tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-222605532024-03-14T05:50:26.750-05:00Red Moon Cafe<i>with a menu of photography, books, jazz, poetry, and other items occasionally</i>firstcitybookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00164695572884541605noreply@blogger.comBlogger446125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22260553.post-89170554570873012212024-02-27T18:40:00.002-06:002024-02-27T18:44:17.693-06:00Poem in Flint Hills Review<p>One of my poems appears in the recently released edition of <i>Flint Hills Review</i>. Normally, the annual issue is released during the summer; the recent issue was delayed because of moving the offices at Emporia State University, among other things.</p><p>"A Seam of Coal," my poem, references Northern Ireland, particularly Belfast, where my mother was born and raised, and where my family often returned for visits when I was younger. The Short Strand is a working class section of Belfast. USDB, by the way, is an abbreviation for the United States Disciplinary Barracks, aka military prison, located at Fort Leavenworth. I taught a writing class there one semester ten or more years ago.</p><p>Because the picture is hard to read, I am adding another copy of the poem. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL96QGEdQWxPovaMomHL8RGQVdH2ugWJxM1sf4QBBaZfKCkF2FcWF1uQfKH9pgNZXfNxGv2uKmV1zDlwCYWdHlb2RwlC5Sa9M5HS5SK3GTjhuEmub_EFKtg9PfoVWUX8vrCJrFnyrhmYBcADeXUbxvbzxn9o-YfbASAgAcW6F3mtXB77muDgBawA/s3223/IMG_3915a.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3223" data-original-width="1603" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL96QGEdQWxPovaMomHL8RGQVdH2ugWJxM1sf4QBBaZfKCkF2FcWF1uQfKH9pgNZXfNxGv2uKmV1zDlwCYWdHlb2RwlC5Sa9M5HS5SK3GTjhuEmub_EFKtg9PfoVWUX8vrCJrFnyrhmYBcADeXUbxvbzxn9o-YfbASAgAcW6F3mtXB77muDgBawA/w159-h320/IMG_3915a.JPG" width="159" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>A Seam of Coal</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><i>Leavenworth, Kansas</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Every few minutes <br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">the horns of the coal trains hauling <br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">empty hoppers to Wyoming interrupt <br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">a Saturday night. My computer digests <br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">what appears on my screen <br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">thanks to the plant matter from millions <br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">of years ago. The smell from coal fires </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">reminds me of the smoke-filled air of Belfast<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">that greeted us when our ferry entered the lough.<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">My grandfather once shouldered bags of coal <br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">he delivered to the row houses of the Short Strand. <br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">My sister and I brought in a bucketful <br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">for our aunt and sat in front of the fireplace,<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">rubbing in its heat. One uncle, not having<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">a hot water heater, kept a fire burning<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">through the year, his own Burning Mountain.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">What punctuates my night offers hope<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">to the inmates of the USDB, their prison<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">located next to the train tracks. They dream <br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">of clutching the ladder at the end of a hopper<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">and, despite their freezing in the January air,<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">jumping off somewhere in Nebraska.</span></div><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>firstcitybookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00164695572884541605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22260553.post-89195187004228429872024-01-07T12:30:00.000-06:002024-01-07T12:30:44.971-06:00Jazz Recommendations for 2023<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal">My jazz recommendations for 2023 appear below in no particular order. </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8RtN9alabmAFkMcSvZexEPUdYZEUdywQwW602gXsaruG1pxnV0tBJBYGFQ60GcAf4_fh8U9r1bE-zeLJKznA7JvzHXGVSCXO27EqSuw03M4zrlPaWLmb0VThphS8ivwxNpQnaBqAxLkHXxfF_r3YM996jOfuWHaQhVBGRk5GQ0D6LsquWY6ah8g" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8RtN9alabmAFkMcSvZexEPUdYZEUdywQwW602gXsaruG1pxnV0tBJBYGFQ60GcAf4_fh8U9r1bE-zeLJKznA7JvzHXGVSCXO27EqSuw03M4zrlPaWLmb0VThphS8ivwxNpQnaBqAxLkHXxfF_r3YM996jOfuWHaQhVBGRk5GQ0D6LsquWY6ah8g=w200-h200" width="200" /></a></div>Jan Harbeck Quartet, <i>Balanced</i>. One jazz recording that I
overlooked in 2022 is Jan Harbeck Quartet’s <i>Balanced</i>, which wasn’t released
until late November of that year. Unlike previous recordings by Harbeck, where
he plays standards like “Harlem Nocturne” or “I Love Paris,” this new album
contains original music written by Harbeck and, with the exception of the
opening track, “Balanced,” the album creates a dominant mood that conjures late
nights in an urban jazz club. A fan of his music since 2011, I look forward to hearing upcoming albums by the Jan
Harbeck Quartet.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjenoWj_EsgSIakKkKiNz3Q0NLhx-U0ua6ZGXPycqXkSQiheCB0zwMYXJsrCaP-AxFXLDKZPezdUCljxXxrEwg-kqUyEPAiSWixF-Hr13Bms8_kwcvBjWldlt-4JjuVsC1NC2aTJHc3AAp9Ra6xHdiAmB7NZBfrGL-pOYRuAahD-mjEpXV_9qeCRQ" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjenoWj_EsgSIakKkKiNz3Q0NLhx-U0ua6ZGXPycqXkSQiheCB0zwMYXJsrCaP-AxFXLDKZPezdUCljxXxrEwg-kqUyEPAiSWixF-Hr13Bms8_kwcvBjWldlt-4JjuVsC1NC2aTJHc3AAp9Ra6xHdiAmB7NZBfrGL-pOYRuAahD-mjEpXV_9qeCRQ=w200-h200" width="200" /></a></div>Eriksen Quartet, <i>As Good As It Gets</i>. This new album
reflects the close working relationship that the Espen Eriksen Trio and Andy Sheppard
have established from having created two previous albums--<i>Perfectly Unhappy</i> and <i>In the Mountains</i>. The interplay between
saxophone and piano is particularly strong on the tracks “Sticks and Stones,” “Pressure,”
and “Drifting Clouds.” The entire album has gotten a lot of airplay in my house
and car.<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMvz6wtG3PXmky8O0wnAES8bTO7aHU-fhqzHAVa58bWdJqnybVk22VrwXHOQCZGRFBXQgzOkdV8z1s5kS_cIHMlisrk7VXWwRnYu6yGn8vO1wuYFeVoDnsXDMH6nrCj0PKRqGSPE0t-vz2Zj3qAoQWhPxWsHaymPyqkzXFWxieJryf4hvPlrB3Tg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMvz6wtG3PXmky8O0wnAES8bTO7aHU-fhqzHAVa58bWdJqnybVk22VrwXHOQCZGRFBXQgzOkdV8z1s5kS_cIHMlisrk7VXWwRnYu6yGn8vO1wuYFeVoDnsXDMH6nrCj0PKRqGSPE0t-vz2Zj3qAoQWhPxWsHaymPyqkzXFWxieJryf4hvPlrB3Tg=w200-h200" width="200" /></a></div>Helge Lien Trio, with Tore Brunborg, <i>Funeral Dance</i>. With
this album, Helge Lien has included Tore Brunborg on saxophone. Although Tore Brunborg has composed some of
the tracks, the entire album has more of an atmospheric feel, in that the
saxophone, instead of engaging in gymnastics, aids in creating a dominant mood. There are still individual tracks worthy
of attention, such as “Apres Un Reve,” “Riss,” and “Kaldanuten.”<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjd2GxVHwkiw7gowd3w-hl0W5yCdn271uVsPMtFlUe_cnrTqhoR0VcwmGroMn9g6d-0_T7w4ZQbyKuJk_wUjowi7uOq5y4SYDLVn5DAxAzdWiI0di97V4HLjKdMngqklFX9OoODcdN6AFBVCBiq99JPa7eU0XawTM8yqhD9xlUXc2zHMY7I9lqI3A" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjd2GxVHwkiw7gowd3w-hl0W5yCdn271uVsPMtFlUe_cnrTqhoR0VcwmGroMn9g6d-0_T7w4ZQbyKuJk_wUjowi7uOq5y4SYDLVn5DAxAzdWiI0di97V4HLjKdMngqklFX9OoODcdN6AFBVCBiq99JPa7eU0XawTM8yqhD9xlUXc2zHMY7I9lqI3A=w200-h200" width="200" /></a></div>Soren Bebe Trio, <i>Here Now</i>. Contemplative, reflective,
introspective, comforting—these adjectives describe much of Soren Bebe’s most
recent album containing his trio, the first album of theirs to be released since <i>Echoes</i>
(2019). My wife says she can imagine herself sitting outside watching the sunset
while listening to this album. Although I would prefer much longer tracks
because many of them are four minutes or less, I still find pleasure in such tracks as
“Here Now,” “Tangeri,” "Winter," “Folksy (To Jan),” “Summer,” and “On and On.”<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyza54g0s4ZxpTcmDb0ouPLqGPtH_gizVf8iDZ_HBaRgnN4tFO2Thh3QxrqZQQ45WzoflxnGtiNeWok_30pMqQHfwy8avbqkDxrY5j4hfk4nCJzhXVvADuG4K1rYwCWYyfOxxvmM-KU7dbe2J5qm8xZ_DDysDFHtvRF8zVYhwtcWtitO_l7VBY3g" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyza54g0s4ZxpTcmDb0ouPLqGPtH_gizVf8iDZ_HBaRgnN4tFO2Thh3QxrqZQQ45WzoflxnGtiNeWok_30pMqQHfwy8avbqkDxrY5j4hfk4nCJzhXVvADuG4K1rYwCWYyfOxxvmM-KU7dbe2J5qm8xZ_DDysDFHtvRF8zVYhwtcWtitO_l7VBY3g=w200-h200" width="200" /></a></div>Matthew Halsall, <i>An Ever Changing View</i>. Finding inspiration
