Watermark

Frost

Scattered Thoughts

I had a lovely old-woman weekend. I walked with the dogs in the snow; watched Shrek 2 on television, with many out-loud laughs; then As Time Goes By Reunion on PBS -- more subtle but just as fun. I never imagined a life in which television would be a welcome diversion.

The Republican congressman who resigned this week after confessing to evading taxes and soliciting and accepting bribes, said he learned in Vietnam that 'The true measure of a man is how he responds to adversity.' As I watch developments in Washington, with the CIA leak investigation, the Abramoff probes, Delay and Frist and on and on, I begin to suspect that the true measure of a person is how s/he responds to the acquisition of power.

Yesterday I set my coffee mug down, as I always do, on the table next to me -- except that I didn't. I released it too soon, and down it went on the wood floor. Often this clumsiness early in the day augurs ill, but not this time. The day passed well, and brought a friend with a homemade meal: chicken, salad, pasta, and pumpkin pie!

This morning, real snow, the kind that sticks and hides icy patches. A neighbor has already taken a fall. The dogs happily shovel their noses through it. A friend and her grandson come around the corner, holding hands; she elegant even in this weather, and he with that stiff-legged child-in-winter-clothing waddle. And a many-colored hat with a ball on top.

I dream that I am oddly blind -- if light is too intense, or too weak, I cannot see. I am driving, and as I pass through areas of changing light, I no longer see my way. I clench the steering wheel in terror. Then the light settles again, I can see, I am safe. And again. I never have an opportunity to pull off the road. I must continue on, blind or not. Even if I can't see my way.

Morning Crow

Reading for a Cold Afternoon

A review of Erin Noteboom's Seal up the Thunder, at prairiefire. Not as good as reading the book, which is a marvelous gift, but still:

Petition, dramatic monologue, Psalm, sonnet, call and response, riddle, gloss, free verse, and benediction--Erin Noteboom plunders biblical and modern lyrical styles for this original, joyous book. By turns mournful, oracular, incantatory, and funny, she is never smug or preachy. Rather, Seal up the Thunder is remarkable poetry on scripture, which recalls the sinuous, odd lyrics of Pier Giorgio Di Cicco. . .

Ron Silliman notices that most of his commenters are men, and many persons of both genders respond. I notice that I rarely comment there myself -- or on other poetics blogs. I do read them fairly often, and do some thinking about the ideas they discuss. But I find, generally, that I am less interested in poetics than in poems, and far less confident of my thinking than the men who comment.

From bhikku, 18th november 2005

Thoreau's Journal: 27-Nov-1857

Crawlspace, from Eeksy-Peeksy

This most excellent canopy, the air

I must have more energy . . .
. . . because I've washed my teapot

Aftershock

& we end, again, with Erin, because I'm in love with this piece: Manna

Oh, yes -- and a note to Sour Duck: I think that stumbling into their blogs cursing and exclaiming how well they write is a fine way to make blog buddies.

What Color is Watermark?

I suppose water would be considered blue:

Your Blog Should Be Blue

Your blog is a peaceful, calming force in the blogosphere. You tend to avoid conflict - you're more likely to share than rant. From your social causes to cute pet photos, your life is a (mostly) open book.

What Color Should Your Blog or Journal Be?

Via Body and Soul, which is also blue, but has no cute pet photos.

Friday Cat Shopping

As a highly evolved, spiritual being, Boo is supremely uninterested in Black Friday. Today I offer some kitty shopping links; here you may find something for your own divine felines.

Thanksgiving

No turkey, no horn of plenty -- all you get is this grateful little squirrel. It would be grateful, if squirrels were able to feel gratitude. I suspect it's something more like delight, or relief, or full-belly pleasure.

Here we are again, at this most American of holidays; a combination of optimism, gratitude, abundance, and hospitality. This harvest celebration, though, like most of our holidays, has changed over the years -- even in my lifetime. I remember the large extended family celebrations of my childhood, complete with the children's table. We all lived close together, and large family gatherings were not restricted to holidays -- though the good china was.

One year in college, my household had a gathering for those who weren't 'going home'. It was potluck, and it went all day. There was glorious food, great music, and a revolving crowd of good company. Dishes and flatware were washed in shifts. People laughed and danced and ate and indulged in the kind of intense, serious conversation college incites.

Another year, when I worked at a program for mentally ill adults, the staff decided to prepare and serve Thanksgiving dinner to our clients. This was entirely volunteer, and I think nearly all of us participated. It was great. A different kind of working together; a different way of being with our clients.

Both of those were closer to the original than the usual family Thanksgivings of today, with all the complex, comedic, and painful undercurrents of contemporary family life; or, for some, the power of the day to throw one's solitude into sharp relief.

The first Thanksgiving was not about family, it was about community -- and the larger community at that. Everyone would have contributed; everyone would have shared.

This is the way the feast was described in a first-hand account presumably by a leader of the colony, Edward Winslow, as it appears in Mourt's Relation:

"Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors. They four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help beside, served the company almost a week. At which time, amongst other recreations, we exercised our arms, Many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest King Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed on our governor, and upon the captain and others. And although it be not always so plentiful as it was this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty."

