The Christian calendar is a curious thing. At times, it is an oddity. Here are some examples. After a day of feasting and family on December 25, December 26 commemorates the martyrdom of St. Stephen. And, tomorrow, on the Fourth Day of Christmas, the Church remembers “The Holy Innocents” (a great NYT op-ed on that
Author: Jo Tango
Good Judgment
It is one of my favorite times of the year: easing into the Christmas and holiday season. Our family will all be together this year for Christmas, which is not guaranteed now that our children are older. One of our college-aged kids is home. I pick up the other one later today, after my last
Game Birds
One of Mrs. T.’s uncles hunts. On Thanksgiving, he gifted me with some birds that he had shot. He knows I’m a fly angler and fly tier. I never skinned a bird until today. But, it is amazing what you can find on the Internet. So, after storing the birds for a few weeks in
Stephen Colbert and Anderson Cooper on Grief
If instability was a familiar topic in your childhood, you may want to watch the interview below. If instability was not a familiar topic in your childhood, the interview may help you understand better those who did experience such a time. And, if not, it’s still worth watching: it’s very earnest and soulful. It’s Anderson
The Spiritual Steelhead Journey
Steelhead fly fishing is everything they say: It’s freezing, mentally and physically challenging, and full of long stretches of boredom. Rarely, there is a moment of chaos when a fish is on. Steelhead are two- to three-feet long and are absolute brutes. Words cannot explain how tough it is to land one, particularly without a
Simple Thanksgivings
I recently wrote about “simple Sundays.” I’m now a believer in simple holidays, too. For many years, my Thanksgiving schedule looked like this: Awake at 4 am to make cinnamon rolls from scratch Cook up bacon and other dishes and have breakfast ready for the family and guests Feed the family and guests Begin cooking