Big rains last night so I’ve been looking for box turtles. Instead, we get a coyote hunting squirrels. This is video I recorded from inside Erin’s office space looking to the woods west of our house.
From this week’s episode of the Coaching for Leaders podcast:
But we can lose hours going through those imaginary arguments in our head in the off hours when we’re supposed to be doing something else. That’s unhealthy.
Host Dave Stachowiak and guest Guy Winch talk about the stress that comes from rumination and how to find calm away from work.
Every year about now, I start calling the hotline at Levering Orchard in Galax, Virginia to learn when the one day of sour cherry picking will occur. As I feared, though, there’s bad news for this year:
Because of the freeze, the cherries were killed in 2026 and we will not be open for cherry season.
That’s a tough loss for Frank and the family business. I’ll plan to visit the orchard for apple season.
Fortunately, I have eight or so jars of pie filling that I put up last year.
I devoured this delicious novel over the last few days: Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl. Makes me want to get on a plan to France tonight. If only I could. (I’ve been to Paris and Provence and loved everything!) 📚
Josh Ritter gave a stand-up standout solo nearly 2-hour performance at Haw River Ballroom in Saxapahaw, NC tonight. He’s such an amazing storyteller and singer and songwriter. I feel so grateful to have been entertained by him.
It’s been a dry spring so we’ve not seen many turtles but this morning I was chatting with the septic tank service team and Joel (the service owner, not my brother) looked down to see this turtle nestled in the green grass over the tank.
Just checked tour dates for The Heavy Heavy, a band I’ve seen twice and very much enjoyed. In July they’ll play Ocean Mist, a seaside bar in Rhode Island that I stopped into last summer during a bike ride with my dad. Considering going back for this show, and dad may be nearby again.
Back at Cat’s Cradle, tonight for sold-out show by Iron and Wine (he played Haw River Ballroom last night). I sat on same bleachers with Sam when our daughters played on same middle-school soccer team. With my broken toes, I’m huddled against the wall hoping to not get stepped on.
Finished reading: Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better by David Epstein. Appreciated the reminders: rules are good, unlimited freedom is tricky, and focus is imperative. 📚
Perfect weather for the Sunday morning pickup soccer play. We got going at 7:30 and I immediately broke toward the goal, brought down the very first pass, took a touch, and put it into the net. Nice way to start. An hour later, I hobbled off the pitch with a broken toe. ‘Football is life.’
Oliver and I took a break from clearing the campsite. He asked about my Daring Fireball T-shirt, so I told him about Gruber.
‘Did you want to be a famous blogger?’ he asked me.
I paused.
‘Not famous. I did want to be a better writer and share my observations.’
Sitting with son in forest, content.
Beautiful day for being outside, helping Oliver set up for camping with his buddies tonight. County burn ban has lifted so they can gather around the firepit. I startled a young copperhead snake at the firewood stack out back. ‘Would you have killed it?’ Oliver asked. ‘Probably not. It eats mice.’
Picked this up at Kramers on Dupont Circle Thursday afternoon, and finished reading it this morning: The Lucky Ride A Novel Full of Opportunity by Yasushi Kitagawa. A lovely reminder to be positive and pass it on. 📚
A fun, full day in Washington, D.C., in the Union Market and NoMa neighborhoods. I walked and walked, visited coffee shops, a bookstore, a brewery, then was joined by Malia for dinner and concert by Katelyn Tarver at Songbyrd.
Great student speeches and a phenomenal address by Samantha Power (“be an empathy optimist”) at commencement ceremony for American University School of International Service. Our daughter Malia will soon walk the stage for her bachelor of arts diploma—and then become 3rd-gen Peace Corps Volunteer!
I wrote a blog post about my experience reading The Wayfinder: A Novel by Adam Johnson 📚
I know I’ve mentioned it before, but if you need to know how to need a hug, give a hug, accept a hug, or make a hug count, watch Ted Lasso Season 1 (and all the episodes that follow). There are so many hugs throughout the show, and when you watch them, you will want a hug tonight.🍿
Somehow, never mentioned to @amerpie that the day I met him for lunch in Fayetteville, NC, I drove past a truck hauling a live camel. Just one detail on a good day. Grateful to @manton for building Micro.blog, which connected me to Lou.
Started this on Christmas day, and last night finished reading: The Wayfinder: A Novel by Adam Johnson 📚
