Branches

by Carol3 Comments
Branches 368 words The pain was excruciating, but she wouldn't scream. The tree howled as his branches pierced her skin, his upper branches whipping as if in a windstorm, sap rolling down his trunk like teardrops, but he wouldn't stop. She had made this choice, wanted this connection and he knew that she might be the one who could restore balance. For too long, war had ravished the countryside. The new weapons could cause more damage than he had ever seen. Acres burned, fire came from above. No more was it simply arrows piercing their bark, swords slashing their branches or horses galloping over their roots. They were truly in danger now, and the humans did not seem to understand that their lives depended on the forest more than the trees had ever depended on people. The ancient tree did not care who was fighting, it made no difference. He had seen kingdoms rise and fall and human politics meant little too him,...
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Friday’s Tale: Mike Fink

by Carol1 Comment
Image Source We met Mike Fink briefly last week. He's another tall tale character, although in this case the legends are based on a real man who was born near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania around 1770 or 1780. In addition to the exaggerated and imagined feats that make up his story, it may have been woven from the stories of two or more men with the same name. Be that as it may, I read his story in American Tall Tales by Adrien Stoutenburg. The story starts with Mike Fink growing up in the woods around Pittsburgh, shooting wolves, bobcats, bugs, anything really. He was tough and bragged a lot, but always backed up his bragging with a show of his skill. He entered a shooting contest and beat out all the soldiers, hunters, Indian scouts, and boatmen, all the best shots in the country, even though he was just a child. He was too young to fight in the American Revolution, but when...
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On vacation!

by Carol6 Comments
Today we left for vacation. We're heading down to the Outer Banks, North Carolina for a week. We're staying at Carol's Castle on Hatteras Island. And look at the gorgeous view of the sound from the deck. So, when you don't see me around much this week, just know that I'm relaxing on the beach or sitting on the deck....
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Comments: Hamlet by William Shakespeare

by Carol7 Comments
I listened to Shakespeare's Hamlet performed by Oregon Shakespeare Festival. I'll grant you, it's not the same as seeing the actual play, but it's closer than just reading it would be, though I do wish I had had a print copy to refer to at times. Most of us know the basic plot line. Hamlet's father, the King of Denmark is dead. His uncle, Claudius, has taken the thrown, and the queen, and to top it off, the ghost of Hamlet's father claims that Claudius killed him. Hamlet swears to the ghost to avenge his death and suggests that he will act crazy to divert suspicion. We've also got Ophelia, who he was courting but now has more or less turned his back on. She may or may not be pregnant. So, Hamlet's going crazy or at least pretending to, and also wanting to make sure that Claudius is guilty before killing him. He ends up accidentally killing Ophelia's dad and she...
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Teaser from Breaking Up with God

by Carol9 Comments
I don't go to church, but I do go to the covered stalls of the farmers' market on Saturday mornings—wildflower honey, olive oil, butter lettuce, collard greens, arugula, Swiss chard, beets, snap peas, artichokes, fava beans, haricots verts, strawberries, peaches, oranges, orchids, ranunculus, butternut squash, avocados, heirloom tomatoes, lemons, lavender, basil, thyme—a place in which I can believe. I buy eggs from Varden, a farmer from Nipomo who wears overalls and shows me pictures of hens—my girls, he calls them—and they are not in cages. He talks about his girlfriend, lends me books about soil, makes compost tea, and asks, every week, What's for show and tell? (Tuesday Teaser from pg. 212 (ARC) of Breaking Up with God: A Love Story by Sarah Sentilles)...
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