in nature, in sculpture, and in the cityscape in Manchester, Matthew Halsall
has created music that brings together the percussion pieces that he has
collected over the years. Although there are many memorable tracks, one in
particular that I like is titled “Calder Shapes.” It’s Gavin Barras’ bass that
originally caught my attention. For a full appreciation of the album, I
recommend listening to Matthew Halsall’s three-part podcast, which is available
at YouTube (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpql41trSHs&t=37s&ab_channel=GondwanaRecords">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpql41trSHs&t=37s&ab_channel=GondwanaRecords</a>).<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>firstcitybookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00164695572884541605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22260553.post-70252591623196289332023-12-31T17:16:00.003-06:002023-12-31T17:21:26.359-06:00Reading in 2023<p>I added twenty-three more titles to my Library Thing account during
2023, which brings my total number of books to 1,109. About six of these twenty-three
titles are books of nonfiction that I picked up at library sales. Some books
cost as little as twenty-five cents. I probably had good intentions when
choosing these books, believing that I would quickly start reading them,
but I haven’t yet started any of them as of yet, despite my battling a severe
chest infection that has recently kept me housebound.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwakq_N5nX7Ue_nPcfO9mmOichCM7TQasDAjnzRU48eVP3DPzLiFiXRLP1IpHTbWetMEN470vOBBpGuxvb7nOHvC91OpJ4tMpkken6dkHKKLSGu4VKV9tPG9lQUwKN3rxLc8ybiZNzbu8Gwfg1fe464vDumi4aZYg61buTG3SHwkFSvHmKeL7JJg/s5059/IMG_3906.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2581" data-original-width="5059" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwakq_N5nX7Ue_nPcfO9mmOichCM7TQasDAjnzRU48eVP3DPzLiFiXRLP1IpHTbWetMEN470vOBBpGuxvb7nOHvC91OpJ4tMpkken6dkHKKLSGu4VKV9tPG9lQUwKN3rxLc8ybiZNzbu8Gwfg1fe464vDumi4aZYg61buTG3SHwkFSvHmKeL7JJg/s320/IMG_3906.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Early in the year, I started reading <i>Saxophone Colossus: The
Life and Music of Sonny Rollins</i> on my phone when I had problems sleeping. I had
downloaded a free sample through the Kindle app. It was a hefty sample, probably
about a seventh of the book. My son gave me a cloth copy of the book for my
birthday so that I could read the remaining six hundred and some pages. Sonny
Rollins’s devotion to his craft was intense and admirable. I hadn’t fully heard
the background information regarding his decision to spend a year practicing on
the Williamsburg Bridge. One musical experiment of Sonny Rollins’ that I liked
discovering was his inclusion of Rufus Harley, who played the bagpipes on one of Sonny's
albums. The book itself is a great resource when listening to Sonny’s albums
and when discovering previously neglected ones.<o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Sometime early in the year I also read Doug Peacock’s
<i>Walking It Off: A Veteran’s Chronicle of War and Wilderness</i>. Peacock, by the
way, was the inspiration for the character Hayduke in Edward Abbey’s <i>The Monkey
Wrench Gang</i>. I particularly liked one of Peacock’s later essays when he
describes hiking across a desert bombing range as the jet fighters occasionally
flew overhead. It was a cathartic moment for him as he risked death during the
few days that it took to cross the bombing range. </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYV3WxZbBghY0rJbqGY0JXwa2OBIw8HNRaCBVsPwwwqfLOyhHV8pb-MJNKsmiejjJ9D4Yix6tn8YTK1rZs6OqCAkIyd3zui4T2M1BKuxV2-vSKgp2nVxlub152ennHlJMsMMC9-DaOUV6NzCVqxtLfNAJO8i50mi0QSq_42Qog-Rp5ga151fQ-Q/s591/F3GqgD1XoBMy8xI.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="591" data-original-width="413" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYV3WxZbBghY0rJbqGY0JXwa2OBIw8HNRaCBVsPwwwqfLOyhHV8pb-MJNKsmiejjJ9D4Yix6tn8YTK1rZs6OqCAkIyd3zui4T2M1BKuxV2-vSKgp2nVxlub152ennHlJMsMMC9-DaOUV6NzCVqxtLfNAJO8i50mi0QSq_42Qog-Rp5ga151fQ-Q/w140-h200/F3GqgD1XoBMy8xI.png" width="140" /></a></div><br />Eight of the books that I added to my LibraryThing account were published by the press that my wife and I run—Choeofpleirn Press. Our nonfiction book contest selected Jacquelyn Shah’s <i>Limited Engagement: A Way of Living</i>. As a memoir, it describes the author’s early experiences and her decision to live life on her terms, without much concern for what her father wanted, what other men wanted, and what society as a whole wanted from her. <div><br /></div><div>We received about twenty selections for our poetry chapbook contest. Anita Skeen, our judge, selected Vivienne Shalom’s <i>The Truth Is</i> as the winning manuscript and Linda Enders’ <i>Consider the Gravity</i> as the finalist. <p class="MsoNormal">My wife worked with a photographer from Wichita to create the book <i>Wildflowers of Wichita</i>, a combination of photos and text. </p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUHSfPZBjVVbW2m8J7P9xQ6WjV16TcShPZA6Kfo-CYjThO0YNxx38cTXtXAvoIyBy_RGzz0TrFxNxa-e7jO-IT3Bl3gFGlv7SwhcaKeGrlFnGj4V1h2WqpIcg9guQDOggMPqAOfpY-_T5-XJ-AnCDAMT3N0FhJKddZb_sdWO7th0yA-uWO4xANIg/s5447/IMG_3908.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2552" data-original-width="5447" height="94" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUHSfPZBjVVbW2m8J7P9xQ6WjV16TcShPZA6Kfo-CYjThO0YNxx38cTXtXAvoIyBy_RGzz0TrFxNxa-e7jO-IT3Bl3gFGlv7SwhcaKeGrlFnGj4V1h2WqpIcg9guQDOggMPqAOfpY-_T5-XJ-AnCDAMT3N0FhJKddZb_sdWO7th0yA-uWO4xANIg/w200-h94/IMG_3908.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Although technically journals but the size of books, we released our annual four collections, <i>Coneflower Café</i> (photos, short fiction, and poetry), <i>Glacial Hills Review</i> (photos, nonfiction, and poetry), <i>Rushing Thru the Dark</i> (photos, drama, and poetry), and <i>Best of Choeofpleirn Press</i>, the winning work that we published during the year. <br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjiwQoMO3K3b7c8FoTDc41go2R5b_bKAapgtFRXpNra3HBYDaRBJ_PFwSp-0JTrM5lXefyVR6VtMNtpV1MgMnlq0Z3adcucr_k3idB4q4lzmoiBTQkXmNxjMeLAEZz-vGfJe0_3HdecJhMwx5eVEeugkMRcoOeOD57Xgq6MmbUxDRSImhdJV_YJA/s595/Pitiless%20bronze.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="396" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjiwQoMO3K3b7c8FoTDc41go2R5b_bKAapgtFRXpNra3HBYDaRBJ_PFwSp-0JTrM5lXefyVR6VtMNtpV1MgMnlq0Z3adcucr_k3idB4q4lzmoiBTQkXmNxjMeLAEZz-vGfJe0_3HdecJhMwx5eVEeugkMRcoOeOD57Xgq6MmbUxDRSImhdJV_YJA/w133-h200/Pitiless%20bronze.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>The capstone to our publication
efforts was my wife’s <i>Pitiless Bronze: A Postpatriarchal Examination of
Prepatriarchal Cultures</i>, the result of about seven years of research and a year
or more of writing. Eventually, as she was engaged in research, I had to remind
her of Eli S. Ricker, the Nebraska judge who spent ten years conducting
research into the clash of cultures on the Great Plains during the 19<sup>th</sup>
century and who never got the writing done. <i>Pitiless Bronze</i> uses literature and archaeological
history to reveal the dominant role of women before their power was usurped by men,
once men discovered that they had a role in procreation, something that they
only discovered through the careful examination of swans and their mating
habits.<o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh77HtdKnMn4VnmBkoFD1DBZstyVOp0062XHXwDrhkiC6ZzPLYQUNfH_fwlyj6DplszfSWblHgTJTycNfO4ZnkTu5VRqJXWME8qnD6xOpFWYt2NjdjtdwfiWXvfTkvsu4yXpWY8bThmmucNdauJUkBPh-MCe9xoyRdUSqO9_8U7pJZUFm-uEMtDlA/s477/The%20Truth%20is.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="331" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh77HtdKnMn4VnmBkoFD1DBZstyVOp0062XHXwDrhkiC6ZzPLYQUNfH_fwlyj6DplszfSWblHgTJTycNfO4ZnkTu5VRqJXWME8qnD6xOpFWYt2NjdjtdwfiWXvfTkvsu4yXpWY8bThmmucNdauJUkBPh-MCe9xoyRdUSqO9_8U7pJZUFm-uEMtDlA/w139-h200/The%20Truth%20is.png" width="139" /></a></div><br />The remaining books that I acquired during the year were
collections of poetry. Jody Stewart was kind enough to give me a copy of her <i>This
Momentary World: Selected Poems</i>. I added Anita Skeen’s <i>Outside the Fold,
Outside the Frame</i> and <i>Never the Whole Story</i> to the other books of hers that I
own. From reading the anthology <i>The Path to Kindness: Poems of Connection and
Joy</i>, a kind of sequel to the previous anthology edited by James Crews—<i>Healing the
Divide: Poems of Kindness and Connection</i>, I discovered more work by Faith
Shearin and ended up buying two of her books and ordering three other books of
hers through Interlibrary Loan. I ordered a couple of books by two other poets
