[This is a bittersweet time of year. The garden has never been so bountiful, but with a fragility that lets you know that it won't be long. And you know what lies ahead. So do the hummingbirds and the monarchs. A frenzy of feeding is followed by a silent departure. Suddenly ... one day ...... Continue Reading →
[SB C. Jane (Hinesburg SBs) sends out a weekly Love Letter. I thought she sent it only to me, but turns out she has a multitude of lovers. If you haven't read her book Spirit Traffic, you should get a copy. https://cjanetaylor.com/?mc_cid=e9a8bfd513&mc_eid=c7b89b8ab4 I've highlighted the paragraph in this missive that I find very poignant. SB... Continue Reading →
[We're coming into a new season. The garden tells us that, but so do the trees. A late frost in May wiped out this year's apple crop, so it will not be a good year around here. Interesting to note that what is "as American as apple pie," as well as the fruit to eat... Continue Reading →
[This is the official 1000th post on Silverback Digest. I asked my fellow dwellers in The Jungle where we should go next, and here's how they responded. Thanks to all of you who came up with such great suggestions. SB SM] 21 thoughts on “Closing in on 1,000 … Asking for Your Help.” Steven Shepard... Continue Reading →
[The Browser is one of my favorite online newsletters. The free version recommends things to read. The paid version recommends a lot more things to read, and also includes a weekly letter from the founding editor, Robert Cottrell. Here's a sample. Note: this one was written before the plane allegedly carrying Yevgeny Prigozhin went down.... Continue Reading →
[My wife is a compulsive counter. If we are out on a walk and see a flock of turkeys in a field, she'll begin one, two, three. The flock will move and she'll start again, one, to, three ... SB SM] https://www.laphamsquarterly.org/ Lapham’s Quarterly embodies the belief that history is the root of all education, scientific... Continue Reading →
There's a way to get healthier without even going to a gym. It's called NEAT July 22, 2023 from National Public Radio By Will Stone [I rarely republish material from National Public Radio, because I figure it's information that has already received broad exposure. I'm making an exception here, however, as I think it covers a... Continue Reading →
[I used to go to "the dump" on Saturday morning when I did my weekly chores. Vermont even has a radio station that plays "music to go to the dump by" on Saturday morning. I thought it was clever, colorful, and fun, but the language police took it away from us. I can't remember the... Continue Reading →
[This is not the first article on the evils of sugar to appear in Silverback Digest. I have left in all the British-isms, because this is their curse. Sugar is the embodiment of the worst of homo sapiens, and is the lust for colonialism that has inflicted it on the planet. Don't get me started!... Continue Reading →
I just finished Humankind: A Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman which tackles the most basic question "Are human beings inherently good or evil?" I no longer have the time, confidence, or attention span to write a fully-considered review, but here are a few related thoughts and observations: When I was about 10 years old, my... Continue Reading →
