Some Things Never Change (2007)

Thirty-five years ago this winter, my wife and I had three meals in a row at the County Girl Diner in Chester, Vermont. We had been living in Connecticut for two years and wanted to see what the Green Mountains looked like, so we took a week off and just drove around. We had no … [Read more...]

Dinner With Dave (2007)

Two weeks ago, I had a short reunion with two of my best friends with whom I was stationed in the Air Force in Colorado Springs in the 1960s. We reminisced about our drive across the Rockies to see a concert by the Dave Brubeck Quartet in May of 1965. He appeared at Western State … [Read more...]

Here’s Looking At You, Kid, Whoever You Are, Detroit, Michigan

I saw this gorgeous and intriguing picture on Shorpy.com, a popular photo blog that posts old pictures and invites comments from readers. The picture was submitted by Scott Allen, the grandson of the photographer, Howard McGraw, who worked a long time for the Detroit News. I … [Read more...]

A Sandwich And A Slice Of History (2007)

A narrow, four-story building stands at 26-28 Washington Street, in Keene, New Hampshire. It looks familiar, like thousands of mixed commercial-residential blocks that were built in the late nineteenth century in cities and towns all across the Northeast. But it captured my … [Read more...]

Claremont, New Hampshire: Starting To Look Like Success (2007)

Every town needs some things to remember, some things to look forward to, and some things that look like success. Our best friends from Connecticut were visiting one day, and my wife and I took them for a drive. We wound up in Turners Falls, Massachusetts, a 25-minute trip … [Read more...]

Interview With Marta Renzi, Creator Of Porch Stories (2006)

If you haven't read my article about "Porch Stories," please read it first by clicking this link INTERVIEW WITH MARTA RENZI (September 2006) The following is the edited text of a conversation I had with Ms. Marta Renzi, the creator and director of Porch Stories, and … [Read more...]

Together Forever, In Life And Death (2007)

Carl Robare called me. For almost 10 years, we've been meeting for coffee early in the morning about once a week in North Adams, Massachusetts. He was born in the city, but lives just over the line in Stamford, Vermont. Carl says, "I was at the Houghton Cemetery in Stamford this … [Read more...]

Put Your Dreams Away (2007)

“I have to go back into the past once more. Just once more. And then I’ll be free of the past.” -Jimmy Stewart, in the movie Vertigo. I served a four-year hitch in the Air Force from 1962 to 1966. I was a medical corpsman. In my last two years, I was fortunate to be assigned … [Read more...]

Chicken Every Sunday (2006)

Many years ago, I saw a small article in my local newspaper. It was just one of those "filler" articles, but it struck me. I asked myself: "How can this possibly be true, and will any readers question its validity? Or will everyone just take its absurd claim for granted? So I … [Read more...]

Fire At Turners Falls Paper Mill (2007)

May 28, 2007: I drove into Turners Falls about 8:30 a.m. Some folks were already on Avenue A getting things ready for the Memorial Day parade. There were plenty of cars parked in the Shady Glen lot, and the usual coffee crowd at the lunch counter. They had lots to talk about. … [Read more...]

Don’t Bring The Kids (2006)

Many newspapers carry movie reviews that are published especially for parents who want to know if films rated from "G" to "PG-13" have content that might be offensive or disturbing to children. Some of the reviewers, perhaps bored by the task, fashion rather colorful and graphic … [Read more...]

A Nostalgic Trip On New York’s Route 20 (2007)

My wife, Carole, and I took a short October trip to Oneonta, New York, making the three-hour drive from our home in western Massachusetts. Oneonta was where it all started for us almost 40 years ago. We had a blind date, arranged by the first well-known attempt at computer … [Read more...]

The Tulips Are Here (2006)

I met my friend Marylou in Claremont, New Hampshire about three years ago. It was my first visit to the city, and I was just walking around and exploring. Marylou was planting tulips in her front yard, and we got into a lovely conversation. You can read about it in my story … [Read more...]

Porch Stories Captures Beauty And Spirit Of North Adams (September 2006)

The first time I huffed and puffed up North Holden Street in North Adams, I looked at the retaining wall and the three nearly identical houses behind it and wondered if it would all tumble down at any moment, burying me in a mountain of rubble. Finally out of harm's way … [Read more...]

After Ten Years: One Of The Regulars (September 2006)

"That’s what I like about this town. I go out to feed the meter, and three people stop me to say hello." -Gillian Jones, at the Bean in North Adams (1998) A long time ago, I was sitting with my wife in a New Hampshire diner. We were strangers in town, but it was obvious that … [Read more...]

Former Greenbelt Residents Recall ‘Happy Time.’ (2005)

Greenbelt was one of three planned communities created by the federal government during the Franklin Roosevelt administration. Built on farmland in Maryland’s Prince George’s County, near Washington, it began housing applicants, mostly young families and government workers, in … [Read more...]

Love That Country Pie (2004)

Route 116 between South Deerfield and Ashfield, Massachusetts winds like a babbling brook through 13 miles of rural beauty that is breathtaking without being spectacular. I drove it one recent early morning on the way to North Adams, the sun rising behind me, angling its rays on … [Read more...]

Lunch In Springfield, Part Two (2004)

On a dreadfully cold New England day, I sit at a table that looks out on Main Street, browse the Boston Globe, and scarf down a scrumptious breakfast of French toast and maple syrup. Journalists need a good place to hang out, and the Morning Star Café in downtown Springfield, … [Read more...]

Lunch In Springfield, Part One (2004)

When Springfield, Vermont native Lena Kazak graduated from high school in 1938, landing a job wasn’t easy. The Great Depression had its hold on this small factory town along the raging Black River, about 35 miles north of Brattleboro. The town’s machine tool industry was … [Read more...]

Blue Benn Beckons From Green Mountains (2004)

"Man in an apron cooking potatoes, strips of bacon on the side/Smiling waitress comes to help me with her tired, lovin’ eyes/Shiny stainless, neon sign, remind of a day gone by/With steaming coffee in a porcelain cup, rice pudding piled high." The words of singer Bill Lauf are … [Read more...]