I'm taping this to my mirror, as a reminder of the imperative::
2023_0205: I wish I could wax to my full glow on such a consistent schedule
**
Also, I'm glad to see your mention of the redwing blackbirds. My neighbors seem to feel they are here too early (not so! They love cattails and corn field stubble emerging from the snow!) Their buzzy chirp reassures me astronomical spring is on its way.
The audio version really works. The crackling of the fire is lovely. 🔥 (I don't try hard enough not to be pissed off at all the people who don't pick up their dog leavings, but maybe it's they who don't try hard enough.)
During my adolescence I shared a contentious relationship with my step-father. One evening my fearless Dachshund companion Schatzi targeted one of his shoes and proceeded to download. I can’t express to you how satisfying that was to a teenager who felt powerless. Luckily, for The Schatz, he was my mother’s darling(the dog, that is) and thus was able to emerge from the experience sans retribution. Thanks for sparking that memory.
I love your descriptions of the night sky. February can be a magical month.
It often takes me a while to respond to your posts, and I think it's because I find the power of how you use a specific moment or example to tell a larger truth to be almost overwhelming sometimes. I love how you do it not only in the individual sentences but also in the month as a whole, selecting profound moments and mundane ones, ones in nature and very human ones, so that we get a sense of how worthwhile all of life can be. Maybe even the sweet cookies aren't too sweet after all.
Also, I loved hearing your read them! It was a little confusing because they sounded like paragraphs, but they weren’t, so I ended up reading along with them so I would know as you were switching from day to day.
I always love your sentences! Several of these made me laugh to which was awesome. And I love love love this one:”I wish I could wax to my full glow on such a consistent schedule.”
"I will never not enjoy spontaneous winter “How are the roads?” conversations initiated by strangers."
Oh this made me smile! In my memory, the camaraderie that made the long MN winters bearable was built on these conversations. Thanks for reminding me of the ease and warmth of those random conversations.
Had to find out what a sucker fish is. Catfish would taste good right now. Your words have power, both in print and in your spoken voice. Like song lyrics that can stand alone and also be sung.
"A shimmering blanket of stars waits patiently for Nookomis to join them."
Sobered by the thought of the cobalt mines. Batteries at such a horrific cost.
"Hiking in less than optimal weather conditions leads to that elusive more wonderful than usual experience."
In awe of Cheetos' art work.
Grateful that you share your life in this wholehearted way.
I love these lines. I especially enjoyed hearing you read them. It was soothing, distracting, and heartwarming. “Carefully-rowed shit poplars” is my favorite.
I'm taping this to my mirror, as a reminder of the imperative::
2023_0205: I wish I could wax to my full glow on such a consistent schedule
**
Also, I'm glad to see your mention of the redwing blackbirds. My neighbors seem to feel they are here too early (not so! They love cattails and corn field stubble emerging from the snow!) Their buzzy chirp reassures me astronomical spring is on its way.
The audio version really works. The crackling of the fire is lovely. 🔥 (I don't try hard enough not to be pissed off at all the people who don't pick up their dog leavings, but maybe it's they who don't try hard enough.)
Hi Chris,
During my adolescence I shared a contentious relationship with my step-father. One evening my fearless Dachshund companion Schatzi targeted one of his shoes and proceeded to download. I can’t express to you how satisfying that was to a teenager who felt powerless. Luckily, for The Schatz, he was my mother’s darling(the dog, that is) and thus was able to emerge from the experience sans retribution. Thanks for sparking that memory.
I love your descriptions of the night sky. February can be a magical month.
Thanks as always for sharing your brilliance.
Sincerely,
Melissa
Listening to the audio after reading was great and interesting. I’d definitely appreciate hearing a reading again if you’re so moved.
Cheers,
-Nigel
Envious of the sound of the fire, the redwing blackbirds. And so enjoy Cheeto's droll disdain for Bucky's favorite toy. Loved hearing and reading.
I experimented with audio recently too - a fun addition!
my favorites are:
There are moments in this world so beautiful they hardly seem real.
Is it possible for a cookie to be TOO sweet? he wonders, taking another bite for research purposes.
I really enjoyed the audio! Yes to more of this, please. The crackling fire is perfect.
Listening to you felt like quite an extravagant luxury. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
I’ll tag you on Instagram on my favorite winter track so far.
Never mind, I see you’ve left.
It often takes me a while to respond to your posts, and I think it's because I find the power of how you use a specific moment or example to tell a larger truth to be almost overwhelming sometimes. I love how you do it not only in the individual sentences but also in the month as a whole, selecting profound moments and mundane ones, ones in nature and very human ones, so that we get a sense of how worthwhile all of life can be. Maybe even the sweet cookies aren't too sweet after all.
Also, I loved hearing your read them! It was a little confusing because they sounded like paragraphs, but they weren’t, so I ended up reading along with them so I would know as you were switching from day to day.
I always love your sentences! Several of these made me laugh to which was awesome. And I love love love this one:”I wish I could wax to my full glow on such a consistent schedule.”
Listening to your reading brought back my enthusiasm as well as with the early evening sunlight in a little patch of clear sky.
"I will never not enjoy spontaneous winter “How are the roads?” conversations initiated by strangers."
Oh this made me smile! In my memory, the camaraderie that made the long MN winters bearable was built on these conversations. Thanks for reminding me of the ease and warmth of those random conversations.
Had to find out what a sucker fish is. Catfish would taste good right now. Your words have power, both in print and in your spoken voice. Like song lyrics that can stand alone and also be sung.
"A shimmering blanket of stars waits patiently for Nookomis to join them."
Sobered by the thought of the cobalt mines. Batteries at such a horrific cost.
"Hiking in less than optimal weather conditions leads to that elusive more wonderful than usual experience."
In awe of Cheetos' art work.
Grateful that you share your life in this wholehearted way.
I love these lines. I especially enjoyed hearing you read them. It was soothing, distracting, and heartwarming. “Carefully-rowed shit poplars” is my favorite.
That photo and the dog who took such a well-placed poop? Work of art. Talk about a picture being worth a thousand words.