At the time I did not know that stories of life are often more like rivers than books.

One of life's quiet excitements is to stand somewhat apart from yourself and watch yourself softly becoming the author of something beautiful even if it is only a floating ash.

A river, though, has so many things to say that it is hard to know what it says to each of us.

Ahead and to the west was our ranger station - and the mountains of Idaho, poems of geology stretching beyond any boundaries and seemingly even beyond the world.

My father was very sure about certain matters pertaining to the universe. To him all good things-trout as well as eternal salvation-come by grace and grace comes by art and art does not come easy.

When exhausted and feeling sorry for yourself, at least change your socks.

The hardest thing usually to leave behind, as was the case now, can loosely be called the conscience.