There is nothing quite like talking philosophy on the back porch. Our youngest, Zachary, is a sophomore at the University of Memphis. 

Another tree bit the dust today. I was surprised since the shaded serenity offered by its kin is, in part, what causes people to come to this sliver of American paradise in the foothills of the Ozarks.

James Byrd's business card reads, "With God all things are possible." It's not just a slogan!I met Mr. Byrd yesterday while driving Highway 49 in Mississippi. His business, Byrd's Antique Cars & Trucks, was on the opposite side of the four-lane divided highway.

Meet Mr. Average...

I'm preparing to hit the open road. I have a box full of books, a iPhone full of music, a camera full of film, and a copy of Blue Highways, the back roads memoir from William Least Heat Moon.

Individualism and isolation is a one-two punch that is rocking Christendom in America.