I am writing this the evening of June 7. Today, the skies were choked with smoke from burning forests in Quebec and Ontario, forests not unlike our own. At times today, it was impossible to see a tree 300 yards away, let alone the hills above town. The great fires of Australia and California ...

Editor’s note: This column was first published in July 2012. I have no idea what possessed me to clean out the junk drawer in the kitchen – maybe the frustrated search for a Rolaid at 2 a.m. Luckily, I found a partial roll within the jammed jumble of stuff. Re-examining the drawer in the ...

I have always liked observing nature. This week I have had a marvelous display. This morning as I walked down to get my newspaper out of its box the sun was a beautiful orange orb. It was unusual. The day evolved into one of those bright sunny days. I saw my first fawn about three days ago. ...

“Wait five minutes and it will change.” I’ve heard that kidding weather forecast since I was a child. It’s true of more places than not. The only place I ever lived that didn’t change much was San Diego. Late spring through early fall, the San Diego Bay forecast could have been a ...

Just like always, legislative Republicans are looking for someone to blame for their own failures. They’re mad at the voters. They’re mad at the media. You better believe they’re mad at the Democrats. The problem is, and always was, the guy in their mirror. That guy is the one who went ...

It’s not easy becoming a teacher in Pennsylvania. I should know. As a student at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, I’ve been working on becoming one for the past three years. I’ve seen fellow education majors come and go, some lured to other job prospects with more earning ...