| 25 December 2022 1300 Hours | Ornithology, Sweden, Zoology |
Living in Sweden, I was traversing a large city lawn, And to my astonishment several (Mongolian--their origin!) pheasants grazed. I knew my birds and which had been introduced where, But this unexpected visual gave me a start-- A start--manifested in this poem--that would never leave me: Pheasants calmly grazing on a Swedish lawn! Does Uppsala really glory in all of its inhabitants?
| 19 March 2023 1255 Hours | Sweden, Genetics, Geography, History |
How often Sweden pulses through my mind-- Both genetically and experientially. The plunder, but wisdom and ability Of those who founded the government of Rusland. (The Land of the Redheads!) And trade routes from the North to the land of Egypt. Perhaps a small amount of what I consider my wisdom May have come from those forebears. . . . But of course there is always mixed in, My Celtic, Armenian, and the clever others Who formed my phylogeny, Passing on to me (among others) My haplogroup g on the Y chromosome, Manifested now in my ontogeny! I do miss you, dear Swede. F.
| 20 December 2025 1403 Hours | Memories, Education, Family, Farming, History, Lesotho, Sweden, Youth |
A wonderful preschool life with loving, caring parents and a little brother, John, and a littler sister, Susan.
Hyde School Elementary, Newton Highlands, MA (1946-1951). (I loved school and started piano and in 6th grade, double bass.)
Weeks Jr HS, Newton Center, MA (1951-1954). (Met students from other religions and began my love of Shakespeare. Orchestra for real.).
Newton (N) HS, Newtonville, MA (1954-1958). (More and better orchestra, personal relationship with a supreme being, love, readying for college.)
Antioch College, BA, Yellow Springs, OH (1959-1964). (New subjects and thoughts, orchestra conducting, Cooperative academic jobs--whales, a museum job, teaching in Switzerland-- end of formal religion.)
Cornell University, Ph,D., Vertebrate Zoology and Ecology, Ithaca, NY (1964-1968). (Dinner with Hans Betha, inventor of the hydrogen bomb; field work on Microtus; learned to fly.)
Robert College, Istanbul,Turkiye, Prof Vertebrate Zoology (1968-1972). (Became department chair, field work in Israel and Libya, learned cello, composed music, travelled around Turkiye.)
U. of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland, Lesotho, Africa, Prof Vertebrate Zoology (1972-1975). (Bred Basotho Ponies, rescued a baboon, learned bee keeping with this vicious species.)
U, of Uppsala, Sweden, Researcher (1975-1977). (Did research on the gentler European Honey bee as well as animal ag food processing, learned Swedish, ice skating, drank from royal horns.)
Created the Environmental Education Farm Foundation, Davis, CA (1977-2024). (Learned farming, farmers markets, raised ground-raised turkeys, chickens, and ducks, and aquaculture.)
Created the Quail Ridge Wilderness Conservancy, (Napa, CA), Davis, CA (1989-present). (Learned about Conservation Easements, fundraising, passed the legislation for the State Grass.)
Pictish Stone Art hand carved petroglyphs (1995-present). (Learned a completely new art form. did custom orders, learned even more Scottish and world history, gave lessons, exhibits.)
Conducted several outreach voyages to Scotland, one of my natal ancestral nations, to be with the people, and carve in situ and present stone petroglyphs to Parliament and to other organizations.
'Poems and Thoughts' poetry (2020-present) (Through new writing, I reviewed my history and world thinking; became more philosophical, viewing my past life; leaving a record for my children.)
| 14 February 2026 1715 Hours | Memories, Aging, Friendship, Music, Poetry, Sweden |
Wonderful sounds of Flamenco fire my ears. I sit, writing on this Valentine's Day, Dancing in the memory of being accompanied By a Swedish-Latvian friend to Spain. We heard music all around us And danced in the street, humming those rhythms. Oh, if this ever-slowing body could move so, once again; Yet, I am still able to dance and reminisce, thankfully, In my tranquil, but ceaselessly-cogitating mind.