Monthly Archives: August 2012

Ben Franklin on Women

The Unitarian church on the corner of my street has an LED sign facing Concord Pike that has brief and changing messages.  The usual message is the topic of the next sermon, but they also have other thoughtful, inspiring messages.  … Continue reading

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The Devil’s Gonna Get You

The most common comment I received on the previous posting on Bartram’s Garden was about the danger from the people I met, or might have met.  But none of those people matched the bizarre behavior I encountered last year just … Continue reading

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Bartram’s Garden

(The title is correct—like others, I had been incorrectly calling it “Bartram Gardens”) As a volunteer guide at the Peirce-du Pont House at Longwood Gardens, I often talk about John Bartram, the colonial Philadelphian botanist who discovered and named the … Continue reading

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Amazing Silicone Caulk

Some people see any household problem as just another application for duct tape.  I am the same with silicone caulk. The caulk I am talking about is the clear silicone caulk made for windows and doors.  It comes in a … Continue reading

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Male Peeing and Beach Walking

No, no, it’s not what you think.  These are two different observations that illustrate a common principle. Years ago when I was involved with the Wilmington Trail Club I often went out with them on their weekly day hikes. The … Continue reading

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David Foster Wallace and His Famous Commencement Address

David Foster Wallace was (he unexpectedly committed suicide) a well-known young writer who became more well-known when, in 2005, he delivered a commencement address at the tiny, superb, Kenyon liberal-arts college that has to be one of the best speeches … Continue reading

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My Father-In-Law’s Diary

My Japanese-American father-in-law, Shigezo Iwata (see posting of 10/9/2010), became a devout Christian from missionaries in Japan, and, largely because of that, came to America as a young man in the 1920s.  He left a diary in English of his … Continue reading

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Goodbye Shane, Goodbye Hunter

I have been learning baseball for about three years now under the tutelage of a tolerant friend at the community center.  He is a rabid fan and always speaks of the Phillies as “we.” Just as I thought I had … Continue reading

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