Hair today, gone tomorrow
I remember it well. It was the winter of 1964, and I was a sophomore in high school. Sitting in history class, I started a conversation with Joan. The Beatles were on their first tour of the United States and had appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show the night before, so, Joan, who it…
Read MoreMr. Stuckenschneinder
Mr. Stuckenschneinder was my ninth-grade math teacher. Most of the students in my junior high thought he was a nice man, but I thought he was strict and very intimidating. All three of my younger sisters had him and really liked him, and they all got good grades. I have always wondered what crossed…
Read MoreA Whole Lot of Nothing
Here in the US, Memorial Day has come and gone, the days are getting longer, the nights are sweet and warm, and our thoughts turn to summer. Yesterday I spent the day with family on the lake in our kayaks. You might be imagining a vigorous day of paddling, and that can be fun sometimes…
Read MoreThe Athletic Frog
Sometime ago I heard a story about a bunch of frogs who wanted to compete in a new athletic event sponsored by the pond community council that sanctioned such events. The council met to discuss possible contests and decide where, when, and who was eligible to participate. The selection committee spent a great deal of…
Read MoreCan You Give a Worm’s Inch?
Several years ago, I was walking home from the bus stop, just letting my mind wander, thinking about nothing. After crossing a street, I happened to look down and saw a worm in the gutter that intrigued me. I was fascinated and stood there watching it for at least five minutes. I realize that no…
Read MoreAlgebra to the Rescue?
So, there I was, the new girl again, sitting alone in the cafeteria, trying to act like I didn’t care that no one wanted to eat lunch with me, or even let me sit at their table. At the time, “I don’t care” was the best solution I could come up with to protect myself…
Read MoreActivity or Accomplishment?
Jean-Henry Fabre, a French Naturalist and father of modern of entomology, was nominated twice for the Nobel Prize in literature for his works on insect life. One of his most famous experiments was with Pine Processionary Caterpillars. These caterpillars are named for their instinct to follow each other in processions. These spectacular processions can…
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