Comments on: Holey water

By: Roundrock Journal » Blog Archive » The Quotable Tree The second Festival of the Trees

Tue, 01 Aug 2006 21:28:13 +0000

[...] Or cures warts. Dave Bonta, host of the first Festival of the Trees at Via Negativa, writes in Holey Water of “pans” in trees and stumps that collect water as well as human lore. As always, Dave’s post is thoughtful from many points of view. [...]

By: Dave

Dave — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 00:32:26 +0000

St. Antonym – Thanks for that reaction, and I’m sorry it languished for so long in my spam folder.

I can’t ever get over that strangeness.

Yeah. Actually, I find that any imaginative journey into the past of this country is a journey into radical strangeness, perhaps because we’re not used to thinking about this same landscape (more or less) inhabited by people who acted and thought so differently from ourselves.

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 17:49:03 +0000

Pablo – Thanks. It was your mention of Tom Sawyer, I think, that really put me on the right track here.

Peter – You and me both. I gather that the most impressive old-growth forest in England is called the New Forest. (Well, what can you expect from people who drive on the left?)

qB – I’m surprised your son won’t read it. I remember devouring the book at the age of ten, staying up all night at my grandparents’ house. But then again, I grew up in the country – a lot of things in the book resonated with me.

maria – You’re welcome!

beth – Thanks. This is actually that turtle I found down below the railroad crossing, which I mentioned a little while back.

By: beth

beth — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 00:54:59 +0000

I’d forgotten the Tom Sawyer quote but remembered when I read it. Love that folk-poem-charm. But it’s that photo of the turtle that I love best – something about box turtles has always touched me, and this is a really good shot.

By: St Antonym

St Antonym — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 19:48:42 +0000

I’m surprised at myself, that the casual use of “nigger” in Tom Sawyer still makes me wince. Especially since, in this passage, he’s barely human (no name, just a nigger and, besides, they’re all liars).

Then again, the casual use of “nigga” in rap also makes me wince (and I love rap).

I’m not really saying anything here, other than observing my own reaction. I approve of Mark Twain , I approve of his unvarnished use of language, and I approve of your quotation of it.

Still, what a strange society that must have been for a black person to live in. I can’t ever get over that strangeness.

By: maria

maria — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 17:26:50 +0000

Well, I learned something new today… Thanks for this informative and entertaining post!

By: qB

qB — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 13:56:02 +0000

I love that section you quote from Tom Sawyer. It’s always stayed in my mind for some reason, particularly the rhyme. I’m trying to persuade my son to read it but with no success.

By: Peter

Peter — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 13:31:26 +0000

Now that I have some appreciation for these pans, I’d love to go to Britain and see those beech forests Marchand mentions.

Great shots, incidentally.

By: pablo

pablo — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 12:40:22 +0000

Well said and well observed.