Talented painter

Ellen Sawitzky painted this image of poppies, laying on the paint thickly with wonderful effect.

Doug, Ethan and Julie...

get ready to chow down.

Flowers by Irene

Flowers in the state of Virginia. Get yours at: http://www.cafepress.com/virginiaflowers

Marathon Man

Paul Selsky, as all you guys must know, ran a marathon recently. This is a fantastic accomplishment. He is obviously fit as a fiddle. I engage in lifting 12 oz. weights (or pints, if they have brews on tap) and tennis, but that's about it.

Inspiration

The person who inspired me to become a journalist was Ernest Hemingway, who was a reporter and war correspondent besides being one of America's great novelists. I first read Hemingway, I guess, in high school, "The Son Also Rises," in which a foreign correspondent is one of the characters. I was in Havana in November, and stopped by one of Hemingway's old haunts, the Floridita bar. Here I am having a drink with Hem. Looks like I spilled some on my shirt, or maybe he spilled it. Hem could be a sloppy drunk sometimes.

Fotogs in the family

http://www.geocities.com/zoeselsky/index.html

Marine in Iraq

Colby Parker, the husband of Stephanie Parker, my niece, is headed to Iraq.

We pray for his safe return. Colby's unit is described here: http://www.2maw.usmc.mil/familyreadiness/2dLAADbnkvn.asp

Russian family roots

Our family has roots all the way to Russia. To look at the stories of some of our forefathers (and foremothers), go here:
http://www.geocities.com/aceserve2001/fromrussia.html

Guantanamo

I spent a lot of last year reporting on Guantanamo Bay and the detainees held there.

Here are two of the stories.

After Guantanamo: http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2006-12-15-gitmo-freed_x.htm

Hostility: http://www.mediaisland.org/print.php?sid=1300