Some years ago, when I was spending a lot of time on Usenet on a group called alt.usage.spanish, I signed myself Greybeard and closed with the phrase, "Desde la tierra de las carretas negras". In English, this is "From the country of the black buggies"; it was (and remains) a reference to the area of my upbringing -- Holmes County, Ohio, the home of the largest colony of Amish and Mennonite people in the U.S.

The Amish are known for using horse-drawn buggies for transportation. They are invariably black. Often, they comply with law in Ohio for slow-moving vehicles and bear a red reflective triangle on the back, to warn traffic behind them to slow down. Sometimes, when operated by very conservative Amish, they don't. More liberal and safety-minded buggy drivers accessorize their buggies with reflective tape (often black, but surprisingly effective), red reflectors, battery-operated head- and tail-lights, and even roof-mounted strobe lights.

But I digress. You will find that I do that a lot.

Having lived and worked much of my life in northern California, my wife and I returned to my home country so that I am once again living in the country of the black buggies. After dithering for a long time, I am now establishing this blog, and naming it in memory of my Usenet days.

That's enough for an introduction. Later posts will elaborate my personality and opinions.

Desde la tierra de las carretas negras,
Saludos,
Greybeard (John Estill)