ClimbingSky

Why Baseball, Books, and the Grateful Dead matter


  • Rosemary Timperley (1920-1988) wrote novels, screen plays, and short stories. She is probably best known for her ghost stories which are frequently anthologized. “Harry” is one of her best ghost stories. The story follows Mrs. James, who adopts a baby girl named Christine. At age five, Christine begins talking to an imaginary friend named Harry,… Read more

  • Supper was laid. He swung the curtain over the window. There was a bowl of freesias and scarlet anemones on the table. She bent to them. Still touching them with her finger-tips, she looked up at him, saying: “Aren’t they beautiful?” “Yes,” he said. “What will you drink — coffee?” “I should like it,” she… Read more

  • On my rereading of the novel Dracula this year (that I posted about yesterday) one of the details that caught my attention was that Jonathan Harker references having a Kodak. This was a detail I had not noticed before. Since I was listening to an audiobook recording of Stoker’s classic, I double-checked when I got… Read more

  • Another year and another rereading of Dracula. This year my rereading amounted to listening to an excellent, unabridged audiobook version of Stoker’s classic I had not listened to before, an 18-hour, 25-minute version of Dracula featuring Patricia Alison, Rachel Atkins, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Jason Forbes, Theo James, Harry Myers, Himish Patel, Jason Watkins, and Richard Reed.… Read more

  • “Civil disobedience becomes a sacred duty when the state becomes lawless or corrupt. ~ Mahatma Gandhi Read more

  • Throwback Thursdays” at ClimbingSky feature posts I wrote over a 15 year period for various blogs. This was first posted on October 22, 2011. When I lived in Chicago I would occasionally go to a little bar to read and study over a pint of Guinness. And to watch Cubs games in the spring and fall. One… Read more

  • During the Month of October, I will again be reviewing Gothic and Horror fiction here at ClimbingSky. I begin this month of reviews with an unexpected surprise from the “Queen of Mystery” herself, Agatha Christie. When you begin a Christie short story, you naturally expect to find yourself reading a detective mystery of some kind.… Read more

  • 2025 Baseball Diary

    It has been another great season for me watching baseball this year. Here is what 2025 looked like for me for In-Person Baseball : 2025 BASEBALL DIARY April 16th – Target Field, Minneapolis, MinnesotaMinnesota Twins 4 – 3 New York Mets (10th Inning victory) May 9th – Target Field, Minneapolis, MinnesotaMinnesota Twins 3 – 1 San… Read more

  • When they came to town, Madame went to bed for two hours. When she got up, she sent for the porter, and gave him orders not to admit any one. She did not make any toilette. She sat down to dinner, but only tasted a little soup, and went away directly. Her coffee was brought… Read more

  • A Rough Season

    Today is the final game of 2025 for my Local Nine, the Minnesota Twins. It was rough season that led to a salary dump at the trade deadline. What Went Wrong? What Went Well? What Does Next Year Promise? I for one can’t wait! Read more