It was four A.M. on an early February morning. No one was in the emergency room but Bill and Margarete. Bill was having difficulty breathing. Working seven days a week, trying to maintain a hectic teaching schedule had finally taken its toll. The ER doctor told Bill he needed to be in a hospital. Bill couldn't afford the $12.00 required for admittance. They were sitting, alone, … [Read more...]

"Maybe one of the reasons that landscapes are so popular is because living in the country is the most natural thing. Even city people like to go back to the country. It’s a kind of instinct. The country is still the beginning of people on earth. The earth smells fresh, and after a rain, it has a sweetness on its breath. Every day is a joy with a special kind of color, a … [Read more...]

Bill was feeling more and more uncomfortable every year, but he felt trapped in the city. He had to earn a living so he had to make the best of it. Sometimes helping other people would take Bill's mind off his problems… Jonathan One day Jonathan turned up at Bill's doorstep. He was a long, lanky kid, about seventeen, who just wandered off the street. Bill learned Jonathan … [Read more...]

"America is such a big, big country. It’s absolutely great, and I am not sure that all Americans realize that." -- Bill Alexander Bill loved being outdoors. He had an affinity with Mother Nature. He loved America, especially the vastness and grandeur of the country. There was nothing like this anymore in Europe. Europe was a tamed continent after some one thousand years of … [Read more...]

Bill and Margarete had been driving for hours. Their destination was Banff, Alberta. The Volkswagen's tank of gas was nearing empty again. They came to the entrance of Kootenay National Park. This was the last obstacle between Bill and Margarete and their home. Bill had $1.50 in his pocket, just enough for some coffee and sandwiches. The Ranger and the Cleaning Lady The sign … [Read more...]