through Interlibrary Loan as well. <o:p></o:p><p></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzGVolGPvHvVlhB-B14W6I8CmXCPkQghOCW8AoaeE_jDVHj1lRaz6yfsH-ybKavRUIHaSA1qMeYPLyhtQnCAYnCQcHz6-EW9DiohQlyq19r6z13qZi8mPnqtN64wVZAQ_-6a8NnYs1dNxjJ1bk8665lqqWPKRW5VXR8hYCR2efItQLcKegOxe8pw/s438/Linda%20Enders.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="290" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzGVolGPvHvVlhB-B14W6I8CmXCPkQghOCW8AoaeE_jDVHj1lRaz6yfsH-ybKavRUIHaSA1qMeYPLyhtQnCAYnCQcHz6-EW9DiohQlyq19r6z13qZi8mPnqtN64wVZAQ_-6a8NnYs1dNxjJ1bk8665lqqWPKRW5VXR8hYCR2efItQLcKegOxe8pw/w133-h200/Linda%20Enders.png" width="133" /></a></div><br />Except for allowing myself to be tempted by the books found
at library sales, I have done better at limiting how many books that I purchased during the year. I still need to glean through my books so that I can make a
sizable donation to my local library. One problem I have is that getting access to
some of my bookshelves requires moving several pieces of furniture. I have so
much packed into one little room that accessing my books is not always easy.<o:p></o:p><p></p></div>firstcitybookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00164695572884541605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22260553.post-14492928814823845912023-12-30T12:01:00.003-06:002023-12-30T12:04:22.435-06:00Nonfiction Book Contest<p class="MsoNormal">The deadline for our nonfiction book contest is fast
approaching. Get your manuscripts in by December 31.<o:p></o:p></p><p><span face="TwitterChirp, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1419; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrw3TP2IT95w0-zq2arU5sWzBZ0IWIn1DZhTRMxl1l9Od4hkIHIl026CWtvrOiNrN1YnmGU1wZ3421Io9O_cfSazTquKrof1MtYHImv0af9OdSBhOWKEHie0yxx3MIWqYbyU5uu5bs4SIQ1R3pq0nOCbG8QEwszqCYEs3CRCjPfYYR94z51r5FGw" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="680" height="339" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrw3TP2IT95w0-zq2arU5sWzBZ0IWIn1DZhTRMxl1l9Od4hkIHIl026CWtvrOiNrN1YnmGU1wZ3421Io9O_cfSazTquKrof1MtYHImv0af9OdSBhOWKEHie0yxx3MIWqYbyU5uu5bs4SIQ1R3pq0nOCbG8QEwszqCYEs3CRCjPfYYR94z51r5FGw=w400-h339" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>firstcitybookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00164695572884541605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22260553.post-38704814111756614442023-11-17T15:23:00.003-06:002023-11-17T15:23:42.438-06:00Poem in Slant: A Journal of Poetry<p>Another recent poem of mine has recently appeared in <i>Slant: A Journal of Poetry</i>. My poem, "Living Within Its Shadow," can be found at the following link: <a href="https://slantpoetryjournal.wordpress.com/james-p-cooper/?fbclid=IwAR1OlLMCS84nvzsB2wTXggZn-FhEAtBkv4bB3LWhCC-jN5nRbpyTDX00Kuw">https://slantpoetryjournal.wordpress.com/james-p-cooper/?fbclid=IwAR1OlLMCS84nvzsB2wTXggZn-FhEAtBkv4bB3LWhCC-jN5nRbpyTDX00Kuw</a></p><p><br /></p>firstcitybookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00164695572884541605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22260553.post-75434788368893944852023-11-17T15:18:00.002-06:002023-11-17T15:31:24.316-06:00Autumn, 2023<p>Because of the lengthy drought that we have been having in northeast Kansas, autumn has not been as colorful this year as it had been in previous years. I am adding a few of my pictures, nonetheless.</p><p>I might have taken more pictures if I had not fallen while taking pictures one Sunday afternoon. I was walking backwards down a hill, lost my footing, and did a complete flip. I ended up having to go the ER to have a gash on my arm stitched up. My jaw started swelling afterwards as well because I cracked a tooth and ended up having to have it removed. I have since resolved to stay on pavement when I am walking or taking pictures.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEGWL4prNSLYQKMxhtbEtt0ebsPX_iCNI7Cr-lB0qHveB4BPOKcNidSbBniMkrZGFpEsSQGJSIZHFvUtv3tKdW-58LBZHGV3SNESOUmLJSpajqeKQ-Yg1Z7bwBPRN2lsNQ7CSLPnrBQ4uFE2yF2hYvAES9hwUOOhHJl05PmxoKze3rIC_EivvGcg/s5472/IMG_3656.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEGWL4prNSLYQKMxhtbEtt0ebsPX_iCNI7Cr-lB0qHveB4BPOKcNidSbBniMkrZGFpEsSQGJSIZHFvUtv3tKdW-58LBZHGV3SNESOUmLJSpajqeKQ-Yg1Z7bwBPRN2lsNQ7CSLPnrBQ4uFE2yF2hYvAES9hwUOOhHJl05PmxoKze3rIC_EivvGcg/w400-h266/IMG_3656.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5DAD5yYQK10Prm7AJeRc1PeyHJ8lPqUQHbCBBDZE5DdBxOIYfe_XoWkBjUI8krM6bV9MxpwgtmghMUiFuj8KzHoccYM8NqgYkXctzMlOEAhbDfQmvklBwN20LAqggFj51nw2cKwxKBWfjdjlP-z2JKwjGLPjdbmc_bk-3EZieDurGpZJwSv8R1A/s5472/IMG_3666a.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5DAD5yYQK10Prm7AJeRc1PeyHJ8lPqUQHbCBBDZE5DdBxOIYfe_XoWkBjUI8krM6bV9MxpwgtmghMUiFuj8KzHoccYM8NqgYkXctzMlOEAhbDfQmvklBwN20LAqggFj51nw2cKwxKBWfjdjlP-z2JKwjGLPjdbmc_bk-3EZieDurGpZJwSv8R1A/w400-h266/IMG_3666a.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg76Jed3tFv48j4fJQr6LFMsCBWXwFs21XXPSX-X2fSylPDqcGJSCMaWo2NppGIpml9zh_7MM-sKC9pBjcFmTDISxSwzvG9qNpGI8UTXZw9sCBLZhvuPgR1HSpvBOu_DpSaBDv5wHUlXGow4_v6vZJ9LR-z_HL0Ki_2UYTMBbZw-nW5zPtSlQtQuw/s4957/IMG_3690a.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3305" data-original-width="4957" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg76Jed3tFv48j4fJQr6LFMsCBWXwFs21XXPSX-X2fSylPDqcGJSCMaWo2NppGIpml9zh_7MM-sKC9pBjcFmTDISxSwzvG9qNpGI8UTXZw9sCBLZhvuPgR1HSpvBOu_DpSaBDv5wHUlXGow4_v6vZJ9LR-z_HL0Ki_2UYTMBbZw-nW5zPtSlQtQuw/w400-h266/IMG_3690a.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJjbbGKpdSQgdNUBs2cLZQnUHqqntvxvLZ2oihovWL5yJeubSWBPhg1wzE5j0xFE9lDdqvsDhedwRUtTpKGzNbZ54eAbswgKqbtDiNb0elkumNg3FP0tFwViSF5uxmkH5ZvckQM3VLn0nVZn7p8p4W8TXI6FQOpX_T8oAIv4dY05D5Ps1fl7Wrw/s5472/IMG_3679.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJjbbGKpdSQgdNUBs2cLZQnUHqqntvxvLZ2oihovWL5yJeubSWBPhg1wzE5j0xFE9lDdqvsDhedwRUtTpKGzNbZ54eAbswgKqbtDiNb0elkumNg3FP0tFwViSF5uxmkH5ZvckQM3VLn0nVZn7p8p4W8TXI6FQOpX_T8oAIv4dY05D5Ps1fl7Wrw/w400-h266/IMG_3679.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>firstcitybookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00164695572884541605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22260553.post-20643441665094349452023-10-23T15:25:00.005-05:002023-10-23T15:40:06.483-05:00Poem in Evening Street Review<p>One of my newer poems recently appeared in Number 39, Autumn 2023, of the <i>Evening Street Review</i>. My poem is partly based on William Wordsworth "Ode: Intimations of Immortality" and a jazz song by Matthew Halsall, "I Have Been Here Before," which appears on his album <i>Colour Yes</i>.</p><p><a href="https://eveningstreetpress.com/product/evening-street-review-number-39-autumn-2023/">https://eveningstreetpress.com/product/evening-street-review-number-39-autumn-2023/</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqZn1b6Sk7im3GTtSuhzJJUdISZQbtk7JKLwvOibnfDj7bQQGSS1UwHtdGoY-p2N23OyLaeDYaIe2m8X4E3ThvoxKM5nE_O30xEoSodyF-4x21F0DkNiPAT9a65j199Vtp2PdjgkNRScl5Nubz9JseDvZSkYOdQA7BXZwD1oAZWQM0ghK2cfq3lA/s2472/20231023_151224d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2464" data-original-width="2472" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqZn1b6Sk7im3GTtSuhzJJUdISZQbtk7JKLwvOibnfDj7bQQGSS1UwHtdGoY-p2N23OyLaeDYaIe2m8X4E3ThvoxKM5nE_O30xEoSodyF-4x21F0DkNiPAT9a65j199Vtp2PdjgkNRScl5Nubz9JseDvZSkYOdQA7BXZwD1oAZWQM0ghK2cfq3lA/w400-h399/20231023_151224d.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJK4pqVeA-ONTjECetbzC-son83ZZ5tbYdQ1nrEdz1g6R3D842sht0xkRqK-rRCcYPguyym0xfkZQRTY2GKKL-UU-7bipV6VM8tEp4w8UQd1VEy6zRVoCm3uDuAKGeikYxSVkxGKz-lF2VFehMq3X85K-TxnW_tyu4OcALtPsZfd4uszMhXCv2g/s3118/20231023_151224b.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a></div><br /><p><br /></p>firstcitybookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00164695572884541605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22260553.post-82156882865336499142023-10-15T14:09:00.002-05:002023-11-17T15:39:48.313-06:00Manhappiness<p>My friend Derick Burleson, the poet who died in 2016, used to refer to Manhattan, Kansas as "Manhappiness" when we were graduate students at Kansas State University. It seemed at the time that he had coined the word. </p><p>I was surprised recently to see a building in Aggieville, the entertainment district near the campus, with the word Manhappiness above its doors. I didn't go inside the building. From what I noticed when walking by, it contained apparel for Kansas State fans. The previous building used to house Varney's bookstore when I was a student.</p><p>I am sure that Derick would have loved to see his word being used to describe Manhattan and one building in particular.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTc4pYwaBRHGyX0h-z6HdBG6XJQ1IXpWqjUbHNTpshkFJmTHy5AXNXAqEE2vxPq_u0lu3mWNhPZXUXSyGG3Q30hFEJPzWbLPE8N1OTMMxxsyIDHvvS1SNlNitmgLycImKV60SIFU_-IL5sBRgILrkStKNF_PVGSFj64zfJ01tW4QJCn2q7PJa8FA/s4624/20231014_155352%5B1%5D.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTc4pYwaBRHGyX0h-z6HdBG6XJQ1IXpWqjUbHNTpshkFJmTHy5AXNXAqEE2vxPq_u0lu3mWNhPZXUXSyGG3Q30hFEJPzWbLPE8N1OTMMxxsyIDHvvS1SNlNitmgLycImKV60SIFU_-IL5sBRgILrkStKNF_PVGSFj64zfJ01tW4QJCn2q7PJa8FA/w400-h300/20231014_155352%5B1%5D.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>firstcitybookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00164695572884541605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22260553.post-77575729301643833522023-10-10T17:17:00.001-05:002023-10-10T17:17:30.208-05:00Late Flowers in Bloom<p>The autumnal equinox occurred a few weeks ago. Even so, some flowers remain in bloom. The first freeze in my area doesn't usually occur until late October. