Bucket List

Let me see. What would I like to do before I kick the bucket? The list is easy to arrive at; it’s the doing that is not probable. Anyway, here it is:

1.      Drive up the Highway to the Sky in Montana, Glacier National Park

2.      Visit North Dakota. Montana and North Dakota are the only two states I have not visited in the lower 48. I will never get to Hawaii or Alaska. 

3.      Travel for a month to towns throughout the Midwest and Near West. Spend a day or three in several of them. Interview residents at local diners or churches and write their stories for this blog.

4.      Visit New Mexico for two weeks; one week in Santa Fe and another in Taos. Day trips throughout the region and rekindle our love affair with the area.

5.      Visit Arizona, especially northern Arizona high deserts. Grand Canyon. Monument Valley and Zion Canyon in Utah. Drink in the smells, heat, and air of the places.

6.      Revisit Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and upstate New York. Love the region. Not its winters, but spring, summer and fall are wonderful.

7.      Visit Chicago Art Institute in a wheelchair to sit and gaze at the exhibits. Take as long as needed to make a connection with the artist’s message of each piece.

8.      Revisit the University of Chicago campus, especially the new facilities of the Chicago Theological Seminary.

9.      Attend three organ concerts in fabulous Chicago area churches; Bach and Buxtehude, and a little Cesar Frank compositions please.

10.   Attend Chicago Symphony Orchestra concert mainly of Beethoven, Mozart and Brahms.

I think that sums it up. I’d like to see some plays and Broadway musicals in Chicago, too, but the first ten items were what came to mind in an instant.


Thanks for indulging me. Note this is about people and sense of place and the art messages of genius minds. Just thinking of the bucket list is tantalizing.

I guess peace on earth and goodwill toward all men comes next?


February 19, 2020