It seems to me also an American impulse to look away from want, and toward prosperity -- even if want is close, and prosperity far. Sadly, this evolves, in our time, into the shopping impulse, wherein we seem to be always in want, and always in pursuit of prosperity -- even if prosperity is close, and want, distant.

This year I am told that shopping has slipped into this day, itself; with some stores open all day, and many opening in the evening. I see on television people interviewed waiting in line at WalMart on Thanksgiving morning, seeking something to feel thankful for.

I know that I feel better, calmer, more serene, when I can maintain a state of gratitude; when I can welcome the kingfisher on the river in the morning with thanks for its beauty, its rippling voice. Knowing this is not always sufficient to take me there, however. Often, I need reminders.

At High Context Consulting, I am told that Citizen of the Month has suggested that bloggers celebrate Thanksgiving by thanking our first commenter. I was surprised to discover that my first commenter was onionboy, who told me:

A lovely layout.

I am busy getting some submissions off today but I have bookmarked your site and will be back to spend some time here as I think it will be worthwhile.

thrive!,
O

p.s.
I should add that I rather like "sonnet in search of a title" as the title :)

This comment, from someone I did not know; from someone whose website pleased me very much when I went to visit -- it was such a gift for a new and shaky blogger. So, O, may you, too, thrive; and may your generosity be repaid many times. I thank you.

Snapshot 23 November 02005

Night Fog

As the air becomes visible
all that we think of as real
blurs and fades, recedes
into greyness. There is only

this moment, one step
in any direction. Frost
delicate and cold on every
branch and leaf -- deathly

ornament. Morning brings
a thin and stingy snow
sifting the fog away. Three
crows fly past, calling their

rough greeting. A pale cat
slips between the iron bars
of the fence. I am surrounded
by dim mountains, like huge

sleeping beasts. Just over
that invisible horizon: December.
Winter dark. An earthworm
is frozen to stones on the path.

Montana Website Awards

The votes are in, and Wulfgar! has tabulated them. Before I get to that, though, I feel compelled to comment on an anonymous email he received, accusing him of offering this contest in order to drive traffic to his website.

I assume that this email was not sent by a Montanan. I assume this for two reasons. First, because most of us, even townies, understand the importance of community in rural areas, and appreciate the community-building efforts of our neighbors. Second, Montanans generally are quite willing to put our names to our opinions.

With that out of the way, on to the winners. I'm not going to list the Montana State sites, because even though they are useful, I find them boring. Go to A Chicken Is Not Pillage for those and for further details and notes on the polling.

Here ya go:

Left In The West & A Chicken Is Not Pillage:  Best Montana Political Websites [tie]

Left In The West:  Best Left Leaning Political Website

MTPolitics:  Best Right Leaning Political Website

Dave Budge: Best Libertarian/Constitutional/Independent Website

Tester Time:  Best Political Candidate’s Website

Karbon Kounty Moos: Best Lifestyle Website

Thoughts From The Middle of Nowhere:  Most Exemplifies a Montana Lifestyle

Watermark: Best Culture Website  Thanks to all who voted for me!

Better Living Through Blogging: Best Pop-Culture Website

City Lights: Most Web Gravitas (Best Read) Website; Best Online Media Sponsored Website [with the most votes for any candidate in any category]

New West Network: Best Website For Montana News; Most Informative Website About Montana And Montana Concerns; Best Montana Media Website; Best Online Magazine

Bitterroot and Bergamot & Thoughts From the Middle of Nowhere:  Best Websites For Montana Photos [tie]

Prairie Mary & Thoughts From the Middle of Nowhere: Best Websites For Montana Tales and Stories

A Secular Franciscan Life:  Most Humorous Montana Website [by a landslide]

The Billings Gazette: Best Online Newspaper

Prairie Mary: Most Historical Montana Website

Big Sky Blog: Best Montana Community Website

The Monkey Cage: Most Missed Montana Website Not Being Updated Or On Hiatus [and now back!]

Revolving Duck: Best Personal Montana Website

Finally, and I love this:

Spun and Spinning won BOTH Montana Survivor:  Website you’d most like to be voted off the mountains AND The Montana Website You Would Choose To Read Everyday.

And that tells you everything you need to know about Montana.

What Kind of Humanist Am I?

This makes me sound way more fun than I actually am:

Haymaker

You are one of life’s enjoyers, determined to get the most you can out of your brief spell on Earth. Probably what first attracted you to atheism was the prospect of liberation from the Ten Commandments, few of which are compatible with a life of pleasure. You play hard and work quite hard, have a strong sense of loyalty and a relaxed but consistent approach to your philosophy.

You can’t see the point of abstract principles and probably wouldn’t lay down your life for a concept though you might for a friend. Something of a champagne humanist, you admire George Bernard Shaw for his cheerful agnosticism and pursuit of sensual rewards and your Hollywood hero is Marlon Brando, who was beautiful, irascible and aimed for goodness in his own tortured way.

Sometimes you might be tempted to allow your own pleasures to take precedence over your ethics. But everyone is striving for that elusive balance between the good and the happy life. You’d probably open another bottle and say there’s no contest. What kind of humanist are you? Click here to find out.

As found at mittenartworks, Masson's Blog, and What The Hell Am I Doing Here?