The Miles Ahead
I am sitting at Les Schwab replacing tires that have not yet failed. There are still many miles left in them. The question is whether they are the right miles for what lies ahead. Soon I will begin a twelve-week grape-hauling season. Long days, heavy loads and changing road conditions will ask more of these…
Sounds Of Woodbine
The sun had not yet cleared the mountains when I sat outside our camper at Woodbine Campground and asked myself a simple question: What do I hear? First, water. Not water I can see, but the distant roar of water bullied by gravity—cascading over boulders and ricocheting around bends laced with deadfall. The sound never…
The Space Between the Notes
I used to think music was made entirely of sound. Then I began paying attention to the rests. I compose music. Much of composing involves deciding what should be heard—which notes belong in the melody, which chords should support them and what rhythm will carry the piece forward. But a composer must also decide when…