Losing (Some of) the Local Commons
The annual Prairie Festival at The Land Institute just outside Salina, KS, was held two months ago, but it's been much on my mind...
Funding College Graduates to Come Home
Sacred cows exist in almost every industry and sector in America, and the world of philanthropy is no exception. Within the realm of community...
The Appeal of a Well-Simmered Life
It’s 9 a.m. on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, which seems like a reasonable, civilized time to make apple butter. Yet in my mother-in-law’s farmhouse...
Local Identity and Cities In-Between
2018 has been a busy year for those of us who aspire to--or are at least somewhat animated by--localism here in Wichita, KS, the...
Yellow Vests Run Out of Gas
When asked to share my thoughts on the recent yellow vests protests, I initially demurred, stating that is was simply another case of the...
Left (not Liberal) Conservatism (or Communitarianism, if you Prefer): A Restatement
Recently, Tablet Magazine published a lengthy essay by Eric Kaufmann, heralding the revival of "left-conservative" thinking, which the author defined as "a conservative view...
Smiling Prophet of Tape and Glue
If you watch a regional sportscast on TV, or some similar out-of-the-way cable fare, you’ll eventually see a commercial featuring a smiling, chubby man...
Monopoly House Rules
I love board games. Truth be told, I am a sucker for games of all types, but there are a number of aspects to playing...
No Chairlift, No Spandex, No Problem: The Rustic Virtues of X-C...
During the fall color tour, we often drive to a ski resort near my home in southwest Michigan. It’s about the only time my...