Author Archives: Jerry Johnson

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About Jerry Johnson

Retired journalist and college public relations director. Former teacher, coach, mentor. Novelist and short story writer.

Drinker, smoker, carnivore

During the long, relaxed evenings of our winter vacation sojourn through New Mexico I have escaped the great evil of television “news” broadcasts and have enjoyed reading books on my favorite subjects: history, and biographies of historical figures. Currently, I … Continue reading

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Sheltering from the wind

An outdoor writer who does not credit the wind as the predominant force in the shaping and the life of wild places has failed in his craft. The wind touches and forms or reforms every thing. The wind also touches … Continue reading

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26 ‘Must Do’ items before towing our trailer

A riddle: Why is a Scamp camping trailer like a P-38 Lightning World War II twin engine fighter aircraft? Answer: Because you have to complete a checklist of items before you fly into “combat.” Bear with me; I will explain. … Continue reading

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Camper clutter

After 27 days of nomadic life in the Scamp camping trailer, many of our former criteria for a happy household have been revised to conform to the new normal. For example, the definitions of the terms “organized,” “cluttered,” “tidy,” “neat,” … Continue reading

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(South)Westerward Ho! – Part 2

If a picture is worth a thousand words, one of Aaron Lurth’s photographs is worth 10,000-plus. One of my photos, on the other hand, is usually worth about 100 words, maybe 200 on a day I capture a striking visual … Continue reading

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Southwest musings on a day off

How do you define “A Day Off” when you are retired? Isn’t every day a sort of “day off”? Be that as it may, we are taking a couple days off from our winter travels in the Southwest due to … Continue reading

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(South)Westward Ho! – Part 1

Winter in the North Country can be beautiful, but there is simply too much of it. Especially for an Old Coot whose arthritic joints ache and creak whenever January temperatures dip below the bright blue line that marks zero degrees … Continue reading

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For Auld Lang Syne

An end-of-year tradition at Dispatches from a Northern Town: Scots poet Robert Burns’ For Old Lang Syne. Written in 1788 by Burns (1759-1796) in Scots language, the poem was set to the tune of a traditional Scottish folk song in … Continue reading

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Shotgun stock repair

AFTER MOPING AROUND for a day because I had clumsily fallen while bird hunting and damaged the buttstock of my favorite shotgun, I decided not to commit suicide but instead have the gun repaired. This Browning BSS 20 gauge Sporter … Continue reading

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Troubles come in threes

An old folk adage cautions us that troubles come in threes. If an annoyance or mishap besets us, we can expect two more of the same type in short order. I hope this Rule of Three is valid because I … Continue reading

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