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3OJTE278sasA9ate-3KF-211x9Z5ExRYZfRhZfzBCQFKbVXQGujP7ocyhqTkH4Ghyphenhyphen5YojUmsiamShyphenhyphen-nS-c3dn7ixoOZzrq_mtq_RGvbQBFrtv9aLGVPFTxU7PGRVFqbg6ke_EN73PyltURmTsLXgHBxjfetisCToH8sS5IkkIaPLXk1XnuZ0CA/s5472/IMG_3478.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3OJTE278sasA9ate-3KF-211x9Z5ExRYZfRhZfzBCQFKbVXQGujP7ocyhqTkH4Ghyphenhyphen5YojUmsiamShyphenhyphen-nS-c3dn7ixoOZzrq_mtq_RGvbQBFrtv9aLGVPFTxU7PGRVFqbg6ke_EN73PyltURmTsLXgHBxjfetisCToH8sS5IkkIaPLXk1XnuZ0CA/w400-h266/IMG_3478.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXljd3lQzoJcSJQsPOChg11v5PbItMfboeVhhnWSnl1XVBlJoh65CSiIbRzhyyuT0XtuFsFCvHsHacFc8nDRUbgp2AOgu0Y_hievcdujxv6H9s-wIoow417j4U4cxL1iUgZynTxeXbzlxZA8NdQZd_dR1G3uF0Wc8Nv4dI-viPBToi0sdet0IW8A/s5472/IMG_3484.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXljd3lQzoJcSJQsPOChg11v5PbItMfboeVhhnWSnl1XVBlJoh65CSiIbRzhyyuT0XtuFsFCvHsHacFc8nDRUbgp2AOgu0Y_hievcdujxv6H9s-wIoow417j4U4cxL1iUgZynTxeXbzlxZA8NdQZd_dR1G3uF0Wc8Nv4dI-viPBToi0sdet0IW8A/w400-h266/IMG_3484.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0BdG5C2GDG-b8cxnyCETwTjzNxo58qxavM8kXidlTc62sMr6Nt3_gtQhvbwzu1VqxAMAc14ZDmqP4K1cD2flEfbXHyis1q7v_zRwJSP5uaL2kWY21ukFqPHqULRlimoj4kLHKCCbFW4LodJTZxbMow3DRU04aJgIwnpUwsX9wzCgY_TCXubrtQ/s5472/IMG_3428a.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0BdG5C2GDG-b8cxnyCETwTjzNxo58qxavM8kXidlTc62sMr6Nt3_gtQhvbwzu1VqxAMAc14ZDmqP4K1cD2flEfbXHyis1q7v_zRwJSP5uaL2kWY21ukFqPHqULRlimoj4kLHKCCbFW4LodJTZxbMow3DRU04aJgIwnpUwsX9wzCgY_TCXubrtQ/w400-h266/IMG_3428a.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg75x1MklohA25ovk7CmJt2gG9i8N351X-Oe0Oo9NjSw5CdVKAsA4ashlvW0cFEeEez6jEDlx4a-IjYmk_WXGquDewvGZs6SckBrMECi15-IuU4biyZiOjG9UP5D9h6Ztxc3WTt2gci5IuPX_NrhMS409vPEKgx_otb214tKtCn0ehAqyeqqsBZgQ/s5472/IMG_3484.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg75x1MklohA25ovk7CmJt2gG9i8N351X-Oe0Oo9NjSw5CdVKAsA4ashlvW0cFEeEez6jEDlx4a-IjYmk_WXGquDewvGZs6SckBrMECi15-IuU4biyZiOjG9UP5D9h6Ztxc3WTt2gci5IuPX_NrhMS409vPEKgx_otb214tKtCn0ehAqyeqqsBZgQ/w400-h266/IMG_3484.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiYVKkCNNWRtsN1rABVtrlERimyrgmf8c1H_ddi8IUpBRqe_TjG7xU6FXyxoX12JEWXpndYUkZBTVCOcbspqew-TVgAweUuvdBNtSdeeImbJUEBhidmJCcjnbcodJJSl16Y66TWVsePmxTpgjIYpaI9GbItTY1_WiHhJOcuow7HDcPgaRuvB5bDg/s5472/IMG_3503.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiYVKkCNNWRtsN1rABVtrlERimyrgmf8c1H_ddi8IUpBRqe_TjG7xU6FXyxoX12JEWXpndYUkZBTVCOcbspqew-TVgAweUuvdBNtSdeeImbJUEBhidmJCcjnbcodJJSl16Y66TWVsePmxTpgjIYpaI9GbItTY1_WiHhJOcuow7HDcPgaRuvB5bDg/w266-h400/IMG_3503.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRjgzAe16VeXG3fcwyItWR548Xf5p4e4JbU9mfyualxdfEfjOPwOa3aFm9UksC5fg0hGvs7gPf5i2x9iF7_DPNFWMlUiS82jBe43LvskTBSQophkmTh6YbYdR0JO5SgFIRlQjSuX-xDfvVUt9I6IWwIyHU7Yb0HqZCy6CPtPRacfob_L_Sva5OQ/s5472/IMG_3507.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRjgzAe16VeXG3fcwyItWR548Xf5p4e4JbU9mfyualxdfEfjOPwOa3aFm9UksC5fg0hGvs7gPf5i2x9iF7_DPNFWMlUiS82jBe43LvskTBSQophkmTh6YbYdR0JO5SgFIRlQjSuX-xDfvVUt9I6IWwIyHU7Yb0HqZCy6CPtPRacfob_L_Sva5OQ/w400-h266/IMG_3507.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJnVSvboTK9AHX-W03L4h1OIwhQxO2-qB8kQnFnRfTzqu_hsGBxUKvifRIf0CFLqBzWmzAxhVzZFE1bkxNDT2prO6Rl6drds61FQH5iGYxokbVnc6Jpq80rAWFEVof_HDvts0_sOdOyqUGYslKBXmKFUkDe42dPnLzqu7WqFh9ZvsUCHEvWAMnbA/s5472/IMG_3516.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJnVSvboTK9AHX-W03L4h1OIwhQxO2-qB8kQnFnRfTzqu_hsGBxUKvifRIf0CFLqBzWmzAxhVzZFE1bkxNDT2prO6Rl6drds61FQH5iGYxokbVnc6Jpq80rAWFEVof_HDvts0_sOdOyqUGYslKBXmKFUkDe42dPnLzqu7WqFh9ZvsUCHEvWAMnbA/w266-h400/IMG_3516.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>firstcitybookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00164695572884541605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22260553.post-55348821564832706742023-10-10T16:59:00.003-05:002023-10-12T00:35:28.332-05:00Sunsets<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Although sunsets are often thought of as cliches, some of them can be quite </span>spectacular<span style="font-family: inherit;">. They continue to appear in my poems and in my pictures, despite my colorblindness. What often happens is that I miss capturing the good ones because I don't have my camera with me. I am adding a few pictures of the sunsets that I have captured.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpvzzMiaazsWgFAmkzgjHbgj3x3nVxEYOzSeRkoAvNMHiOGZn9m-AQQI1odqmrHDmMlFMrzSJey3ZY3IQ2t_jWQvbEc8qScpAPCiivyogQ-BaY-koaBXiPryZeS6qkBuCwWK-3xnfC1rHGQmx-uMAybSberAIcCZARRzaWRLZBp-d5TSkAnGk74A/s5472/IMG_1642.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpvzzMiaazsWgFAmkzgjHbgj3x3nVxEYOzSeRkoAvNMHiOGZn9m-AQQI1odqmrHDmMlFMrzSJey3ZY3IQ2t_jWQvbEc8qScpAPCiivyogQ-BaY-koaBXiPryZeS6qkBuCwWK-3xnfC1rHGQmx-uMAybSberAIcCZARRzaWRLZBp-d5TSkAnGk74A/w400-h266/IMG_1642.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAO1oLDInzZS5FbKS_B440Pxmt3v831e_WMfOHj5xD5twws_gm4CQOsqhgDwdgHg96otbcv6yH955Kaw_0OJ2xobi5mdzFE6iPfiLrkLeBpuq2AxafC16_1Ot5hsYziPx9TtZ_C5vzfO-vaVlJmGy14xmAq5ahySYQ25qCxQMn33JJfsYJJNaVLw/s5472/IMG_1625.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAO1oLDInzZS5FbKS_B440Pxmt3v831e_WMfOHj5xD5twws_gm4CQOsqhgDwdgHg96otbcv6yH955Kaw_0OJ2xobi5mdzFE6iPfiLrkLeBpuq2AxafC16_1Ot5hsYziPx9TtZ_C5vzfO-vaVlJmGy14xmAq5ahySYQ25qCxQMn33JJfsYJJNaVLw/w400-h266/IMG_1625.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1YM4y9T4sDCA0mJWrbDJ3MOv36lxwIV6laDzniIVo84Ex9VE0gdg-AvdY58qPTcJutYv9biM6lTK1yHtov_xd2WTABeOJdHLuMEJHBYS8h5i0HXcy6Ry9VioiAR78uzIItk3NU9-z8MSI76mTyOv7zMUESQ5YeRvtnTd3WyybXSg4_PeIMICepQ/s5472/IMG_9931.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1YM4y9T4sDCA0mJWrbDJ3MOv36lxwIV6laDzniIVo84Ex9VE0gdg-AvdY58qPTcJutYv9biM6lTK1yHtov_xd2WTABeOJdHLuMEJHBYS8h5i0HXcy6Ry9VioiAR78uzIItk3NU9-z8MSI76mTyOv7zMUESQ5YeRvtnTd3WyybXSg4_PeIMICepQ/w400-h266/IMG_9931.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOwSOeg8OFrE3ragacnbJYD3PH0YSQhoE9I7E3jxar-UTVytRWClOEtlbg8zDjJUZEzYUkDyrLZ91syiCp1_fCYq2_g6uzI2hPBEuOGH8b-NOasQz-bbiWiaMpT1RsFYJQLhN_gPlkygNeS7x_WTKWipqXo2csrmijh8Mkm0U8-3FJqHwRZOEuWQ/s3200/009.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="3200" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOwSOeg8OFrE3ragacnbJYD3PH0YSQhoE9I7E3jxar-UTVytRWClOEtlbg8zDjJUZEzYUkDyrLZ91syiCp1_fCYq2_g6uzI2hPBEuOGH8b-NOasQz-bbiWiaMpT1RsFYJQLhN_gPlkygNeS7x_WTKWipqXo2csrmijh8Mkm0U8-3FJqHwRZOEuWQ/w400-h300/009.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3n2cxGje6nFx9-56bQAoFFoYGD7xW1cLgKTF3WznTTTlYHiUxOw99-htFjuiD2_cA5suYOrijEPlZJJwwllOeRs-hxtednuCfvNEHqgdeqIDmNe-9jT3npW0p6I5OPgAV_ka9sJqEReb58WvfqC0jfYopFRAHHi5Is-xjs5-XDhnJEI8CEeztcg/s2560/Marchsunset2007%20002.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="2560" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3n2cxGje6nFx9-56bQAoFFoYGD7xW1cLgKTF3WznTTTlYHiUxOw99-htFjuiD2_cA5suYOrijEPlZJJwwllOeRs-hxtednuCfvNEHqgdeqIDmNe-9jT3npW0p6I5OPgAV_ka9sJqEReb58WvfqC0jfYopFRAHHi5Is-xjs5-XDhnJEI8CEeztcg/w400-h300/Marchsunset2007%20002.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0g4sLG2ujR29GQ0-HazGrIeKfEvqkMb-bK2-cZdOsPfqzP9YrDKkd8epvCHTQ5Gvss4JU4Ux44HeBNglDQO_xPkm7Fgx1QG8-xlP2tS18LVTqatH8YGnerT8Mpk-c0Sxi6CXWPoR4zD3yik0rsgFSnZO9ieSDEu62a8MwrApPNAnoYyIaIclAJg/s2560/Sunset_March%20035.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="2560" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0g4sLG2ujR29GQ0-HazGrIeKfEvqkMb-bK2-cZdOsPfqzP9YrDKkd8epvCHTQ5Gvss4JU4Ux44HeBNglDQO_xPkm7Fgx1QG8-xlP2tS18LVTqatH8YGnerT8Mpk-c0Sxi6CXWPoR4zD3yik0rsgFSnZO9ieSDEu62a8MwrApPNAnoYyIaIclAJg/w400-h300/Sunset_March%20035.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiybf5EzhQ3Z2luXyhbbe-AwzQce0BU2G-Yks3Sa2WEjTaliSr__O3Xuf3QwdYc9YmDP3ONm5m_rjkIAqh6Bn27PQyCYmZH2dcjBDtQgYWk5aWWoDpoKo6c9ZhEkYpqvaZDRWQ0Eu8PQMe69CCYJUCE2EVur5QBkF9McPX82GJ_H7CbXfz6EVcZ4Q/s2560/Sunset_March%20004.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="2560" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiybf5EzhQ3Z2luXyhbbe-AwzQce0BU2G-Yks3Sa2WEjTaliSr__O3Xuf3QwdYc9YmDP3ONm5m_rjkIAqh6Bn27PQyCYmZH2dcjBDtQgYWk5aWWoDpoKo6c9ZhEkYpqvaZDRWQ0Eu8PQMe69CCYJUCE2EVur5QBkF9McPX82GJ_H7CbXfz6EVcZ4Q/w400-h300/Sunset_March%20004.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrq-tofdxvh-kPh4Vgb4wOT1chLtXQpBhu0H88CZj8RaSL_1QPmQvhs2HJtYlwAJLcnNT_yXEWtYguLrirOeV3B7nSiBghrYUmQZx3IKMATfQgVm6f-URhLVaSfFtUca9-XLZt-pWor6rcJc791YBMJIIIRK_E1-vJNdLDXCGudkrDKrH_tTqAqw/s5472/IMG_2672%20(2).JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrq-tofdxvh-kPh4Vgb4wOT1chLtXQpBhu0H88CZj8RaSL_1QPmQvhs2HJtYlwAJLcnNT_yXEWtYguLrirOeV3B7nSiBghrYUmQZx3IKMATfQgVm6f-URhLVaSfFtUca9-XLZt-pWor6rcJc791YBMJIIIRK_E1-vJNdLDXCGudkrDKrH_tTqAqw/w400-h266/IMG_2672%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMBYVDl5NcMzy1hZ76BTRz2_GxHp78-KWr-75wl0PIj7TNODCvGNvyRHJgzBQiIq_9l_7p5G4x3diSrmTXbLFShr1LkLIscYCVSzwi24Qbr5QUYD6Iykt7_Gcah07gLLubSpBksKfyK_f1_qgxJGcop6sgXZotNZ2wbuolLTXKFVLlxjCUILbPbw/s5472/IMG_2676.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMBYVDl5NcMzy1hZ76BTRz2_GxHp78-KWr-75wl0PIj7TNODCvGNvyRHJgzBQiIq_9l_7p5G4x3diSrmTXbLFShr1LkLIscYCVSzwi24Qbr5QUYD6Iykt7_Gcah07gLLubSpBksKfyK_f1_qgxJGcop6sgXZotNZ2wbuolLTXKFVLlxjCUILbPbw/w400-h266/IMG_2676.