Love the Budbill! Though when he says “no one,”I want to say, “But Bud Bill, I was out with the clouds and gulls and crows today, and the wind was bringing in a storm, and the mallards settled in with teal and gadwalls, and the dark sifted in, and kids were getting in their last swings on the sets. We cared about the coming of night and rain. At least that.” Awesome, all your touring. Being heard. Being read.
Stoked for Native American Resistance for Everyone. Anna and I struck up an email convo awhile back trying to figure out where we English teachers had crossed paths before, figuring likely through common friends which work through IEFA. The first class last year was great. What an excellent vehicle of support. Highly recommend.
RE: your footnote about western infatuation (my word) w/ eastern belief systems - there’s something going on there. In a recent discussion with an Episcopal priest who was/is super well read into Buddhism in particular, he suggested that a) to folks in the geographical and cultural context of Buddhism, it has some similar baggage as colonial Christianity in some of its past abuses. And b) perhaps to someone who is aware of western Xianity’s baggage/crimes/abuses, both ancient and modern, not being aware of some of Buddhism’s more difficult historical and cultural contexts might make it seem kind of pristine.
Imagine reading the gospels, especially the Sermon on the Mount and not knowing about the crusades, inquisition, multiple schisms, individual abuses of youth, et cetera…
Maybe the attraction is something like that - looking for unsullied faith expressions.
Your point about the abundant belief systems of note right here on Turtle Island - I’m hearing that. From my own cultural contexts, I’ve always been attracted to learning about pre Xian British/Celtic/non-Roman thinking and literature. It still lives in European culture - the Green Man in cathedral architecture for example.
I think it would be really interesting to see how that works on Turtle Island. Reservation Dogs addresses this variously with great humor, I think.
Maybe an IPFEST round table? Discussions of indigenous spiritual survivance and influence on modern beliefs.
Oh man there is so much I love about this - your writing and your living and your mind. You know how I love Basho and the wandering poets, and I was D. Budblll’s editor for Judevine long ago. Miss him.
Oh I hope hope hope that someone will make a recording of your conversation tonight with Todd Goddard on Jim Harrison! And that you will include a link to it in future musings on Irritable Metis.
I so enjoy your musings and the comment community as well! I thought I heard a robin in Mizzoo a couple days ago. Hope they stay safe. To the returning/deepening of the light.... in more ways than one. Cheers.
You're sitting outside in your soft jammies and snowboots too!!! I have not been reading - just doing, writing, bitching, trying to fight back, trying not to carry the weight of the world, rather just my share. Hopefully see you in Billings sometime. I'd love to see your band but long drives are harder these days. Trying to raise money to go down the Yukon with Freeflow rn - thanks to you I've had a couple of really fun adventures with them. Rambling old lady here! Haha Keep doing good stuff - sometimes it's all we can do.
I've been "living at a slower pace" since moving to Missoula in 1976. Now I'm a geezer living in Seattle, "the next to the last corral." Last week, a few people responded when I quoted lyrics from Bruce Cockburn's "Lovers in a Dangerous Time." /// "...one day you're waiting for the sky to fall, the next you're dazzled by the beauty of it all..."
Thanks for this: “And what I felt was a growing distance from the actual writing part of being a writer because it takes a lot of time and energy affording to be one.” And everything else.
Just yesterday out hiking my friend and I came across a very recent cougar track. What a thrill. We followed it for quite a distance, we saw where he crossed a tree lying across the trail. I could imagine him sauntering along, king of his domain. Sometimes being outdoors is everything.
I'm grateful to be re-entering the fray with Master La Tray. I've been "holed-up" hermiteering for a while and it's so good to resurface and see all that's happened for you brother. Re: this post in particular, I'm a big Budbill (Judevine Mountain) fan. A modern-day Wayfarer extraordinaire. Miigwetch!
Your Substack always comes at the right time for me. Thank you. After scrolling through and reading so many "soulless distractors" in the news, I read your wonderful Substack today and was reminded to take more time to pay attention to the good, the wonder, the love, and yes, try to live a beautiful life. Thanks for the interview link with David Budbill and for adding to my endless reading list.
I identify with your words," Journeying, I've grown much more familiar with the lay of the land across a much vaster distance than at any point in my life, and that is something I genuinely love."
For 2026, I committed to a year-long writing project based on Janisse Ray's book, Journey in Place, which I dedicate to my 18-month-old granddaughter, Hadley.
Love the Budbill! Though when he says “no one,”I want to say, “But Bud Bill, I was out with the clouds and gulls and crows today, and the wind was bringing in a storm, and the mallards settled in with teal and gadwalls, and the dark sifted in, and kids were getting in their last swings on the sets. We cared about the coming of night and rain. At least that.” Awesome, all your touring. Being heard. Being read.
I think Budbill was possibly even crabbier than I am. 😂
Ha ha! But lots to be crabby about. Totally empathize!
Have to say: the porch photo, really rockin' the "old man pants" there!
