Happy Solstice!

Today, people across the entire planet celebrate another quarter revolution around the sun.  Our spinning planet's tilted axis is pointed directly away* from the sun again.  My fellow seasonally depressed inhabitants of the northern hemisphere and I rejoice in the end of the three-month shortening of days and the beginning of the three-month lengthening.  It's…

Make Like a Tree and… Split Water with Sunlight

The low-angle light of the afternoon sun filtered through newly bare branches of pin oak, walnut, and ash.  It was autumn in the burbs.  After several cold, gray days spent holed up inside staring at glowing screens, I finally dragged myself outside for some productive manual labor.  I grabbed a rake from the garage and…