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>firstcitybookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00164695572884541605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22260553.post-75585159208989780562023-09-25T16:50:00.008-05:002023-09-25T16:54:38.390-05:00Elusive Turtles<p>The geese, both the adults and the goslings, were strangely absent when I was walking at Lake Jeanette on Sunday. They apparently have gone some place where the grass is watered more often. I have been trying to capture the turtles sunning themselves. They seem to have incredibly sensitive hearing because as soon as I come close, they dive into the water. There are sometimes as many as four turtles on the branch appearing in the picture below. I need to attach a stronger lens to my camera the next time. </p><p>When I was a kid growing up in Maryland, I found a box turtle in the field opposite our house and brought it back to our yard, thinking it would remain there as a pet. Unfortunately, when I looked for it the next day, it had escaped. Since we moved so often and gave away our animals as we moved to my father's new naval duty station, I didn't have a pet of my own, and I think of this turtle as my first pet even though our relationship was brief.</p><p>Clicking on the picture will enlarge it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSta24SwzraFL9vVcHIPKtotyz5_KZZ2HEiKzfDYSnoT2ywNCZ2YjrpwWBC0Spo6TB_qbkTsa5u3977sdN6V7x19P_tZmwCfuXQXtbaPoFtpN_I_ZO-LbXPiib74qJjocALNyyGccnD9U8u-mweqiGiprZVCCPPQhL9gqazCmoxFJnPp3m2TZhcw/s5472/IMG_3383a.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSta24SwzraFL9vVcHIPKtotyz5_KZZ2HEiKzfDYSnoT2ywNCZ2YjrpwWBC0Spo6TB_qbkTsa5u3977sdN6V7x19P_tZmwCfuXQXtbaPoFtpN_I_ZO-LbXPiib74qJjocALNyyGccnD9U8u-mweqiGiprZVCCPPQhL9gqazCmoxFJnPp3m2TZhcw/w400-h266/IMG_3383a.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>firstcitybookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00164695572884541605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22260553.post-42302692384603549892023-08-13T18:20:00.013-05:002023-09-24T10:58:17.033-05:00Native Flowers<p>Occasionally, I have been taking a break from the classes that I have been teaching this summer to cultivate two flowerbeds of native flowers. I transplanted the Black-eyed Susans from another spot in the yard a couple of years ago and have been pleasantly surprised at how abundant they have gotten. I haven't had to do much to the phlox and coneflowers. Although the phlox were slow to bloom, they typically remain in bloom until late summer or early fall. </p><p>I'm reluctant to disturb the soil in these flowerbeds, even though I should add richer soil, because I don't want to lose the seeds from these flowers. I planted more coneflower seeds this spring, but the seeds didn't produce the number of plants that I expected. It may take another year before I will see much more growth.</p><p>I am adding a few pictures of the flowers in my yard. Clicking on each picture will enlarge it. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrfdmC_7cAZ3EVKfNh3krJvo6WMwpSKv49rQ25zrSiilcoGC3e3Fe3fgY_8jSeo9oPM3rPb5dDKeMpvtMhBvIUKRS1lWJo_HmnoWk_BHQAUJPvp3o_B7Q3HC-_mjNrN4NzY4hSnItBlRCqzhWbg61oAF7sVh00E6BghndnKSRtZ0JjyNbERv2Vsg/s5472/IMG_3021.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrfdmC_7cAZ3EVKfNh3krJvo6WMwpSKv49rQ25zrSiilcoGC3e3Fe3fgY_8jSeo9oPM3rPb5dDKeMpvtMhBvIUKRS1lWJo_HmnoWk_BHQAUJPvp3o_B7Q3HC-_mjNrN4NzY4hSnItBlRCqzhWbg61oAF7sVh00E6BghndnKSRtZ0JjyNbERv2Vsg/w400-h266/IMG_3021.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizX6-82wQvWa7FYqK5czmnRX0GLJWkcUeJnaxC-dODRUn_TpkIbX6QfNgsh32SjvrFuRzp08ou_fFLRTG1q3KJQ6Akos6BEgmrAJ11uiPteDrvjW8xrZZN7y66PGjrW0CDwUSbGAYGyYpDjc3a2J2udTHW6g22KQdsgJCFJ0vh-3srOlFkiBe0sQ/s5472/IMG_3059.JPG" style="clear: right; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6V0nsvhNChcB5GH9uE1rn4r0Mt2p3-FrKZ55OLTCRa0iBLn4gcgPZeg0EwVlvtbSrVU2tw92R7Xv4HEbWKXkPQEdg1NQ715_D_HIKR5INLVClVrNukfb0lu2qdpvV3OfVQY3FOfKLj3QNKrLb8G-tdQ6PHkdXtMsQP5DD78z6diOjVB82ikKyLg/s5472/IMG_3636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6V0nsvhNChcB5GH9uE1rn4r0Mt2p3-FrKZ55OLTCRa0iBLn4gcgPZeg0EwVlvtbSrVU2tw92R7Xv4HEbWKXkPQEdg1NQ715_D_HIKR5INLVClVrNukfb0lu2qdpvV3OfVQY3FOfKLj3QNKrLb8G-tdQ6PHkdXtMsQP5DD78z6diOjVB82ikKyLg/w320-h213/IMG_3636.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><i>Rushing Thru the Dark</i>, our autumn journal at Choeofpleirn Press, is now seeking submissions of one-act plays, short screenplays, poetry, and art. We prefer that one-act plays be less than 20 pages and screenplays less than 90 pages. No translations, please. If you are submitting poetry, send no more than three poems. There is no fee to submit unless you wish to be considered for one of our annual awards. Deadline is August 27, 2023. More details can be found on our <a href="https://www.choeofpleirnpress.com" target="_blank">website</a>.<p></p>firstcitybookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00164695572884541605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22260553.post-44160585649600954202023-06-05T17:12:00.002-05:002023-06-05T17:12:56.710-05:00Geese, Goslings, and Great Blue Heron<p>I finally managed to get pictures of the geese and this year's goslings on the grounds of the Veterans Administration. Someone was feeding them bread while I was there, despite the signs warning people not to feed the geese. At one point, the goslings ran toward me, thinking that I was going to feed them as well. I probably would have picked up a package of organic spinach on the way if I had intended to feed them.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFo1S1hHvPelwiUUFsXUcap5scfCcr6cfIwtuShRDRY9zgk9-33cN8qTM4vBQueJYAi45FRmzKG06b94p1K45UN_edTFsvAd-QAq0o3foRuybSJuPS24oW7wVuptXESUdxS1g_DiLjjwV6S3MeUAB9C9NiLUmYGgzArB2meJe2-hyCoE6Rwv4/s5472/IMG_2815b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2831" data-original-width="5472" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFo1S1hHvPelwiUUFsXUcap5scfCcr6cfIwtuShRDRY9zgk9-33cN8qTM4vBQueJYAi45FRmzKG06b94p1K45UN_edTFsvAd-QAq0o3foRuybSJuPS24oW7wVuptXESUdxS1g_DiLjjwV6S3MeUAB9C9NiLUmYGgzArB2meJe2-hyCoE6Rwv4/w400-h208/IMG_2815b.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu8fHizvm9z09CgbH5Zn1x1RBVQqUCtOrlbB2m53G9ldgmj1cLVw9cPWY-JyWoIchEdDOCKRUTNUhqKgpinz5HGcDfO4-KlkO4plf9TixS5nJAXvmIoXpRWJbM_TBHq9mGRKxpjpK57oeuVfblAjxTlfjJyXe8jVTvxrzUWXEq7NWlBFVcjYQ/s5472/IMG_2834bc.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2830" data-original-width="5472" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu8fHizvm9z09CgbH5Zn1x1RBVQqUCtOrlbB2m53G9ldgmj1cLVw9cPWY-JyWoIchEdDOCKRUTNUhqKgpinz5HGcDfO4-KlkO4plf9TixS5nJAXvmIoXpRWJbM_TBHq9mGRKxpjpK57oeuVfblAjxTlfjJyXe8jVTvxrzUWXEq7NWlBFVcjYQ/w400-h206/IMG_2834bc.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnZjniq0cF1QKlcvzltA5l645eaFQ2n96RQzIYUkDQh9dos2kzg9iNJMZnZPxCqmPlShSVawNE9wQ9gLnkBT5QjplvTBaxh25aXKDfRlsPp_gufWsEyi5GK1OV7g4_VQl9pEGYW_G3sNEfweKfC4MCrNk8dSus_7Ou78KObdF3TNPBAS_Ha8/s5472/IMG_2870.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnZjniq0cF1QKlcvzltA5l645eaFQ2n96RQzIYUkDQh9dos2kzg9iNJMZnZPxCqmPlShSVawNE9wQ9gLnkBT5QjplvTBaxh25aXKDfRlsPp_gufWsEyi5GK1OV7g4_VQl9pEGYW_G3sNEfweKfC4MCrNk8dSus_7Ou78KObdF3TNPBAS_Ha8/w400-h266/IMG_2870.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDw_PbWbYyOPgCeXD7kp8liWWognRcfijhGeRf1FrI51CySk5H15r_xmmt9Qjn12STAxbfDv0eLpS0OJztES-gBTADk1OEDL0aKIVyLt5OW7ZSRgKJhf8kBBL7ZGMxPxnYWzTSTkiBoZ1lDKc5mb9cvxgGW7SRFg_oerlH8baDJTrIK5DHMPE/s5472/IMG_2883.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDw_PbWbYyOPgCeXD7kp8liWWognRcfijhGeRf1FrI51CySk5H15r_xmmt9Qjn12STAxbfDv0eLpS0OJztES-gBTADk1OEDL0aKIVyLt5OW7ZSRgKJhf8kBBL7ZGMxPxnYWzTSTkiBoZ1lDKc5mb9cvxgGW7SRFg_oerlH8baDJTrIK5DHMPE/w400-h266/IMG_2883.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>firstcitybookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00164695572884541605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22260553.post-50342587749308063992023-04-16T21:24:00.011-05:002023-04-28T03:59:30.972-05:00Accepting Poetry Chapbooks until April 30<p>Two weeks remain for poets who have not yet published a chapbook or a full-length collection to submit their poetry chapbooks to Choeofpleirn Press. Clicking on the picture below will make the text within the advertisement much clearer.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9-FqPgDvKK4qAjAcC0pm9jk6uUXS6RO_bsG1RqIo5iXlA7fYk4otnH0UZVdZQobFmwCskTEWuy3pvLEouOi2a74KFdz4b1yO213ETHKK9et4LzzjhqK22sn817pJf19akRfIDmTGtFP9vQqOIcQ4JsA1KFsyrxMje5LUrcpfnVVjYQRZW_1g/s940/Jonathan%20Holden%20Poetry%20Chapbook%20Contest250%20(1).jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9-FqPgDvKK4qAjAcC0pm9jk6uUXS6RO_bsG1RqIo5iXlA7fYk4otnH0UZVdZQobFmwCskTEWuy3pvLEouOi2a74KFdz4b1yO213ETHKK9et4LzzjhqK22sn817pJf19akRfIDmTGtFP9vQqOIcQ4JsA1KFsyrxMje5LUrcpfnVVjYQRZW_1g/w400-h335/Jonathan%20Holden%20Poetry%20Chapbook%20Contest250%20(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>firstcitybookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00164695572884541605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22260553.post-82688113903254946902023-04-16T21:15:00.003-05:002023-04-16T21:15:25.017-05:00Open for Submissions<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixkShBRZbCX5F5UCv203LytI3VNZp516n01lHIEjBx_eQdOJSpheMyTd6X2z0xJkAsP7s6Iv47Z7AEm-3sRyjDZVJQoYVUZ604NYPhxN3rdYXnu2ds7UwS63qMiIgFeV60xkYZZZnOpeN8Q256SEi6J4dyNxbLClriCTA2BVEVrBHNQg44R4k/s4088/IMG_0190%20(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2725" data-original-width="4088" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixkShBRZbCX5F5UCv203LytI3VNZp516n01lHIEjBx_eQdOJSpheMyTd6X2z0xJkAsP7s6Iv47Z7AEm-3sRyjDZVJQoYVUZ604NYPhxN3rdYXnu2ds7UwS63qMiIgFeV60xkYZZZnOpeN8Q256SEi6J4dyNxbLClriCTA2BVEVrBHNQg44R4k/w400-h266/IMG_0190%20(3).