In ordinary circumstances, Seeing Eye® dogs are trained to walk straight down a sidewalk and stop when they encounter an intersection. Recently, Jim, Quan, and I went for a walk around Bar Harbor. Towards the end of the walk, I felt Quan veer away from the sidewalk and into the adjacent park. We learn a […]
June 6, 2022, is the 78th anniversary of the invasion of Normandy during World War II, also known as D-Day. In this article, we explore the growing alarm as, one after another, secret code words of the invasion began showing up as answers to crossword clues. Escalating Concerns In April of 1944, the London Daily […]
There are many solemn ways to remember and honor those who have died in service to our country. There is the tradition of Taps Across America. At 3:00 pm, local time, Americans pause and listen to the 24 notes of taps. Another tradition involves the humble poppy flower. Since ancient times, the poppy has been […]
Last week, we climbed a mountain. It was Schoodic Head and it was quite the challenge. I climbed with my guide dog, Quan, leading the way. Jim had our pet dog, Soldier. Soldier is getting up there in age and petered out as we neared the summit. “Want to go to the top on […]
I find myself thinking of Mama a lot this time of year. The eleventh anniversary of her death was May 5. Her 99th birthday would have been yesterday, May 7. And tomorrow, May 9, is Mother’s Day. The picture is of Mama, at our wedding in 1985. I find Mama’s obituary a perfect […]
When you think of a walk around the neighborhood, you probably think of walking past houses on a sidewalk, right? Not here in Maine! Our favorite “walk around the neighborhood” involves climbing a large hill or a small mountain, take your pick. We head up the driveway, hang a right, walk about a quarter of […]
In my 35 years of handling guide dogs, they’ve all seen some pretty bizarre things! This is about how dogs react to seeing or hearing something unusual. The first time I noticed such a reaction was when I was training with my first dog. Seeing Eye employs security guards who patrol the school […]
In the first weeks and months after I became blind I struggled to find things to do, things that would interest and engage me. Even before my rehab teacher, now called a vision rehabilitation therapist, came to see me for the first time, I learned something infinitely precious from my father. Daddy had lots […]
Have you ever wondered about guide dogs and clearance of overhead obstacles? We usually go for a walk in the woods every day. A couple of days ago, Jim said, “Did you know about that tree over the trail?” “What tree?” I replied. The tree over the trail was well above […]
We’re just back from a ski trip to The Birches Resort on Moosehead Lake. The best – and maybe the worst – skiing was on our first day there. How can something be “the best” and “the worst” at the same time? The conditions were tricky. There was plenty of snow but it had […]