Ancient people in the frigid north of Scotland, from 300 AD to 500 AD, carved designs into rock and fashioned jewelry from molten metal. They tattooed their bodies with blue plant-based pigment. The Roman invaders labeled them The Picts, the painted people. I'm fascinated by their art. I respect them. They were ancient people "coloring" …
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Thrift Store Clue-Chapter 3 of Nauvoo
Life is random. It's unpredictable. It's strange. I didn't give Nauvoo another thought and accepted it as a dot on the map, possibly a Jewish settlement from a long time ago. That is how the Fort Drum guide explained it. Case closed. But something strange happened. I'm a quirky modern-day explorer and a scavenger. A …
Trying to Bury Us, Chapter 1 of “Nauvoo”
"They tried to bury us. They didn't know we were seeds."- Dino Christianpolus. I live, like many people in this world, in an insignificant place, a bit of geography once used and now forgotten. When I tell local people the name of my town, they snicker, especially those who reside in the more popular tourist …
For The Love of The Land
My second visit to Scotland put a spell on me. I traveled through the Highlands, taking in the vast green fields, the rocky hills and mountains, and the lovely waterways. Since coming home, I've been like a hologram, a wavering collection of intense energy without substance. I've tried to understand why I have such a …
Secrets of Omission
It is unpleasant to be tricked, especially when you have accepted something as accurate, and it's not. History often comes in carefully crafted pieces, sliced and diced, to keep secrets. But the true story is always there. Sometimes, it involves digging around and doing the messy work of putting forgotten or hidden pieces back together. …
Big Ben, A Pub, and Diana
I'm pretty sure I made up the phrase "Urban Hiker". I love to go to a city and just start walking. At first, I'm totally lost, but if I keep exploring long enough, my navigation skills become as sure as any native's. I set out from my hotel in London, knowing that if I followed …
The Origins of the Word “Freemason”
There is something mystical about transforming native stone into buildings. It almost seems like magic since such structures were fashioned by hand without power tools or modern materials. In my county, stone buildings were made from limestone or sandstone. These sedimentary rocks are a good choice for such construction because of their accessibility and layered quality. I …
The Scottish Sheep Connection
A mystery. I ignored the clues until my sorority sister, Annie, pointed out that the stone walls at the edge of my Northern New York State property were most likely used centuries ago to prevent sheep from entering my woods. How did sheep get to The North Country, a wilderness overrun by wolves, lynx, and …
The Fallacy of Insignificance
I live in a place in northern New York State that many Americans have never heard of and don't care to know about. Our population is dwindling as our manufacturing has moved to other places. Many who live downstate don't even realize that there is life above the NYS Thruway. Tourism saves us from total …
The Map is Not the Territory
In the summer of 2001, at age 51, I went on a "Menopausal Odessey", a seventy-day, 7000-mile road trip across the US and Canada. It was a transitional quest, a cleansing. An attempt to run away from everything that reminded me of the past, my flaws, and all the mistakes I had made in my …
The Autonomous Traveler 