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>firstcitybookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00164695572884541605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22260553.post-61022156520851886612023-04-11T19:50:00.004-05:002023-04-11T19:52:40.830-05:00Blooming Trees_2023<p>I got away from my desk today for long enough to get a few pictures of the trees in bloom. Pear trees are considered an invasive species where I live; even so, they are some of the first trees to bloom in the spring and are often pretty, despite their appearing ghostlike on occasion.</p><p>I recommend that you click on the first picture and then scroll through the pictures for the best viewing.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8YhBpvESLcBYv6w_FZw438-HBOHoSMZJR1w7Hdyfsh7z6AYiUkHesUdEP7Q0dV8Vk-TuD29lOBr5NBxpEDrSnsbqTRCbvM90OPtB9AD88tejmMeEtVIxETf57dt-6tMBWnJOokPGpTTBjvmysfZcyJUBXcIqe1rsYWXPYFhYOC7QveWmTP0k/s5472/IMG_2762.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8YhBpvESLcBYv6w_FZw438-HBOHoSMZJR1w7Hdyfsh7z6AYiUkHesUdEP7Q0dV8Vk-TuD29lOBr5NBxpEDrSnsbqTRCbvM90OPtB9AD88tejmMeEtVIxETf57dt-6tMBWnJOokPGpTTBjvmysfZcyJUBXcIqe1rsYWXPYFhYOC7QveWmTP0k/w400-h266/IMG_2762.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghCe0SSKD8NtjM1Vlj8FU-KzyHfLerkIAtVujg_u-ADKDnYUPA-U2B58ftzprKsButPfiwrsDRPABLBS9fSLZuSq_IO-JgUPXKJRwbHjgI5MEg04Ek8mOmIwC1lrYpSufxmW_AfcMpY1PRAB770GGwm44sWDeb5Xijxk3rYS1D-wsPco_RAqE/s5472/IMG_2766.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghCe0SSKD8NtjM1Vlj8FU-KzyHfLerkIAtVujg_u-ADKDnYUPA-U2B58ftzprKsButPfiwrsDRPABLBS9fSLZuSq_IO-JgUPXKJRwbHjgI5MEg04Ek8mOmIwC1lrYpSufxmW_AfcMpY1PRAB770GGwm44sWDeb5Xijxk3rYS1D-wsPco_RAqE/w400-h266/IMG_2766.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMuarBFDzHJWizQaROOI6i_zodqeLWqHf6vrEXiuCvKLptBThY_m-fKqQUFnNLyThfYHg3wlATdr247Z1LVlZLdxbjQJs9NdX6szX80VGDn4ZfMfT81X2rj2LSajKvxXcSBja9hG1EGB3A0PunYdTlLbfcQ467x4qICwGWcHfaF_ngnJe3CWM/s5472/IMG_2772.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMuarBFDzHJWizQaROOI6i_zodqeLWqHf6vrEXiuCvKLptBThY_m-fKqQUFnNLyThfYHg3wlATdr247Z1LVlZLdxbjQJs9NdX6szX80VGDn4ZfMfT81X2rj2LSajKvxXcSBja9hG1EGB3A0PunYdTlLbfcQ467x4qICwGWcHfaF_ngnJe3CWM/w400-h266/IMG_2772.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVjQlh5c0zGEZ6z0qsHxr3ysobtIG1uPMIDPn1cCmXfF98f9pgUkIhc7__nEohltk_22e1G6NbwMCJ1u5agiksYUDku9Tsp8S2ab56N3dkcU73sefeyPI1W1Q0czFh0rxd6QjJx4Hly6SdnIcUXkMy-ydSms3UFV3CkZPxTUevXYsM78XVDJI/s5472/IMG_2776.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVjQlh5c0zGEZ6z0qsHxr3ysobtIG1uPMIDPn1cCmXfF98f9pgUkIhc7__nEohltk_22e1G6NbwMCJ1u5agiksYUDku9Tsp8S2ab56N3dkcU73sefeyPI1W1Q0czFh0rxd6QjJx4Hly6SdnIcUXkMy-ydSms3UFV3CkZPxTUevXYsM78XVDJI/w400-h266/IMG_2776.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitIeZeSaZyrN9mVlWTtpKQp5w0VHPO0WYHJgky9XulcEpfFdpeKgURj6dYc4QiTppMa5HPe9530twh7xYpc8_noja6C3TWm-mdFN0aIfCIEQ1obMyXRihFVfDzdl_LRlAAGPyOMg4uZNJMOpbIpisihrms78U1ElLOdrwm0oRQqLigUp_wlcQ/s5472/IMG_2799.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitIeZeSaZyrN9mVlWTtpKQp5w0VHPO0WYHJgky9XulcEpfFdpeKgURj6dYc4QiTppMa5HPe9530twh7xYpc8_noja6C3TWm-mdFN0aIfCIEQ1obMyXRihFVfDzdl_LRlAAGPyOMg4uZNJMOpbIpisihrms78U1ElLOdrwm0oRQqLigUp_wlcQ/w400-h266/IMG_2799.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfHjKVLuFAnyxuAeQUmGa0Dl65xuf4o2Tx0JF1K_EUTCHtLa2-qGNNdZcUCf09NhgiyvS_6maQ0vdqbj9alPVmSB0AtZzwfvZqk2-oUJ45YcjjcjJLFSnqjJKsh4kBI-LFJlnzKFXyOYPCruRv0dWeeybvOhXIgCJ_xBPYb6-qFWYgVtCpLHA/s5472/IMG_2803.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfHjKVLuFAnyxuAeQUmGa0Dl65xuf4o2Tx0JF1K_EUTCHtLa2-qGNNdZcUCf09NhgiyvS_6maQ0vdqbj9alPVmSB0AtZzwfvZqk2-oUJ45YcjjcjJLFSnqjJKsh4kBI-LFJlnzKFXyOYPCruRv0dWeeybvOhXIgCJ_xBPYb6-qFWYgVtCpLHA/w400-h266/IMG_2803.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>firstcitybookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00164695572884541605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22260553.post-33449515957017530252023-02-16T00:16:00.003-06:002023-02-25T01:50:29.866-06:00Homemade Peanut Butter<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnI-gA2o5bgn62lgsl2rV9o0cTqzqFPrkfXx27w9ot0Laq6PoLz2Z9pSWj-VoThqp-4s-7NIu0Ouy1pwYsc9uF-PABnlwXvVgjgShr6KXtlcTD4_QKv09AFthyjC1llKAzG-TV2PgjxVi9Hu5eYcOz9dikPKLLoo1Zecny60-qPkoq2zZn8JI" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2869" data-original-width="3879" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnI-gA2o5bgn62lgsl2rV9o0cTqzqFPrkfXx27w9ot0Laq6PoLz2Z9pSWj-VoThqp-4s-7NIu0Ouy1pwYsc9uF-PABnlwXvVgjgShr6KXtlcTD4_QKv09AFthyjC1llKAzG-TV2PgjxVi9Hu5eYcOz9dikPKLLoo1Zecny60-qPkoq2zZn8JI=w400-h296" width="400" /></a></div>Beginning during the pandemic when places like Natural
Grocers and Whole Foods stopped allowing their customers to grind their own
peanut butter, I have been grinding my peanut butter at home and storing it in the refrigerator. As a vegetarian, I
eat peanut butter daily as a source of protein.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It was often difficult finding enough unsalted peanuts
during the pandemic, and I sometimes ordered peanuts in bulk from New Jersey. More recently, I
have been able to find jars of unsalted peanuts at my local grocery store and
at Whole Foods. I have discovered that the 365 brand from Whole Foods and the
store brand at Price Chopper make more than three large mason jars of peanut
butter while the Planters’ brand makes less than three large mason jars because
of the amount of waste included—that is, the seed coat or the wrapper covering
the peanut.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I made the switch from store bought peanut butter because of
the amount of sugar, particularly the amount of high fructose corn syrup. In an
effort to get away from excess sugar, I began buying the grind-it-yourself peanut
butter at Natural Grocers and Whole Foods. During the pandemic, our son gave us
a peanut grinder for Christmas. It took us a while to figure out that we still needed
to chop the nuts first before transferring them. I am at the point now that I
can grind six pounds of peanut butter in an hour. Cleaning up afterwards is a
bit of a chore. I usually soak the peanut grinder for a few hours first.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My students in one writing class are currently working on
their information essay, which requires that they describe how to do something
that they know well. If it were me, I would be describing how to make peanut
butter.<o:p></o:p></p>
<i>Addendum</i><div><br /></div><div>I am adding two pictures from my most recent batch of peanut butter. I had to use four pounds of Planter peanuts this time, so the peanut butter is a bit dark because of the wrappers covering so many of the peanuts. I tried sifting them, but it didn't help.</div><div><br /></div><div>These pictures come from the end of the process. The peanut butter left in the drum and on the stones fill up the third jar. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpM7wVSUdsa_mbM_u0T-zApOrl1V0Yr9mTxdLlbsTLs9ULSIqZsTyqv46r3xgZqZAtb7EpAP1JcZU1NHnyOlhpiMG429an2UotUG7cIpVK5DVP_OpON3a3rbQxKNvomkAd1jq1c2re_lS-qI-vH-AnQQP_8ruwd3eZYASP7AosQZVu2K7YiPI/s4911/IMG_2710%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="4911" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpM7wVSUdsa_mbM_u0T-zApOrl1V0Yr9mTxdLlbsTLs9ULSIqZsTyqv46r3xgZqZAtb7EpAP1JcZU1NHnyOlhpiMG429an2UotUG7cIpVK5DVP_OpON3a3rbQxKNvomkAd1jq1c2re_lS-qI-vH-AnQQP_8ruwd3eZYASP7AosQZVu2K7YiPI/w400-h297/IMG_2710%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT2m-bUJBCNh1fw4mapcAHZcP1LgMwOvA94WeLpukJwkaJRL3WROdNDWW8hrkFYaUR9tBATToyqu6epT5moMxo10QeWsCuJXXMvk_VxDI8piSpSL4LPZ-DNp_kZx4s8nNH42hNXgTwIy3XTAo2h7cg-DBSsd1hZzVCtvDHHRDgG0PLqg3ISQo/s5472/IMG_2714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT2m-bUJBCNh1fw4mapcAHZcP1LgMwOvA94WeLpukJwkaJRL3WROdNDWW8hrkFYaUR9tBATToyqu6epT5moMxo10QeWsCuJXXMvk_VxDI8piSpSL4LPZ-DNp_kZx4s8nNH42hNXgTwIy3XTAo2h7cg-DBSsd1hZzVCtvDHHRDgG0PLqg3ISQo/w400-h266/IMG_2714.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div>firstcitybookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00164695572884541605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22260553.post-58321048177869296562023-02-15T14:21:00.003-06:002023-02-16T00:21:57.831-06:00Reading in 2022<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8dT1ou5aK0yXKyPl1YWJVQWa3IH_aoJx0rkBL_zNcaTWCmOC4hFwPWU6F-6XM6U2iXqUMYm4BVTniAFm6oDyJCiyY1FT8lxsPws23M0bh4H7L97pm2ASxzKRLq2Vr2P2bIlvGdApfJgWRABQymVr2Szumyg7Gv5CPTamE5zWFnIT2w2mxcsg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8dT1ou5aK0yXKyPl1YWJVQWa3IH_aoJx0rkBL_zNcaTWCmOC4hFwPWU6F-6XM6U2iXqUMYm4BVTniAFm6oDyJCiyY1FT8lxsPws23M0bh4H7L97pm2ASxzKRLq2Vr2P2bIlvGdApfJgWRABQymVr2Szumyg7Gv5CPTamE5zWFnIT2w2mxcsg=w133-h200" width="133" /></a></div>I added twenty-two books to my LibraryThing account in 2022,
