The Lost Village. May 2015. It has been about a year. At the time my son Nathan was eight. And he was in tears. "They're all gone, Dad. They all died," he said. The Minecraft village he had so joyfully discovered was now empty, overrun by a zombie siege right before his very eyes. This is a tale of tragedy, triumph, and one very determined little boy. Because today the Lost Village lives again. Read more.

Nashville. December 2014. I don't even particularly like country music. And yet, ABC's Nashville is one of the best surprises on network television over the last couple of years. Read more.

Camp Cooking Without Gas. September 2012. Taking my new camp stove out for a test drive this summer was a real delight. Biolite has created something simple, elegant, and revolutionary. Its camp stove requires no white gas or propane, and not only generates a great cooking flame but also serves as a charging station for all your USB-rechargable devices. Read more.

Not Quite the Future of Flight. May 2012. Each Mother's Day weekend, weather permitting, we are treated to an unofficial air show out of South Prairie Airport. South Prairie airport is a fly-in community with roughly 30 aircraft based there, including a stunt plane, two biplanes, and a restored P-47. Sitting on our deck watching a biplane do loop the loops overhead is big thrill for all of us, especially Nathan. Read more.

Civic Action. April 2012. Back in January the Puget Sound area suffered a major winter storm: several days of wet snow and heavy rain followed by enough temperature drop at night to cover everything in thick ice. Trees and limbs cracked and collapsed under the weight of ice, and 100s of thousand of homes were without power for days. Our house was without power for four days. Read more.