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This collection of images from a May 2025 trip to Sicily and Sardinia is not your typical vacation slide show.  To maximize your engagement, follow the instructions on the second slide which asks viewers to discern how each image is related to the next. 
Suggestion: Use the F11 key on your PC to reduce visual clutter on your viewing screen.  Hit ESC or F11 to restore the tool bar.

Sicily and Sardinia as a Powerpoint or PDF

For details on subject matter and location for each of the Sicily and Sardinia images,
consult this Powerpoint or PDF

Accordionist and SingerParade womenSelfie CoupleHorses in
                Parade
The Cavalcata Sarda is an annual cultural festival and parade in Sassari. 
Sardinians from all regions of the island showcase their traditional costumes and horsemanship.


Cavalcata Sarda 2025 as a Powerpoint or PDF




Essays and Stories

These stories and any many others are collected into something we call Tia's Cookbook which was my Christmas gift to each of my three adult children in 2015.  Tia's Cookbook has some of our favorite recipes from Tia's kitchen and nearly everything I've written since Tia and I corresponded the summer we started dating back in 1980.  Even though she passed away in December 2014, Tia's Cookbook gets updated anytime I write something new.  Some of those compositions are posted here.

The Most Recent Additions to Tia's Cookbook:

Bittersweet Gum Trees My changing relationship with sweet gum trees (June 2026)
April Roses on the Portuguese Camino In praise of Nature (May 2026, 1 page)
They Will Be Feather Mary Helen makes a decree about an heirloom (Jan 2026, 4 pages)
Proximity or That Could Be Me Imagining myself in other situations near and far (Feb 2026, 3 pages)
Charades and a Matthew Experience in Mala Hospitality on the Portuguese Camino (May 2026, 3 pages)
Admissions to Heaven Updates Several What-If Scenarios 
(May 2026, 2 pages)
Good Sons and Good Daughters Two Poems (May 2026, 1 page)
Loggerheads Unchallenged "facts" and voting choices (May 2026, 3 pages)
Marion An artist reluctantly discloses the inspiration for her painting (May 2026, 9 pages)
Sardines and Sunglasses Souvenirs for our wives (May 2026, 5 pages)
Miss Deenie Unconventional acts by a school custodian (May 2026, 2 pages)

2025 Additions to Tia's Cookbook:

One Need Not Be   A senior citizen admits that expertise and proficiency are not essential for enjoyment (Apr 2025; 2 pages)
Haikus from Sicily and Sardinia My first attempt at haiku in forty years (May 2025)
Waving at the Ceiling  What it might mean when my second father-in-law did this in the Memory Care Unit (Sept 2025; 3 pages)
Waiting for Gracie Facing a mild dilemma over a haircut (Sept 2025; 5 pages)
Dusting Off a Blue Flame Discovering Art in a shoe repair shop (Oct 2025; 2 pages)
Heroic or Harmful Vastly different perspectives revealed by a huge spider (Oct-Nov 2025; 3 pages)
A Fall Chicken Takes a Hike How my wilderness backpacking trips have changed as infirmities accumulate (Oct 2025; 17 pages)
Incongruent or The Burden of Bread Reflections on a 2008 pilgrimage hike to Mount Athos (Oct 2025; 8 pages)
I'm Black.  Is That A Problem? A troubling true story about Valerie, her son, and Amazing Grace (Oct 2025; 7 pages)
The Seater-Greeter and the Pea Packer Reflections on encounters at Ray's Mill Pond Cafe after the passing of my father-in-law (Oct 2025; 5 pages)
Shoes, Dishes, and Guns Can you have too many? (Nov 2025; 4 pages)
What's Next for What's Left Featuring a conversation among medical students over my dead body (Dec 2025; 9 pages)


Travel and Adventure

Playing with Peter My first hike with the man who became my favorite traveling companion (Jun 2006)
Nolan Takes Me Hunting A first-time hunter's thoughts, concerns, insights, and confessions
Dad's Perspective on a Daughter's Trip to Peru Worries and wishes of a parent prior to departure (Dec 2003)
Harley on the Bucket List GR's history with motorcycles and a father-son ride on twisty roads in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Nov 2023
True Tales of Adventure in Peru  A Father-Son Expedition involving a motorcycle mishap in July 2024
Squirrel on the Crescent A conversation with a stranger in the dining car on a northbound train from New Orleans (Jun 2006)
Fire Tower An impromptu roadside stop to check off a Bucket List item (Jul 2006)
Spot Reports Notes on a backpacking trip with Nog (Sept 2025)

Humorous Stories

Will She Let the Cow Head Stay? Yard sales and family harmony (1998 or 1999)
Wisdom Hairs A very personal perspective on the role of hair in masculinity (2001)
Prostatectomy Perils Finding humor in my experience with prostate cancer (Feb 2021)
Former Student Freezes Professor's Heart 
An account of cryoablation to treat atrial fibrillation (Jul 2021, 4 pages)