eight of which are ones published by Choeofpleirn Press, the press that my wife and I run. Until I got the six books that my wife and son gave me
for Christmas (five collections of poetry and one anthology of poetry), I had
only purchased eight books during the year—<i>Mood Swings</i>, a collection of stories about jazz by Bill Moody, and books of poetry by Elizabeth Tibbets (<i>Say What You Can</i>), Ada
Limon (<i>The Hurting Kind</i>, <i>The Carrying</i>, & <i>Bright Dead Things</i>), Maggie Smith
(<i>Good Bones</i>), Tony Hoagland (<i>Turn Up the Ocean</i>), and Joseph Millar (<i>Dark
Harvest</i>).<p></p><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">During the year, I also finally renewed my library card and checked out Ada Limon’s <i>Sharks in the Rivers</i> and Melissa Fite
Johnson’s <i>While the Kettle’s On</i>, along with a few other titles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Writing poetry regularly, and reading poetry as an editor, has
led to my emphasis on poetry in my own reading. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There are other books that I want to read, such as Adam Minter’s
<i>Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale</i>, and I plan to get to them at
some point.<o:p></o:p></p>firstcitybookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00164695572884541605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22260553.post-44823210656312957572022-12-31T11:32:00.009-06:002022-12-31T21:38:07.276-06:00Jazz Selections for 2022<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal">My selections for the year’s best jazz releases appear
below. I discovered some of these releases while I was sick with Covid and only
able to sit in front of the television. I called up YouTube and added Gondwana
Records in the search bar and then while bundled up in blankets, I started
listening to Jasmine Myra and Chip Wickham.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There were a few other releases that I discovered during the
year, but I haven’t listened to them often enough to make a definitive decision
as of yet. Sometimes I return to records released in previous years, such as Stan
Getz and Charlie Byrd’s <i>Jazz Samba</i>, which was released in 1962 and which I prefer over the album <i>Getz/Gilberto</i>. I also stumble onto more recent releases that I had missed when they were initially released, such as Hania Rani's <i>Esja</i>.<i><o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My selections below appear in no particular order. Three of them can be found at <a href="https://gondwanarecords.bandcamp.com/music" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a>. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jasmine Myra, <i>Horizons </i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRT765qrUA545YDgtFvGfDa9cYAyyVUf3Ngh-2WFPJHLcRxQRWk0P9S9IIZTACBZQGGG1_1WRuZtA48DEU7esv7j11zP_NIPtoT-WnfTNp4DUr4izIQqi80diupmOGqPREDIyy8hU-Ra3hwlMcRfJON4dPpLnbvi1kCCNcfAlk6XvI-zfdzKA" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRT765qrUA545YDgtFvGfDa9cYAyyVUf3Ngh-2WFPJHLcRxQRWk0P9S9IIZTACBZQGGG1_1WRuZtA48DEU7esv7j11zP_NIPtoT-WnfTNp4DUr4izIQqi80diupmOGqPREDIyy8hU-Ra3hwlMcRfJON4dPpLnbvi1kCCNcfAlk6XvI-zfdzKA=w200-h200" width="200" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">This debut album contains Jasmine Myra's own compositions and a band of talented musicians from the north of England. One memorable track is titled "Words Left Unspoken," which was written for Myra's grandmother who died during the pandemic. Many of the titles emphasize distance and create an overall melancholic feel to the music. Even so, this album places emphasis on melody. One critic when reviewing this album called for more dissonance, which wouldn't have fit at all. I look forward to hearing more of Jasmine Myra's music.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Chip Wickham, <i>Astral Traveling</i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxRWC4zs35zQf2Lkd6sAK5usH-K7Gm5g0bKKVQ-JfsWd3Dmc2u4I7z8soW6zK-v0qd0MJ7bQ3ZJpqrVIvcx9kcOIoBEK1mN3YDZ_qeT4j1APJu5PD7IcNGDqPEjb18UdUROTTl6u8rwQVF3asqfd44oTgMLxWgGHL45wMRHWx4nvHH2uKktWA" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxRWC4zs35zQf2Lkd6sAK5usH-K7Gm5g0bKKVQ-JfsWd3Dmc2u4I7z8soW6zK-v0qd0MJ7bQ3ZJpqrVIvcx9kcOIoBEK1mN3YDZ_qeT4j1APJu5PD7IcNGDqPEjb18UdUROTTl6u8rwQVF3asqfd44oTgMLxWgGHL45wMRHWx4nvHH2uKktWA=w200-h200" width="200" /></a></div>Released as a kind of preview to Wickham's <i>Cloud 10, </i>this album of three tracks, containing 22 minutes of music, is meant to be savored during the quiet times of day. The title track emphasizes the harp and Wickham's tenor saxophone. Wickham's flute is more prominent on "Sais (Egypt)." If I were one to astral project, I would want to return to my body to hear this music. <br /><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Matthew Halsall, <i>Changing Earth </i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqAurvRYzdcZ06ZxRxuuamPXeruGn9RHTo0RFq1Da0MjWKwBgzxG9m_7FkWPbyLFMQ-cLJW5n-rRtPbmRBSXHYUVG-mqpKmlYu_tZlI_D8gcyLWq3czQoStGAVQb18wC7P3zDnisczorqhgyMrQzqwXTXYbO8Z6HMslbUulURX7hgoZN6H8Lo" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqAurvRYzdcZ06ZxRxuuamPXeruGn9RHTo0RFq1Da0MjWKwBgzxG9m_7FkWPbyLFMQ-cLJW5n-rRtPbmRBSXHYUVG-mqpKmlYu_tZlI_D8gcyLWq3czQoStGAVQb18wC7P3zDnisczorqhgyMrQzqwXTXYbO8Z6HMslbUulURX7hgoZN6H8Lo=w200-h200" width="200" /></a></div><br /><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One memorable track from this EP is the one named "Upper Space." The return of the melody towards the close of this track makes me want to hit the repeat button and to listen to the entire album again and again. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Tord Gustavsen Trio, <i>Opening </i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0_vUW8_w71GzDz_c9B2uNNcONBXCAUUQBf6aAzOyFDYI6b69O_TzjDoK3bQP501mGsbGewGLYxJHuatw9v0TRwrAHmwCK-dFbPpizV4tU0tMiW1lfxiQT1mapZs5LxxjySm6adCs4oVYpbFGFWD2XE6IOzCkysTllhVaezLo6r8C85xHPDdo" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0_vUW8_w71GzDz_c9B2uNNcONBXCAUUQBf6aAzOyFDYI6b69O_TzjDoK3bQP501mGsbGewGLYxJHuatw9v0TRwrAHmwCK-dFbPpizV4tU0tMiW1lfxiQT1mapZs5LxxjySm6adCs4oVYpbFGFWD2XE6IOzCkysTllhVaezLo6r8C85xHPDdo=w200-h200" width="200" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The addition of Steiner Raknes on bass has allowed Tord Gustavsen to experiment with different sounds. This album has been one that has been playing in my alarm clock for several months now. I love waking up to it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><o:p></o:p><p></p>firstcitybookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00164695572884541605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22260553.post-87492700991884235552022-12-06T21:43:00.011-06:002024-01-07T12:42:21.268-06:00Background Behind Chapbook<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The author copies of my chapbook <i>Listening for Low Tide</i>
arrived yesterday. I am very pleased to see twenty-five of my poems brought together
in this chapbook. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhanFmkVpjcv6ZYZQ0bS9sSwY5ehJ_x9Qjr5eQrkp2c5ZZtgGBF0H2Ymvd6qYy7EMfmEWu94uDheE530jvQhTPA88s5EksicxspgD5jFDZSmQqmg9lTqvqTxa-pHeFA5n3iq_6rq0ULhJg1U8HpzJuMUpKqfPu-_kReq-J9RcyefeNiZzSvzNw/s1500/715NyKY6Y1L.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhanFmkVpjcv6ZYZQ0bS9sSwY5ehJ_x9Qjr5eQrkp2c5ZZtgGBF0H2Ymvd6qYy7EMfmEWu94uDheE530jvQhTPA88s5EksicxspgD5jFDZSmQqmg9lTqvqTxa-pHeFA5n3iq_6rq0ULhJg1U8HpzJuMUpKqfPu-_kReq-J9RcyefeNiZzSvzNw/w213-h320/715NyKY6Y1L.jpg" width="213" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">These poems were written over a period of about thirty-four
years. The earliest one, “Sitting Alone, Listening,” dates from 1987 or 1988. That
poem was a breakthrough poem for me because it contained my natural writing
voice. Both my wife and my friend Derick Burleson have said a lot of good things about this poem; that's partly why it's included.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What connects these poems is an emphasis on listening. I am
acutely aware of sound, and that awareness makes itself known in these poems.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I probably have spent hundreds of dollars entering chapbook
contests. Over a period of years, I took out poems, added other ones, rearranged
the poems, and changed the title several times, only to have editors say things
like your poems emphasize a single theme, or your poems are too prosy and too
subtle.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After seeing my wife format the winning chapbook and the
finalist for our first chapbook contest, and after seeing how well they looked, I decided to let her set up my chapbook.
