Tom Ryan
@tom-sam-emi.bsky.social
TomRyan.Substack.com, NYTimes Bestseller, Following Atticus, Dogs, Hiker, WFPB Vegan, Heart Failure, Stroke, Kidney Failure Survivor
Plotting our next National Park coast-to-coast road trip, but since it won’t come until June, I would expect there might be one or two shorter adventures along the East Coast this winter.
October 24, 2025 at 2:25 AM
Plotting our next National Park coast-to-coast road trip, but since it won’t come until June, I would expect there might be one or two shorter adventures along the East Coast this winter.
“And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.”
🍁 Khalil Gibran
🍁 Khalil Gibran
October 19, 2025 at 7:31 PM
“And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.”
🍁 Khalil Gibran
🍁 Khalil Gibran
Same! In my daily correspondence I try to match old stamps to the person I’m writing, or the subject of the letter. A month ago we took a small New England roadtrip to visit the graves, homes, and historical markers associated with these authors and artist. This was sent to a friend….
October 19, 2025 at 4:06 AM
Same! In my daily correspondence I try to match old stamps to the person I’m writing, or the subject of the letter. A month ago we took a small New England roadtrip to visit the graves, homes, and historical markers associated with these authors and artist. This was sent to a friend….
Nauset Light, Eastham, Cape Cod. This will be our new neighborhood, beginning December 1.
October 18, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Nauset Light, Eastham, Cape Cod. This will be our new neighborhood, beginning December 1.
Thank you, Matthew. When the dogs and I set off from NH every winter, we often stop in DC and stay half a mile from the Lincoln Memorial. We get up at 3:30 am for a leashless 6-mile trek among the greats. Here is Eleanor at 4:30 am.
October 11, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Thank you, Matthew. When the dogs and I set off from NH every winter, we often stop in DC and stay half a mile from the Lincoln Memorial. We get up at 3:30 am for a leashless 6-mile trek among the greats. Here is Eleanor at 4:30 am.
Safe travels and joyous October views to you, Matthew. Our long summer drought has made for a less-than-stellar New Hampshire fall bloom. Nevertheless autumn stuns—even in an off year.
October 1, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Safe travels and joyous October views to you, Matthew. Our long summer drought has made for a less-than-stellar New Hampshire fall bloom. Nevertheless autumn stuns—even in an off year.
First week of autumn in NH’s White Mountains.
September 28, 2025 at 3:02 AM
First week of autumn in NH’s White Mountains.
Good morning, Matthew. A gift of thanks to you: these are photos from our stop in Faulkner's Oxford last December.
September 25, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Good morning, Matthew. A gift of thanks to you: these are photos from our stop in Faulkner's Oxford last December.
Thank you, Matthew. It does not get any better than the divine Mary Oliver.
September 10, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Thank you, Matthew. It does not get any better than the divine Mary Oliver.
When your hotel not only welcomes dogs—at no extra fee—but also is a Lord of the Rings fan!
September 6, 2025 at 12:35 AM
When your hotel not only welcomes dogs—at no extra fee—but also is a Lord of the Rings fan!
Matthew, I was thinking about e.e. cummings today. We had to drive from our home in the White Mountains (NH) down to Massachusetts, and on the way, Samwise and Emily (my dogs) and I stopped by his Joy Farm. Did you know he was also an accomplished artist? He painted Mt. Chocorua hundreds of times.
September 3, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Matthew, I was thinking about e.e. cummings today. We had to drive from our home in the White Mountains (NH) down to Massachusetts, and on the way, Samwise and Emily (my dogs) and I stopped by his Joy Farm. Did you know he was also an accomplished artist? He painted Mt. Chocorua hundreds of times.
Matthew, Dorothy’s final resting place. After some shifting around, she is home. Woodlawn Cemetery, the Bronx.
August 22, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Matthew, Dorothy’s final resting place. After some shifting around, she is home. Woodlawn Cemetery, the Bronx.
Thanks, Matthew. Ogden was the master of wordplay. I stocked up on these and my witty correspondents can expect to receive an envelope sealed with it (along with other stamps to make up the 78 cents).
