Thursday, February 22, 2018

Fake News, Local Essay Ladies and Floral TBT



Last fall, I added about 150 new daffodil bulbs to add to my collection around the Lovestead.  

"This will be really neat in the spring," I thought, especially because those added the year before had already made a lovely difference in last year's early spring color show. 


I can't wait until the green grass and daffodils come to the Lovestead, but I'll have to wait because the ground where all those daffodil bulbs live is frozen, covered with a couple of feet of snow in some places and even deeper drifted snow in others. 


After seeing something on Facebook yesterday, though, I'm getting worried.  


Seems our longtime family friend Colleen already has daffodils showing up along the driveway over at her place on Rapid Lightning Road.  


I'm happy for Colleen but worried for me.  


Are my daffodils trying to push their way through that frozen ground or have they already done son, only to be hidden by all that snow?  


It's a very concerning thought because I personally think that green grass provides a much nicer, prettier contrast with daffodils than snow. 


Maybe Colleen's line of pretty yellow flowers is a special genetically modified variety with extra long stems that only comes up during the dead of the winter.  


I hope so cuz I sure don't want mine to be thinking they've gotta get up go, just yet, anyway.  


Another thought has occurred to me after going back several times to look at that picture, which I eventually I stole from Colleen's Facebook wall.  


Maybe, just maybe, that pesky Colleen is so desperate for spring she is spreading fake floral news with fake flowers.  


Heck, someone even suggested that she went down and bought those daffodils from the Dollar Store. 


I'm thinking today of driving over there where she lives and seeing them firsthand for myself. 


In the meantime, I'll devote a portion of my prayer beads to asking God if he'll please keep my daffodils nestled away in their winter beds for the next few weeks.  


Of course, most of the rosary work will be needed to ensure another ZAGS (No. 6 this week) win as they take on the up-and-coming and very tough San Diego Toreros tonight at 6 p.m. PST on ESPN2.  


We're going to need a lot of prayer beads in action twice this week, which the coaches say the San Diego game and BYU match-up Saturday will probably be the toughest part of the season. 


On another subject, I'm posting a TBT photo taken last July at the Panida Theater.  


It was a great thrill to introduce my former student and Vatican News Service Bureau Chief Cindy Wooden to esteemed and brilliant American literary giant Marilynne Robinson. 


Marilynne had come to Sandpoint, on her own nickel, to talk about the importance of public education, as part of a launch for the Reclaim Idaho movement.

Cindy was home on vacation and had come to listen to one of her literary heroes speak.  An opportunity rose that evening where the two could meet briefly. 




Well, yesterday when I read that Marilynne Robinson has just released a book of essays called What Are We Doing Here?, for the second time in about a week, my hometown pride instincts rose to the surface.  


Once again, as has happened so many times during this post-career segment of my life which allows me much more time to observe and to trumpet the achievements of others from our community, I saw a wonderful connection.

These two women, both having risen to the top in their chosen vocations, have released books of essays in the past week----collections of essays likely to be read round the world.

And, they are both from Sandpoint, Idaho!

In Cindy Wooden's case, the essays from A Pope Francis Lexicon, written by 50 plus writers, stem from words often used by the Pope.   

Bill and I have received our "His and Hers" copies of this collection, and, so far, I've read about "discernment," "judgment" and "joy."  Lots more to go, but so far, I've enjoyed the insights offered by these writers.    


Most of Marilynne Robinson's essays included speeches she has made over the past few years, leading up to the last Presidential election.  

According to what I've read in news reports, one personal essay was written specifically for the collection.  

More information in a review about this new release can be found at http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2018/2/20/what-doing-here-review/ 

Plus, for those who wish to order a copy, the book can be found on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/What-Are-We-Doing-Here/dp/0374282218/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519313881&sr=8-1&keywords=what+are+we+doing+here

In short, it's been a great week for our Sandpoint products in the literary world. 

Finally, for Colleen and for all others who are sick and tired of looking at snow, I'm posting a few Throwback Thursday photos to remind us that pretty times, they are a'coming!

Enjoy.  Happy Thursday.  GO, ZAGS!











  

1 comment:

Dom said...

I love daffodils and I hope yours will stay safe under that snow! I am very ready for spring, but I'll admit I would trade the knee deep mud we have right now for some fresh, clean snow.

And how neat to see members of your community reaching such achievements! Very cool :)