She had been encouraging me to publish with our press, Choeofpleirn Press. We
started with a trial chapbook a few months ago. That chapbook then went through
another revision, and I solicited blurbs before we published <i>Listening for Low
Tide</i>. Although we could have used a picture from Canva, I decided to use one of
my own pictures. The cover picture may seem out of place with the idea
of a low tide, but the picture matches what appears in the title poem.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thirteen of the twenty-five poems are appearing for the
first time in this chapbook. One downside to including poems not having been published first in literary journals is that I now have fewer poems to send out,
but that problem provides more incentive to write new poems and to revise some
of the other poems that I have written.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">A paper copy of my chapbook is available at <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Listening-Low-Tide-James-Cooper/dp/B0BMSZSBVC/ref=sr_1_2?crid=12KBHSH7J6I3O&keywords=james+p+cooper&qid=1670384854&sprefix=%2Caps%2C99&sr=8-2" target="_blank">Amazon</a>. An ebook for less money is available directly through our press, <a href="https://www.choeofpleirnpress.com/bookstore" target="_blank">Choeofpleirn Press</a>.</p><p class="MsoNormal">With the exception of a revised "Kneeling in Prayer," the poems of mine included within this blog are not part of this chapbook. Some of the poems can be found at the following links: <a href="https://www.applevalleyreview.org/spring-2021/james-p-cooper" target="_blank">Apple Valley Review</a> and <a href="https://dragonpoetreview.files.wordpress.com/2018/09/summer-fall-2018-issue-dragon-poet-review1.pdf" target="_blank">Dragon Poet Review</a> and <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/45fb31cc/files/uploaded/POETiCA%20REViEW%20Summer%202022%20Issue%2014%281%29.pdf" target="_blank">Poetica Review</a>. Those poems published at <i>Dragon Poet Review</i> have undergone a few revisions. "Stenciling Another Kill" in <i>Poetica Review</i> has been revised as well. <i>Apple Valley Review</i> nominated "Those Nights" for the Pushcart.</p>firstcitybookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00164695572884541605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22260553.post-27269629475663022382022-11-28T23:58:00.003-06:002022-11-29T01:06:00.973-06:00Text to Accompany Previous Post<p>The programming, for some reason, wouldn't let me add text after I added the pictures in the previous post. I was going to say that these pictures capture my collection of autumn color for 2022. These pictures cover about a twenty day period, with the first picture taken on October 8 and the last one taken on October 29.</p><p>One of these pictures was posted earlier. I am adding it again because it is one of my favorites.</p><p>I hope those of you who come to this blog find something to like in these pictures.</p><p>I recommend that you click on the first picture and then scroll through them.</p>firstcitybookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00164695572884541605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22260553.post-64290736375135542272022-11-28T23:47:00.001-06:002022-11-28T23:47:37.091-06:00Autumn Colors_2022<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzD27TjVQUk6y-WJbuoQoFfKCRrXGV1kktMNSCtcsmFh0aoZjQWt_bMLJ4CEErLTiuLtJhHZLiu-lGO4rIoGMGZE-SOAeekA4hvWxrRxoLaaKf6JrFRcGt7u9jOjt0r8JLoFKKeVlbzWJjMgGzV-0yXlvEKSEcTdqRicrAnq-jcF6wmEGF-Oo/s4896/IMG_2415%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3619" data-original-width="4896" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzD27TjVQUk6y-WJbuoQoFfKCRrXGV1kktMNSCtcsmFh0aoZjQWt_bMLJ4CEErLTiuLtJhHZLiu-lGO4rIoGMGZE-SOAeekA4hvWxrRxoLaaKf6JrFRcGt7u9jOjt0r8JLoFKKeVlbzWJjMgGzV-0yXlvEKSEcTdqRicrAnq-jcF6wmEGF-Oo/w400-h296/IMG_2415%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPw8ambtudeQafZnnlazttTMbZvtfl3ni8ArUt_ZyBvYMkg-PsmaEZStfOYMI8VTs2uZMSyZ35b9esExkbQtVMtm2GWwu3US4cJreel0RHw5gNwxeKhLnVDw8tIIvac-SwS5izAaRRwdPwK0G_TiDC4sKbev--_aEJpeM7ITOGKCR1FeBkJIk/s5472/IMG_2549%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPw8ambtudeQafZnnlazttTMbZvtfl3ni8ArUt_ZyBvYMkg-PsmaEZStfOYMI8VTs2uZMSyZ35b9esExkbQtVMtm2GWwu3US4cJreel0RHw5gNwxeKhLnVDw8tIIvac-SwS5izAaRRwdPwK0G_TiDC4sKbev--_aEJpeM7ITOGKCR1FeBkJIk/w400-h266/IMG_2549%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFb1StCgbMvGNKnSVnl9ZcaOkpW_mN7y8RU5BWsrm1TijEr47Fge_uQPEWl_ZDrTnobm9w9CQqzN-efGBoQ-6wGcNkeefCmoA7b0RyHbhuxVlpaOz4KPUJ8hdT0ZbJuWCe7KGlaIC_oby719XObiPykoIT__eNBgVB788iDsDgwZQb6xNUugI/s5472/IMG_2555%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLFWqeMtpYDJj6Ff2MfeGnicwYwT1rHunYRTRZveAtFeBsz0ucABjtBrou68Njw5rzjcPPbbxQ0QDG6kP5vrY38qgaCAh8qGSb1KTEQh0U2tAWDWmo8afTcUJG9zTg01ihmdOrMX_cgCss8zzLyObOZ9RX-XVlTQeMGtmSBVYBwuZj5U6MXZI/s5472/IMG_2648%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLFWqeMtpYDJj6Ff2MfeGnicwYwT1rHunYRTRZveAtFeBsz0ucABjtBrou68Njw5rzjcPPbbxQ0QDG6kP5vrY38qgaCAh8qGSb1KTEQh0U2tAWDWmo8afTcUJG9zTg01ihmdOrMX_cgCss8zzLyObOZ9RX-XVlTQeMGtmSBVYBwuZj5U6MXZI/w400-h266/IMG_2648%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>firstcitybookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00164695572884541605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22260553.post-74676085127923510722022-11-20T14:41:00.014-06:002022-12-09T20:14:47.942-06:00Listening for Low Tide<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEcdwxplL6Z9nD730-VkCVinWpMMeqt6yN0njlBLQVRH_UroXHXMUYE62ZcHOVehgVoXyC4THD57v2LomWrqSzNQsRbhbR7q3ZZxnFuiBvfv3mhWT7N_NSzdVPjcp_CMeJrjnfjAhzLttPaO0yPc1pAPFL1XHq0vU8VwlpISc7Zas9buwujjk/s1500/715NyKY6Y1L.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEcdwxplL6Z9nD730-VkCVinWpMMeqt6yN0njlBLQVRH_UroXHXMUYE62ZcHOVehgVoXyC4THD57v2LomWrqSzNQsRbhbR7q3ZZxnFuiBvfv3mhWT7N_NSzdVPjcp_CMeJrjnfjAhzLttPaO0yPc1pAPFL1XHq0vU8VwlpISc7Zas9buwujjk/w266-h400/715NyKY6Y1L.jpg" width="266" /></a><i>Listening for Low Tide</i>, my chapbook containing twenty-five poems, is now available through Amazon at the following <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BMSZSBVC/ref=sr_1_2?crid=30LAKXJHDI24I&keywords=james+p.+cooper&qid=1668974877&s=books&sprefix=james+p.+cooper%2Cstripbooks%2C122&sr=1-2" target="_blank">link</a>. The cover picture was taken from this blog and can be found in the entry for December 20, 2015. </p><p>The blurbs are a bit hard to read on the picture that I downloaded from Amazon, so I am adding them here.</p><p class="MsoNormal">"James Cooper’s <i>Listening for Low Tide</i> is a collection
of poems that keeps us listening for the sound of a limb breaking from a
beloved tree, for train whistles cutting through the night, engines revving,
and neighbors next door. These poems take us from overseas “where I guarded
three nuclear bombs” to Northern Ireland where the poet writes a postcard to a
friend back in Kansas, to an airport in Pratt, Kansas where he watches penned
cattle surely bound for slaughter. The
images in these poems are clear, fresh, and photographic, sometimes tinged with
loss, other times with love. I am
reminded of two other poignant Midwest voices, William Stafford and Ted Kooser,
who pay attention to the things most of us miss and bring them to us as gifts
of language. In Cooper’s poem, “Memorial
Day,” we encounter hundreds of moths, “millers to us,” with a kind of
delightful specificity that has us batting at them like the cat, “ghosts
haunting the air above the house.” These poems will haunt you in a good way,
like the millers, letting loose the ghosts of people, places, and events
stuffed away in the trunk of memory."<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">--Anita Skeen<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">Series Editor, Wheelbarrow Books<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">Founding Director, Michigan State University Center for
Poetry<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">_____________________<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">"The poems in this volume listen as much as they speak. The
voices of frogs, geese and katydids coexist with the sounds of jackhammers,
chainsaws and trucks bound for slaughterhouses. As such, there is a gentle,
pastoral quality that overlays the subtle urgencies of potential violence and
destruction. These core tensions are ever present and well-wrought in Cooper’s
thoughtful poems."<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">--Mark Cox, author of <i>Sorrow Bread, Poems 1984-2015</i>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">_____________________<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">"In <i>Listening for Low Tide</i>, the further, more distant
tide without which nothing continues, James Cooper moves the reader through a
deceptively quiet, sometimes lonely world. At times, the poems offer an
understated spookiness where a man alone puts into words things so large that
only offering the small things of a life may offer clarity. Cooper’s poems also
are lovingly threaded with an interior music."<o:p></o:p></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal">--Pamela (Jody) Stewart, author of <i>This Momentary World:
Selected Poems.</i><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></p></div>firstcitybookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00164695572884541605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22260553.post-59502933760376806692022-11-15T23:44:00.001-06:002022-11-15T23:46:21.519-06:00Spider Central<p>"Spider Central," another poem of mine, is now available at the online journal <i>Abandoned Mine</i>. Use the following link to read my <a href="https://www.abandonedmine.org/spider-central-james-p-cooper" target="_blank">poem</a>. </p><p>When our insurance agent was walking through the house that my wife and I were in the midst of buying, he commented on the number of spiders in eastern Kansas. I don't remember whether he referred to this area as spider central. His words about the number of spiders have come true. I don't remember seeing as many spiders anywhere else where I have lived.</p>firstcitybookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00164695572884541605noreply@blogger.com0