To The Manner Born

In my life I have had a number of really goofy cars, but never a Porsche. I shopped for one once and quickly gave up the search, knowing in...

Today marks the feast of the Archangel Michael, otherwise known as the feast of St. Michael and all the Angels. It is also an Anglo-Saxon d...

Happy New Year Toad

I figure Orvis knows what it is doing. They surprised me by shipping the genuine, made in the USA, Submariner's Sweater right away alo...

Our buddy from NOLA, Clara of Beyond Blue Walls may appreciate this a bit more than some of you, but I find this really cool. During my re...

NYT photo In the back of my mind I keep thinking Roger Daltry was singing about Bryan Ferry when he hoped to die before he got old. Or per...

It takes a moment for the sound of silence to register. Arriving home after a most pleasant evening, I turned the water tap, which was follo...

"But the truth is, that when a Library expels a book of mine and leaves an unexpurgated Bible lying around where unprotected youth and ...

I was unsuccessfully shopping for a pair of wool trousers for the holidays over the weekend. Near to Christmas last year I ordered a pair of...

Today, the autumn equinox, is my first without the guiding hand of family Astronomer Royal Professor Schwartz. I'll write about his in...

I've been shopping for fall in my closets, trying to decide what to alter, what to donate and what to save for a colder day. Heading th...

On more than one occasion on these pages I've said that I believe today's birthday boy Jeremy Irons may be the most beautiful man e...

Fubiz Toad

via Manifold Destiny Photo: You remember that Mr. Bagwell suggests: Change hats when dove season begins. Toad sugggests: Change hats as the...

Good news came in pairs to Granddaughter Paige's house. While visiting this summer Paige informed all within listening range that she w...

When my sons were little they shared a fascination with a very special movie. They knew the dialog, had the "guys", wore the jamm...

Letters of Note As September is Roald Dahl month, today is Roald Dahl Day; the anniversary of the birth of the celebrated spy, raconteur, b...

I am unsure what the range of reasonableness is for kids shoes these day, but this is way beyond my willingness. Hurry bids end soon. Nike...

Today would be the birthday of Henry Louis Mencken, sage of Baltimore, social critic and spokesman for the civilized minority, attacker of a...

I've spent a bit of time lately with big picture, big idea guys. Physics professors, star gazers, astro-physicists. When I came across...