Author Archives: eskildoodle1

Fifteen years ago we were in Kauai’i celebrating anniversaries. Not far from our lodging was the trailhead to the Nounou Mountain (aka Sleeping Giant) path. Round trip was a 3.5 miles with a 948 foot elevation change through rugged jungle terrain. The final pitch was very steep, requiring careful steps to avoid a nasty tumbleContinue reading “Still Want to Walk A Mile In My Shoes?”

I believe this photo was taken in the 1930’s near Lexington, Nebraska. It is an Arrow Sport biplane made in Nebraska in the 1920’s and 1030’s and had a 60 horsepower LeBlond engine. The cockpit seated two side-by-side and with such low power, dad described it as a “ground lover.” He avoid flying it withContinue reading “The Old Aviator”

Phishie came into my life about 20 years ago as the prize in a drawing from a local boating magazine. I had it for two years and rowed over 500 miles on the Columbia and the Snake Rivers in it during that time. Unfortunately, I had to sell it for our move to Florida, butContinue reading “Phishie”

This photo was taken on a hike on the Alaka’i Swamp Trail on Kaua’i. Clouds and mist dampened the skies and sweat drenched our clothes, but we continued on. About three miles into the hike we chanced across this tree that appeared as if it were dead, but then the mist begrudgingly revealed its growingContinue reading “Tree In the Mist”

Happy Veterans Day. The photos above are of Howard Reynolds PhD (my uncle) on the right and Howard Eskildsen M.D. (me) on the left. My uncle liked to refer to us as “the two doctor Howards.” I served in the army from 1979 to 1982 in Fort Sill, Ok. My only deployment was to FortContinue reading “Two Veterans”

The past weekend was spent in Saint Petersburg Beach, Florida, attending “TBUG,” which stands for Tampa Bay Ukulele Getaway. It was lots of fun with a bunch of old pluckers, and some young ones struming up a storm and feeding their inner “ukulele bug.” The photo above shows another sort of “ukulele bug.” The littleContinue reading “Ukulele Bug”

If there ever was just one dog of my life, it was Toubo, a white German Shepard. He was named after Toubo Smith of the TV series, “Soldiers of Fortune,” which ran from 1955 through 1956. I can just barely remember the show, but our family loved it and when this squirming white pup cameContinue reading “Toubo and His Boy”

We have heard good news, Grand Cayman will be opening later this month. We hope to finally be able to see our friends there again. It’s been over a year and a half that a raging viral storm has battered the shores of our lives and kept us separated. Like this old Cayman anchor thatContinue reading “The Anchor”

Well, the seventh grade embarrassment lasted about as long as the morning dew, and then it was off to bigger and better things. Besides, I had learned an important lesson in learning by screwing up. It is a skill that I have honed to perfection over the decades. I never quit the microscope and pazootas,Continue reading “Pazoota Epilogue”

In elementary school I was a bit of a quandary to some of my country school teachers. “Howard could be a straight A student if he would just apply himself.” one report card stated. Well, I did apply myself to lots of things but they were mostly other than classwork. Somewhere along the way IContinue reading “Once Upon a Pazoota”