants of slaves the school owned – and sold – 180 years ago. Slavery was, and is, […]

Binge Watching at Refuge Farm

The critters are going wild with the sound of Spring or maybe it is just a reflection of having the windows open. Big rains last night- remnants of what pounded the Midwest the last day or two. Spring Break is coming on, and I recall the folly of my parents in 1969 letting me take […]

Life & Island Times: Tin Can Sorrows

Several of us are dismayed by the antics of the Government we once served, attempting to do so with honor. Oh well, this is Marlow’s take on other events in the extraordinary (and banal) events in Your Nations Capital.This one refers to the Swift Greyhounds of The Fleet, or what is better known as Tin […]

Spring Comes to the East Pasture, with Owl

Gentle Readers, The critters are excited about Spring, based on observations of the bird calls, the march of Empress Cat across farmyard (the barn feline that actually owns the place), the wild turkeys, geese, gophers, fox and deer. Life in the country growing green. The Owl approves. – Vic

The Week That Was

So, the morning mash of fake and unfake news featured the House oversight committees performing the usual antics of the majority- temporary or not- to continue the Russian Collusion Delusion. Candace Owens was pretty impressive, much better than that strange AOC person, in my opinion. But opinions are much like our alimentary systems. Everyone has […]

Life & Island Times: Slip Sliding Away

This is a story from Brother Marlow which was sent a week or two back. At the time, he did not regard it as prime time, and needed to have some time in the settling pond to ripen. The events of the last two days- Government officials like Attorney General Barr actually saying thing we […]

Swamp Postcard: No Holds Barred

I have passed on Sam Cox’s account of his participation in the successful search for sunken ships that have rested under the waves since 1942. It was an interesting moment to hear that the last of the Doolittle Raiders, first to strike Japan after Pearl Harbor and launched from the carrier Hornet, had passed. I […]

Under Mount Pony

(The Mount Pony facility in the Cold War. From the real estate flyer advertising its sale). I am still down at the Farm, luxuriating in the return of green growth and a certain warmth in the early Spring air. Windows are wonderful things. It has been a blessed relief to have the kinds of material […]