Shrouded Shore: The Many Musings of Thom Singleton

  Animals We’ve Encountered in the Wildernesses of the World  Alligator Grizzly Bear Beaver River Otter Coyote White Tail Deer Chipmunk Elephant Dolphin Killer Whale Mountain Goat Elephant Seal Elk Opossum Big Horn Bobcat Fisher Flying Fish Donkey Black Bear Grey Squirrel Grey Whale Sea Otter Snapping Turtle Mustang Pica Timber Wolf Urchin Manatee Bison Mule Deer Muskrat Moose Mink Prairie Dog Porcupine Jack Rabbit Loon Pronghorn Red Squirrel Ring-Neck Pheasant Rattlesnake Turkey Rhinoceros Raccoon Skunk Red Fox Starfish Vulture Weasel Armadillo Woodchuck

  Motion Lights Our house is ringed by them, installed by the former owner, a single woman. When one goes on at night, I look out the window, and, sure enough, I see animals - deer, racoons, ‘possum - or sometimes, nothing. It must be a shock to whomever or whatever hurried to the shadows to avoid my eavesdropping. If it’s a ‘who,’ the trespasser should be exposed. If it’s a ‘what,’ they’re just trying to make a living foraging by night. The animals are so much safer to do so when it’s dark, rather than when the big, blazing motion light - our Sun - is out.   

  The Tao of Snow I attempt to say what the Tao is But, as Taoists say, if you define it, the Tao is not it The Tao is the indefinite, or, perhaps, the infinite. It is all there is in every moment It is the light I see around the drapes It is not just the streetlight, but the glow The glow from the light reflected on the snow The hazy light of falling snowflakes Snowflakes in the wind, in the tree branches, on the ground First snowflakes on the yearling deer in the yard Deer who don’t know what to make of it First snow for them First snow of the season for us Oh, and the Tao is the shovel, too

  Life, a Miracle! A man, a woman, a baby! Heart beat, breath, awareness! Feeling, learning, growing! Intelligence, emotion, expression! Communication, attraction, love! It’s all a miracle!

  August A name of many descriptors… Awe-inspiring Magnificent  Worthy of great respect Grand and glorious Noble Eminent Distinguished A name for our five-year-old grandson to aspire to Once he knows what some of these words mean  

  A River of Friends The trail on the river today was a river of friends. First a big dog Quasimodo, and, walking him, our neighbor Jude. Then Patti’s friend from church. Finally the couple with the unmistakable hats, Marsha and Al. Today we did more talking than walking, but we had a lot of fun.  

  Lost in Idioms I’m looking for you. Where are you? Are you… On your feet or on your knees? On the fence or on the move? On the beam or on the blink? On pins and needles or on your way? On the ball or on the ropes? On the run or on the warpath? On the mend or on the outs? On top or on the bench? On your good behavior or on your high horse? On the way or on hold? On the bandwagon or on the QT? On the road or on the lam? On your back or on the alert? On the fly or on the rocks? On the dot or on the loose? On the double or on your last legs? You’re not on the job,  So soon you’ll be called on the carpet!