August 19, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Thanks, Matthew. Ogden was the master of wordplay. I stocked up on these and my witty correspondents can expect to receive an envelope sealed with it (along with other stamps to make up the 78 cents).
Good morning, Matthew. Henry at his cabin next to Walden Pond. It’s now a crazy busy area, but the essence remains.
“Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify.”
~ Henry David Thoreau,
“Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify.”
~ Henry David Thoreau,
August 9, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Good morning, Matthew. Henry at his cabin next to Walden Pond. It’s now a crazy busy area, but the essence remains.
“Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify.”
~ Henry David Thoreau,
“Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify.”
~ Henry David Thoreau,
The news is bleak, but this forest encounter today was brilliant.
August 1, 2025 at 7:06 PM
The news is bleak, but this forest encounter today was brilliant.
Ah, Tolkien! Matthew, we must be related. Nearly every writer and historical individual you post strikes a chord. This is Samwise, age 9. He’s named after ‘you know who’ from the LOTR—and just as loyal and true.
July 29, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Ah, Tolkien! Matthew, we must be related. Nearly every writer and historical individual you post strikes a chord. This is Samwise, age 9. He’s named after ‘you know who’ from the LOTR—and just as loyal and true.
Love to see any glimmer of light in the recent absurd darkness. These came in last week. Anything to remember the indefatigable Harriet Tubman.
July 25, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Love to see any glimmer of light in the recent absurd darkness. These came in last week. Anything to remember the indefatigable Harriet Tubman.
I knew you’d remember Emmett today. Thank you for that. @matthewjdowd.bsky.social the most heartbreaking & profound day of our 5 months on the road this winter was following the Emmett Till Trail in the bayou.
July 25, 2025 at 1:54 PM
I knew you’d remember Emmett today. Thank you for that. @matthewjdowd.bsky.social the most heartbreaking & profound day of our 5 months on the road this winter was following the Emmett Till Trail in the bayou.
Thank you for all of this. In our winter spring road trip earlier this year, we spent a day on the heartbreaking “Till Trail.” Our three days in Mississippi were the most transformative of the 5 months on the road. Emmett’s piece will come on Monday, while we concentrate on Faulkner tomorrow.
July 25, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Thank you for all of this. In our winter spring road trip earlier this year, we spent a day on the heartbreaking “Till Trail.” Our three days in Mississippi were the most transformative of the 5 months on the road. Emmett’s piece will come on Monday, while we concentrate on Faulkner tomorrow.
Even after the Pacers’ playoff run, I enjoy your posts. They were a bonus for this newer student of historical markers (and literary graves)!
July 21, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Even after the Pacers’ playoff run, I enjoy your posts. They were a bonus for this newer student of historical markers (and literary graves)!
“The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places.” ~ Hemingway
From our 20,000-mile-long literary road trip this winter. A visit to Hemingway’s Key West writing room, and spending time with the 6-toed cats descended from Papa’s cats.
From our 20,000-mile-long literary road trip this winter. A visit to Hemingway’s Key West writing room, and spending time with the 6-toed cats descended from Papa’s cats.
July 21, 2025 at 12:15 PM
“The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places.” ~ Hemingway
From our 20,000-mile-long literary road trip this winter. A visit to Hemingway’s Key West writing room, and spending time with the 6-toed cats descended from Papa’s cats.
From our 20,000-mile-long literary road trip this winter. A visit to Hemingway’s Key West writing room, and spending time with the 6-toed cats descended from Papa’s cats.
“Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring—it was peace.” ~ Milan Kundera
July 11, 2025 at 1:18 PM
“Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring—it was peace.” ~ Milan Kundera
Matthew, these birthday posts are a bit of light to begin each darkening day. Thanks for the glimmer. A few years ago we made a pilgrimage over to Maine to pay our respects to E.B. White.
July 11, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Matthew, these birthday posts are a bit of light to begin each darkening day. Thanks for the glimmer. A few years ago we made a pilgrimage over to Maine to pay our respects to E.B. White.