They're from LL Bean so of course they're old man pants! 😂
Stoked for Native American Resistance for Everyone. Anna and I struck up an email convo awhile back trying to figure out where we English teachers had crossed paths before, figuring likely through common friends which work through IEFA. The first class last year was great. What an excellent vehicle of support. Highly recommend.
RE: your footnote about western infatuation (my word) w/ eastern belief systems - there’s something going on there. In a recent discussion with an Episcopal priest who was/is super well read into Buddhism in particular, he suggested that a) to folks in the geographical and cultural context of Buddhism, it has some similar baggage as colonial Christianity in some of its past abuses. And b) perhaps to someone who is aware of western Xianity’s baggage/crimes/abuses, both ancient and modern, not being aware of some of Buddhism’s more difficult historical and cultural contexts might make it seem kind of pristine.
Imagine reading the gospels, especially the Sermon on the Mount and not knowing about the crusades, inquisition, multiple schisms, individual abuses of youth, et cetera…
Maybe the attraction is something like that - looking for unsullied faith expressions.
Your point about the abundant belief systems of note right here on Turtle Island - I’m hearing that. From my own cultural contexts, I’ve always been attracted to learning about pre Xian British/Celtic/non-Roman thinking and literature. It still lives in European culture - the Green Man in cathedral architecture for example.
I think it would be really interesting to see how that works on Turtle Island. Reservation Dogs addresses this variously with great humor, I think.
Maybe an IPFEST round table? Discussions of indigenous spiritual survivance and influence on modern beliefs.
Sorry - that was long-winded, but your missive got me thinking. Thanks for that. -N
The thing is, I can't bring myself to even imagine reading the gospels. 😂
Fair.
Oh man there is so much I love about this - your writing and your living and your mind. You know how I love Basho and the wandering poets, and I was D. Budblll’s editor for Judevine long ago. Miss him.
What a lovely and delightfully small world it is, isn't it?
Oh I hope hope hope that someone will make a recording of your conversation tonight with Todd Goddard on Jim Harrison! And that you will include a link to it in future musings on Irritable Metis.
Thank you! Thank you.
No recordings were made but it was a wonderful evening with a solid gathering of Bitterrooters.
I so enjoy your musings and the comment community as well! I thought I heard a robin in Mizzoo a couple days ago. Hope they stay safe. To the returning/deepening of the light.... in more ways than one. Cheers.
In my experience, Zen is often used as anger management by bald little white guys who learned they can't fight.
😂
Thanks for the link to the interview.
💚
You're sitting outside in your soft jammies and snowboots too!!! I have not been reading - just doing, writing, bitching, trying to fight back, trying not to carry the weight of the world, rather just my share. Hopefully see you in Billings sometime. I'd love to see your band but long drives are harder these days. Trying to raise money to go down the Yukon with Freeflow rn - thanks to you I've had a couple of really fun adventures with them. Rambling old lady here! Haha Keep doing good stuff - sometimes it's all we can do.
I'm going to be in Billings for a whole week in March as a guest of MSU Billings.
Maybe we can have coffee or a beer when you're in town - lmk if you're not too busy
Or a cheeseburger! 😂
Even better! With fries!
Needed this. Thank you.
💚
What a read that would be- Traveling Monks and Poets- journeys along the 20th c Mississippi Blues Trail and 16th century (?) Japan.
🤔
I've been "living at a slower pace" since moving to Missoula in 1976. Now I'm a geezer living in Seattle, "the next to the last corral." Last week, a few people responded when I quoted lyrics from Bruce Cockburn's "Lovers in a Dangerous Time." /// "...one day you're waiting for the sky to fall, the next you're dazzled by the beauty of it all..."
Thanks for this: “And what I felt was a growing distance from the actual writing part of being a writer because it takes a lot of time and energy affording to be one.” And everything else.
Just yesterday out hiking my friend and I came across a very recent cougar track. What a thrill. We followed it for quite a distance, we saw where he crossed a tree lying across the trail. I could imagine him sauntering along, king of his domain. Sometimes being outdoors is everything.
I'm grateful to be re-entering the fray with Master La Tray. I've been "holed-up" hermiteering for a while and it's so good to resurface and see all that's happened for you brother. Re: this post in particular, I'm a big Budbill (Judevine Mountain) fan. A modern-day Wayfarer extraordinaire. Miigwetch!
Your Substack always comes at the right time for me. Thank you. After scrolling through and reading so many "soulless distractors" in the news, I read your wonderful Substack today and was reminded to take more time to pay attention to the good, the wonder, the love, and yes, try to live a beautiful life. Thanks for the interview link with David Budbill and for adding to my endless reading list.
I identify with your words," Journeying, I've grown much more familiar with the lay of the land across a much vaster distance than at any point in my life, and that is something I genuinely love."
For 2026, I committed to a year-long writing project based on Janisse Ray's book, Journey in Place, which I dedicate to my 18-month-old granddaughter, Hadley.