RattleBag and Rhubarb

The Consent

I came across "The Consent" when I was exploring Howard Nemerov's life and work for some other posts. It seems…

3 years ago

Simple Pleasures and Stickybeaking

Stickybeak  NOUN: an intrusive, meddlesome, busybody, nosy parker who sticks their nose (beak) into other people's business. The act of…

3 years ago

October , Propaganda, and Mrs. Miniver Buys the Chrysanthemums Herself

The Year Begins in October  Armistead Maupin based his vignettes of gay life in 1970s San Francisco - Tales of…

3 years ago

Wilt and the #1976Club

Together with a whole lot of other readers in the UK in 1976, I read Wilt - the first in…

3 years ago

Attention at Poughkeepsie

"Attention at Poughkeepsie" is how announcements begin over the sound system at Poughkeepsie station. Trains and stations have nothing at…

3 years ago

All for Nothing

Hands down, this is the best book I've read all year: All For Nothing by Walter Kempowski.  It's the bitter…

3 years ago

Four Little Girls

Carole Robertson (14), Carol Denise McNair (11), Addie Mae Collins (14), and Cynthia Wesley (14) died on September 15, 1963,…

3 years ago

The Ice Caves and the Giant’s Ledges

There's a stretch on the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail just south of the Binnewater Kilns parking lot in Rosendale that…

3 years ago

Back-to-School: First Grade

First Grade by Ron Kortgee Until then, every forest had wolves in it, we thought it would be fun to…

3 years ago

One Day in Paris 1919

We're not likely to be flying anywhere anytime soon so here's the next best thing: A trip back in time…

3 years ago