Curations from the Human Jungle
Stick Season may be the hit, but Mud Season Romance was the original ode to Vermont's most fickle season. [It's a ritual that you, as Silverback and Silverbelles, Silverbabes, Silverbucks, and Silverpups, up with which you must put. This trio consists of Stephen Morris (approximately age 42), Jacob Morris (age 11), and Patrick Morris (age... Continue Reading →
[Last year we published a list of the "best ever" baseball movies. This year we have a list of "less good" movies, because even a less good baseball movie is a good use of time in the early spring. SB SM] https://silverbackdigest.com/2025/07/01/tuesday-list-baseball-flicks/ Batter up! A list of movies for baseball season. ByOdie Henderson Boston Globe... Continue Reading →
https://www.commonwealmagazine.org The St. Patrick’s Day Dispensation In vino caritas John Rodden March 17, 2023 This essay originally was published in March 2020. Throughout my boyhood a half-century ago, St. Patrick’s Day was eagerly anticipated by the adult men in my family. You might imagine this had to do with their wanting to honor Ireland’s patron... Continue Reading →
[This week is all about two things- maple syrup and mud. The two are irrevocably intertwined at this time of year in Vermont. SB SM] From my "Auto-biografitti:" That's when it all came together ... writing, woodstoves, and Vermont's crappy weather When I joined Vermont Castings in January, 1979 I had a customer service staff... Continue Reading →
[When I wrote The Great Beer Trek my publisher suggested I get some promotional "blurbs" from well-known people, so I wrote to Dave. He responded with a one word postcard that read: "Burp!" Dave is a Silverback. SB SM] https://davebarry.substack.com/p/marriage-and-dementia Dave Barry Apr 21, 2025 I forgot my point. Before you read this article, please... Continue Reading →
[Sure, this article is specifically about wild turkeys, but why shouldn't the mating season be open to Silverbelles and Silverbacks, too? Have at it, boys and girls! SB SM] The Outside Story Gobbling and Strutting: Wild Turkey Mating Season By Emily Haynes At this time of year, wild eastern turkeys are still congregated in the... Continue Reading →
[When I was a commercial book publisher, we published a book by Alan AtKisson titled Believing Cassandra. This references the Greek goddess who was given the gift of prophecy while being cursed by the fact that no one believed her truths. Paul Ehrlich was her polar opposite, i.e. one who spoke in falsehoods yet was... Continue Reading →
[Have you ever squeezed cabbage. That's the first step in the sauerkraut-making process. You have to do it for 10-15 minutes. The amount of water that comes out is impressive. Your hands are sore afterwards. Just trying to contribute to the conversation. Oh, by the way, woodchucks love cabbage. SB SM] https://www.worksinprogress.news/p/many-of-the-tastiest-vegetables-ar How an unappetizing... Continue Reading →
[Lists like this are completely subjective and very much a function of how old you were when particular songs were popular. From what I read, ages 13-15 are the peak time for musical identity formation. By this measure the creator of this list (some nameless Redditor) is roughly my vintage. SB SM] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lo2qQmj0_h4&list=RDLo2qQmj0_h4&start_radio=1 In order:... Continue Reading →
[Getting on to 50 years living in Vermont, and I've only seen this guy once. This particular article is good for your vocabulary. SB SM] The Outside Story By Jack Beaudoin Fishers (Pekania pennanti) have a reputation as the northern forests’ ultimate misanthropes. These mesocarnivores are so territorial that within six to eight months after... Continue Reading →