Category: personal

Memorial Day 2026

Last month, we were in Bastogne which is located in the Belgian Ardennes. Allen troops fought the Battle of the Bulge in this area. 19,000 dead. Maybe 100,000 casualties, including 20,000 missing. Hard to imaging.

Yesterday I went to our local military cemetery. Lots of dead buried there. Didn’t know any of them or their families who wept near the graves. I wept, too.

My father served in New Guinea in WWII, rising to the rank of Major. The war killed him indirectly. He came back broken. People said he wasn’t the same as when he left. Let’s not do this to others. PEACE.

DUCK Today – May 13, 2026

So, went to see primary doc, today. He said, “…, good health. See you in November.” Three weeks ago, saw cancer doc. He said, “…, perfect blood for a person with your kind of  cancer. See you in three months.” Not cancer free. Not feeling like I was a young man, but not feeling as bad as I did when I was not feeling good. That was bad.

Duck’s Still Alert

So, I crashed after a walk with my friend Art. I don’t have many friends, least of all ones I want to take a walk with. He left me, cold, after telling me he was off to his doctor to find out about his blood test, one to determine the extent of his dementia. I cried, inside. All I have is CLL. Still have my mind. And he has so much to offer and remember.

So, I went to Bednar’s. Took a self-portrait. Bought some veggies and wine. Thought about I had a friend who wouldn’t be around for long.

Cora Duckman and Little Lorry

So, I finished mourning my Mother’s death, 30 years ago, almost to the day. She died right after I was charged and way before I was convicted (that was still 30 tortuous months off). Still not sure how it happened though she told me she heard Governor Pataki railing at me. The next I knew, she had a heart attack and died, leaving me motherless and family less.

I will always blame Pataki and his Court of selfish fools, along with all of you who ruined my life and my career. I read the words you wrote and saw your faces as you testified against me, made fun of me, humiliated me, denigrated me, banished me and convicted me. I never recovered.

We should never hate even those we don’t get along with or understand. And we should not jail or kill those who love freedom and justice, especially the ones without the power or money to defend themselves.

I light a candle for her.

Peter Hurley Shoots The Duck

So, I attended a Headshot Intensive Workshop orchestrated by Peter Hurley. Worked my ass off, as did all the others. Two days of lectures, shoots, looking, learning and reflecting.

I was the only attendee who shared prints. Most just showed on the back of their phones. I wish everyone printed. Photos are a truer version of the art of photography. They feel better in your hand. Don’t get lost on the phone. Become more special when framed and hung. And you can get nearer or farther away, feeling the warmth and meaning of

Ikebana at Morikami

Well, I started an Ikebana course at Morikami. This is my first creation. I didn’t do it all by myself. Instructor helped, showing me the form and beginning the message of the medium.

The 7 core principles of Ikebana (Japanese flower arranging) are Silence, Minimalism, Shape & Line, Form, Humanity, Aesthetics, and Structure, emphasizing conscious restraint, natural beauty, and a connection between the creator, materials, and space, often using a symbolic scalene triangle for Heaven, Earth, and Man. Perfect practice for my addled state of mind.