In My Prime

I sat at my writing table this week and tried to think of one thing I do better at age 71 than I did when I was in my twenties. I came up with nothing. My paddle stroke might be more efficient, but any improvements in technique are offset by the fact that I’ve lost...

Renovation Equals Change

I walked into the public library last Monday, and all of the books on the first floor were gone. In their place were stacks of 2 x 4s and an architect’s rendering of a library renovation. If I read the diagram of the new floor plan correctly, and I think I did, most...

Twelve Straight Wins

I understand why people might be indifferent to professional sports. Obsessive fans, cocky athletes, privileged team owners, and government-funded stadiums all combine to create a pastime that a reasonable person might find unappealing. Having said that, I think that...

The Dawn Redwood

Wednesday evening I attended a guided tour of La Crosse’s Myrick Park Arboretum. By most arboretum standards our tree museum is unimpressive, but if a variety of tree species with identification plaques at the base of each tree makes for an arboretum, then the...

My Canoe Just Hangs from the Rafters in the Garage

For me, summers in La Crosse should mean fishing from my canoe once a week and biking every other day. So far this year, I have gone fishing twice, and I’ve been on my bike a half dozen times. The infrequency of these favorite outdoor pursuits has nothing to do with...
Steven Simpson