A dog’s storyBy Tom MercerCarbondale-ish It was a rainy August morning when Alan first heard the scratching on his front door. Initially, Alan simply ignored the sound, assuming it was a tree branch that had broken off of the tree in his front yard. But for a half-hour the sound persisted, so Alan stood up […]
Tom Mercer
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Artist profile: Louie Girardot
Most residents of the Roaring Fork Valley either know or have heard of Louie Girardot, and the lucky ones have enjoyed his music over the years. I had the pleasure of playing music with Girardot, and I thought that Sopris Sun readers might like to know more about him. He has performed all over the […]
Posted inFiction
Works in Progress
No Lullaby By Kitty Riley There ain’t no lullaby in this landSleep is hard to findTrust and care are pushed awayLeaving fear behind There was a time when helping othersWas the way to liveFriends and neighbors reaching outSupport and aid to give Now trampling and dismantlingAre the preferred meansOf chipping away our fought-for rightsTo build a […]
Posted inFiction
Works in Progress
The cryptozoologist By Tom MercerCarbondalian at heart James Perkins had always been fascinated by the incredible diversity of life forms on Earth. He had studied birds, insects, mammals and the countless forms of sea life for years. Although he lacked a formal education in biology, he pursued his interest with total commitment. He was always […]
Posted inFiction
Works in Progress
A high-stakes scavenger huntBy Tom MercerCarbondale-ish Long ago, it was not uncommon for children to participate in a scavenger hunt. For our purposes, a scavenger hunt is a competitive activity wherein two or more teams are given identical lists of items which they have to locate and acquire by going door-to-door in their community. At […]
Posted inFiction
Works in Progress – December 25, 2024
Baa Baa “Sangfwa” By Deborah Holt WilliamsGlenwood Spring The brave border collie was all in a lather.He circled the sheep and insisted they gather.The collie smelled wolf! He went through his paces.The wolf crept in view, and his fangs gleamed with …BRACES?His wolf teeth were covered in silvery wire.His mouth was too sore for his […]
Posted inFiction
Works in Progress
Artificial Inteligence By Tom MercerCarbondale-ish Eddy Martin was about as happy as he could be. The reason? Eddy had just hooked up with the very latest version of Domestic Artificial Intelligence (AI-16) . He had registered for domestic AI three months earlier, but the provider was swamped with new subscribers which made the wait inevitable. […]
Posted inFiction
Works in Progress
The Music in Our Lives By Tom MercerCarbondale-ish My first exposure to music occurred when I was four or five years old. I lived on the banks of the Illinois River in Rome, Illinois. There was only one store in Rome. That store was where my mother would occasionally buy 45 rpm children’s records for […]
Posted inFiction
Works in Progress
Eagle Dreams By Delia Malone I wait and as I wait, I dream Of those days when my chosen one and I would dance in the sky Soaring to the heavens, tumbling to earth. For twenty years we danced to the song of life. Our bond growing stronger with each brood of eaglets that we […]
Posted inNews
‘Avalanche Dreams, A Memoir of Skiing, Climbing, and Life’ by Louis Dawson
Louis “Lou” Dawson describes “Avalanche Dreams” as “a work of creative nonfiction” and he advises the reader that “while autobiographical in nature,” the book is “an approximation of the author’s lived experience.” The author, well known to most alpine and sport climbers, has changed some names in his book to protect people’s privacy. He notes […]