A friend of mine once remarked that the character of a city is more resilient than we think. Despite the surface changes of time—new clothes and cars, different shops and bars—there is something impalpable, determined by architecture and place, perhaps, or the taste of the air, that keeps a place what it is, even as it warps and alters unrecognizably. My friend was referring to Paris or New York, but as I am writing this, I realize the same may be said of the tiny town of Inverness...
Read MoreAnimating Grace Paley
Last Sunday, Steve Costa stood in the rain, guiding cars into the parking lot of the Presbyterian church with a patient, bemused air. “Now I can add parking attendant to my resume,” he cracked as he embraced a guest. Behind him, a large Monterey pine had crashed through the fence, toppled by the recent storm. The tips of its tallest branches had fallen just a few feet shy of the church.
Read More