In the introduction to her short story collection Ghosts, Edith Wharton wrote that the titular subjects of her compilation “require two conditions abhorrent to the modern mind: silence and continuity” to become present in the corporeal world. These elements seem to be all the more imperiled amid our fragmented hyper-mediated age.
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The first major snowstorm and the winter solstice have passed. Many gray days and long nights await us. Although I enjoy the winter and its allowance to stay home and nest, I know that the next few months will prove to be difficult.
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During winter evenings, I enjoy nothing more than sitting in my cozy parlor and passing the hours with a book. The cold and the early darkness provide the perfect excuse to pull away from the workaday world and immerse myself in the written word. I always look forward to the winter.
During the recent cold snap, my friends invited me to join them for an afternoon trip to see the Great Falls in Paterson, New Jersey. Why might this be noteworthy? The Great Falls, the inspiration behind Alexander Hamilton’s industrial experiment, stood frozen. That’s right. Frozen. Continue reading
During the past several weekends, I have been cleaning up my garden to prepare for the coming winter months. Bit by bit, I approached this annual seasonal project: I pulled up the remaining pepper and tomato plants, pruned bushes and shrubs, dumped potting soil into the compost bin and pile, put away chairs and tables, and swept the deck.
Now, a crispness has settled upon the ground blanketed by fallen leaves. The garden is empty and silent. Even the squirrels and birds have quieted down. All that remains is a fig tree awaiting its protective wrapping. Once I cover this tree, the season shall officially conclude. I shall visit the garden when I need a moment of reflection, but there will be no more long meals with my wife or drinks with our friends until next spring.
Another Town on the Hudson 