A story of Stegnerian reach......

On Canaan's Side by Sebastian Barry

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A book of utter and astonishing beauty and sadness and poetry.

Snow in the Northwest

It is so quiet, due to almost no traffic, it really is like living deep in the woods.

The ANC turns 100

The 100th anniversary of the founding of the ANC is a milestone to be contemplated and considered.  That it took 82 years to bring about the official end of Apartheid, as South Africans had their first free election in 1994, says something about the difficulty of  change and the tenacity of the freedom fighters.  Two articles this last week, one in the New York Times and another in the Financial Times, highlight many of the issues and problems facing the organisation today.   The biggest challenge they face today is themselves: cronyism, nepotism, greed, corruption, unfulfilled promises, and authentic leadership.

Nelson Mandela (stamp)

Helen Suzman

Desmond Tutu

Seattle Rings in the New Year