09/27/2026
I haven’t spoken to him in a couple of years, but I can still hear his voice. We were good friends in high school, when the days were longer and easier and the load of life was lighter and less busy. He was a man’s man, even then, with a love for hunting and fishing and being outdoors. Funny, smart, easy to talk to, his life reflected his love for his family and his genuine concern for the people around him. When I learned of his passing, I asked his mother if I could make his casket cover- one last gift for my old friend. I wanted to tell a little bit of his story with the things of the wild places he loved so much: sea oats, mistflower, and seaside goldenrod from the island; wild passionvine, palm, brasil, and fiddlewood from the arroyo thicket; mesquite, ebony, and cenizo from the ranchlands and their thornscrub. They’re all souvenirs of this place, of his home, where he spent so many of his best and happiest days. I got to be a tiny part of some of those days, and for that I am grateful. Those lighthearted times with friends were a gift, and so was he.
See you later, Andy. 🤍