For taste of Ukraine, try this simple, good potato dish

There are many ways to show solidarity with Ukraine in its fight for survival against the homicidal maniac in Moscow — fly a Ukrainian flag, send money to support organizations, write to your congressional representative. You might consider buying a Ukrainian product, despite Trump’s tariffs on imports from that country. I purchased a bottle of … Continue reading For taste of Ukraine, try this simple, good potato dish

The August Wilson Celebration continues in Baltimore theaters

A reminder that the Baltimore August Wilson Celebration continues in September with Everyman Theatre’s staging of “The Piano Lesson.” That production will mark the fourth of the 10 Wilson plays that 10 Baltimore theater companies agreed to stage over three years, giving a whole new generation of theatergoers multiple opportunities to see live performances of … Continue reading The August Wilson Celebration continues in Baltimore theaters

The Susquehanna Swarm

It might seem like a freak of nature, a bizarre phenomenon set off by the latent effects of the Three Mile Island nuclear accident 50 miles (and more than 46 years) upstream. But it’s actually a natural phenomenon and a sign of environmental health. Workers at Conowingo Dam, on the Susquehanna River, were recently awed … Continue reading The Susquehanna Swarm

On immigration, a shocking poll result that should not have been shocking

I saw something in the recent Gallup Poll on immigration that shocked me: “Support for allowing undocumented immigrants to become U.S. citizens has risen to 78%, up from 70% last year. This is also back to the level of support seen in 2019 (81%) while slightly lower than in 2016 (84%). Approval is higher still, … Continue reading On immigration, a shocking poll result that should not have been shocking

In praise of San Marzano

Our San Marzano tomatoes, the Champagne of plum tomatoes, are starting to come in, though apparently it’s a violation of European Union rules to call them San Marzano tomatoes when they are grown in a Baltimore backyard or anywhere other than in the Sarno Valley of Italy. The Italians will dispatch consiglieres and Carbiniere if … Continue reading In praise of San Marzano

Nothing funny about climate change denial

I noticed several laughing emojis in a Facebook post last week about climate change, stormwater runoff and flash floods. Some people — almost all white males, many of them clearly Trumpies — apparently still mock the fact that a warming planet is causing more extreme weather, and that 100-year storms are happening more frequently. I’ve … Continue reading Nothing funny about climate change denial

A little nostalgia with your coffee

I decided to extract this blue coffee pot from a closet and give it a try again. It’s been a long time. I brew coffee by multiple methods but have avoided percolation primarily because it takes too long and, with a gas stovetop, too much energy. But the other day, Bastille Day, I thought the … Continue reading A little nostalgia with your coffee

The McGraw Mausoleum

McGraw John McGraw, Baseball Hall of Fame player and manager, resting here. . . . New Cathedral Cemetery, a sprawling, hilly burial ground on the southwestern side of Baltimore, has the distinction of being the final resting place of four Hall of Fame baseball players. This photo, taken in early spring, is of the mausoleum … Continue reading The McGraw Mausoleum

The Harbaughs visited Trump because they’re Trumpies

Until proven otherwise, there’s likely only one reason John and Jim Harbaugh visited Trump in the White House: They’re fans; they like the felon president. Otherwise, they’d have said no to the invitation. Trump is the most divisive president in history; he lies constantly, has policies that are either cruel or confusing; he’s clearly a … Continue reading The Harbaughs visited Trump because they’re Trumpies

A preference for beaver videos

On Monday, I listened to Nicole Wallace and guests on MSNBC try to make sense of Trump’s latest blurt about tariffs. It was the same mind-numbing discussion we’ve heard since “Liberation Day” in April. Nothing about Trump's tariff business makes sense in the modern global economy, but the talking heads keep talking as if the … Continue reading A preference for beaver videos