Radio address for March 31, 2012, in which city hall springs to life in a flurry of self-cancelling paperwork, and we listen to the north shore of Lake Superior call us while we brew tea on the porch.

The poem is Fishes’ Heaven by Rupert Brooke — read from p. 296 of An Anthology of Verse, Toronto Oxford University Press.

Music cues are Fishing Hole (theme to the Andy Griffith show) combined with Hope Fails from The Return of the King; Water Course B by Richard Harvey; and Corinna, Corinna by Leo Kottke.

After the sudden and early thaw, thoughts turn to yard maintenance, which does not necessarily include scouring away every trace of unnatural untidiness.

Radio address for Feb 21, 2012, which you will have to listen to for yourself. Mention is made of a hunting season in Minnesota for the wolves coming off the endangered species list, which is actually true.

Music cues are Rickover’s Dream by Michael Hedges, and January Hymn by the Decemberists.

An afternoon spent in the basement, a morning spent in the Basilica.

Music cues are, in order: O Quam Gloriosum Est Regnum by Victoria, and Here Comes The Sun covered by Yo Yo Ma and James Taylor.

Why were the Dark Ages called the Dark Ages? You might say it was because people were ignorant about a lot of important things; but people today are ignorant about a lot of important things as well. Maybe it is more likely it was dark because everyone was suddenly more isolated.

Music cues are, in order: Two Studies on Ancient Greek Scales by Partch, Virudent Omnes by Perotin, and Farwell My Good — Forever by Tye, from the album Early Music by the Kronos Quartet.