My 2nd-great grandfather, Peter Dixon Pelsor (1821-1902), was from the little village of Metamora, Indiana, in Franklin County – northeast of Cincinnati, Ohio. In July 1861 he joined the Union Army, 18th Indiana Infantry, along with his son Henry, age 16. Due to his age he started out at the rank of Sergeant, and when […]
December 2019
For years now, Peggy and I have made a retreat in December – for reflection, writing, and just being quiet. This year, with both of us retired now, we are spending twelve days at Sequim, Washington, on the northern coast of the Olympic Peninsula. Peggy has finished the first draft of a new play, and […]
A Sermon on Julian
[A sermon delivered at St. Clement of Rome Episcopal Church on November 17, 2019] In the name of the Holy Trinity, who made us, who loves us, and who cares for us. Amen. In the calendar of our church the day assigned to Julian of Norwich is May 8, the date she gives for having […]
London in Four Days
With a farewell dinner at the White Hart Hotel in Salisbury, on Sunday, August 25, 2019, the Compline Choir’s England Pilgrimage to Canterbury and Salisbury came to a close. The next morning, I got up early to say goodbye to most of the members of the choir, who sleepily boarded the bus to Heathrow at […]
England Pilgrimage
[NOTE: The article link in ComplineUnderground has now been updated since we got back from the Pilgrimage with the articles “Men at Canterbury, Women in Seattle,” and “A Week at Salisbury.” ] The Compline Choir, in which I have sung since 1964, is making a pilgrimage to England from August 10-26, 2019. We’ll be spending […]
New Family History Post
This category is dedicated to my family history interests. It will be a place where I will report on progress on my book of my second-great-grandfather’s letters during the Civil War, and of various genealogy projects. The picture is of my father’s parents – Swedish emigrants at the end of the nineteenth century.
New Music Post
This will be a place for posts about my current musical endeavors, such as Compline Choir, Bach Choir, harpsichord, accordion…Well, you get the idea.
The Detention Lottery
My wife, Margaret O’Donnell, is an immigration attorney here in Seattle, but she has been writing plays for the last few years, and is in transition toward that time when most of her focus will be writing. Her latest production is called The Detention Lottery, and has just achieved national recognition through an article by Kate […]
New Food Post
Look for posts soon about various food projects, such as “Listening Evenings” or “Monsieur Pamplemousse.” Until then, here’s a picture of my very first soufflé…