First, the good stuff.
Things are slow and easy here at the ol’ trailer park. The swallows, wrens, sparrows, and robins are back from Mexico and sing each day awake. It's warmer now too, mid-fifties with sometimes a mid-sixty day. Flowers pop in the garden, and Jose has the park primed for a complete flower riot in a couple of weeks.
In personal news, I am slated to teach sailing over the last three weeks of May in La Paz, Mexico. Seattle Sailing Club maintains a Catalina 42 there, which we use to teach American Sailing Association cruising classes. Nobody has yet signed up for the classes, even with a 20 percent discount, so it may never happen. But, hey, who knows? May on the Sea of Cortez.
Then, in June, I will work for Washington State Parks to assist the full-time rangers to maintain and support the five marine state parks in the northern San Juan Islands. I’ll hang out on Orcas Island and shuttle boats to Sucia, Matia, Patos, Doe, and Saddlebag Islands. These uninhabited state parks can only be visited by boat. The gig lasts until September 15, when Dawn and I plan to hightail it to the Bitterroot Valley in Montana to disappear for a while.
It's a vagabond life, but somebody has to live it.
Recently, I discovered some lovely new music, too. I've been captured by banjo, violin, guitar, and country folk artistry. Check out Wild Rivers, Watchouse, or Red Clay Strays for some sad, sweet, poetic musical truth.
Here are the ‘Strays - Wondering Why. Music like this - American as a red ‘58 Corvette or the pinup girl on a P-51 Mustang - gives me great hope and pleasure.
Now, for the tough stuff.
I've been reading some critical books lately. Liz Cheney's Oath and Honor is a courageous book by a tough, brave lady. She provides an inside view of January 6, 2021, Trump’s part in that day, and his attempt to corrupt a free and fair election. She is unsparing in her criticism and contempt for Trump and clearly illustrates why he can not be allowed anywhere near the White House again.
The other book is Peril, by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa. This is another volume covering the 2020 election and Trump's outrageous attempt to overturn it. It is meticulously annotated - as you would expect from Woodward - and documents just how close Trump came to destroying our democracy.
I follow Trump's shenanigans and legal wrangling closely these days. He is a clear and present danger to our country, and I will do everything I can to stop him. The men and women of the USN sacrificing to keep international waters free off Yemen, the brave citizens of Ukraine, and the “poor, huddled, masses” yearning to be free here deserve it.
I know some of you are Trump supporters. You don't have to vote for Biden; stay home if you can't bring yourself to vote for him. Just don't vote for Trump…please.
Here is Ms Cheney -
An Enchanted Vagabond will always be free to read and enjoy. You can support my writing habit with a subscription or the tip jar below. Thanks so much for reading.
Peace.