Tributes to People Dear to Me

The Scoop on Tissie On the passing of my favorite aunt as triggered by How Great Thou Art (Nov 1999)
Pigs Feet and Wings A graveside reflection on the life of Margaret Morrison (Oct 2003)
A Tribute to Joseph Palmisano  A humor-laden graveside eulogy I wrote and read for my first father-in-law (Dec 2007)
A Lesson from Aunt Esther, God Rest Her Pondering the positive attributes of woman who lived well (1999)
Memories of Miss Rita The beloved barrista of Wofford College (Oct 2020)
Becoming a Biology Teacher A tribute to two of my most influential teachers involving dolphins, water bears, sea hares & crayfish (Apr 2021)
Soaring Spirit A lesson on loss and gratitude (Dec 2024)
Inheritance Considering my Daddy's priorities as I make choices which honor his memory (Nov 2023)
Seeing Tia in a Tree Contemplating what persists when life ends, prompted by a tree near my wilderness solo campsite (Aug 2015)
A Last Letter to Aunt Esther An expression of fond memories and gratitude (Feb 1999)
In-Laws in Heaven Imagining how very my very different relatives experience the afterlife (Sep 2024)

Shorter Reflections

The Fairest Wheel Daddy's metaphor for life and the need to trust the Operator (Nov 2020)
Regret is a powerful motivator Prompted by an unanswered phone call (Jan 2004)
A Lesson on Imperfection  Prompted by a mishap involving a candleholder (Nov 2022)
Mamma's Little Green Pot Fond memories triggered by a battered saucepan (Feb 1997) (Dec 2003)
Membership Drive The need to belong creates puzzling behaviors (Dec 2003)
Uncharted Journey A letter to my wife at a time when the future was unclear (Oct 1991)
Comparison is the Thief of Joy Adjusting attitudes to be satisfied with accomplishments without needing to be the best (Aug 2024)
Succumbing to Slumber Falling asleep during important events (Apr 2021)
The New Testament My mother's memory of her father's treatment of a classmate who stole her ring (Nov 2020)
Tide Change A metaphor for a life transition (Jun 2015)
What Your Parents Want Simplified to three things (Sep 2024)

Longer Reflections

Interpreting Grades and Transcripts What these can and cannot tell you about a person (Feb 2021)
Dips in Walden's Pond Deciding for yourself what has meaning and is worthy of effort (Apr 2021)
Ways of Waiting The old and new ways of waiting for news of loved ones in surgery (Jun 2021)

Family Stories

Names and Nicknames A letter to my grandson near the time of his birth (Aug 2024)
Davis Family Sayings On the origins of our quirky words and phrases and the situations in which they are used (Dec 2024)
Pearls for Christmas The story behind gifts for my daughters on our first Christmas after Tia died (Dec 2014)
Flowers for Tia A thank-you note essay for those who sent flowers on Tia's passing (Dec 2014)
Wallered A strange family tradition and what we learn when we allowed ourselves to be battered by waves at the beach (Nov 2023)

Poems

My Will Be Done A prayer with some final requests (Dec 2014)
Getting Late About the difficulties at the end of life (Oct 2023)


Pictures

Alaska June 9-19, 2015

Georgia:  Atlanta City Scenes  August 2-4, 2008

North Carolina:  Asheville Recycling August 2013

North Carolina: Sam Knob and Looking Glass Rock October 22, 2013

Utah: Landscapes August 17-23, 2008

Virginia: Roan Mountain June 2007

Wyoming: Hiking the Grand Tetons August 15-22, 2010

Wyoming: South Central Wind River Range Hike August 15-22, 2011


International

France: Arles Cemetery January 2013

France: Arles Street Art January 2013

Greece: Delphi, Olympus, Monastery of Holy Luke, and Acrocorinth January 11-19, 2007

Greece: A Pilgrimage Hike to Mount Athos June 1-6, 2008

Kenya: Sunset Over Kenya from Ethiopian Airlines Flight 500  May 3, 2012

Morocco: Four days in Rabat and a day in Fez January 2011

Spain:  Seven days in Granada January 2011

Zimbabwe: The Farm at Africa University December 2007

Zimbabwe: The Farm House at Africa University January-May 2012

Zimbabwe: Fields and Mountains of Africa University January-May 2012

Zimbabwe: Graveyard at St. Augustine's Mission, Penhalonga March 24, 2012

Zimbabwe: My Sister's Place April 30, 2012

Zimbabwe: The Orphanage at St. Augustine's Mission, Penhalonga March 24, 2012

Zimbabwe: The Great Zimbabwe March 2, 2012

Zimbabwe:  Victoria Falls April 6, 2012


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