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Blogging Outdoors Under Real Leaves

Who were the first "bloggers" in the English language? Arguably they lived in the 18th century. They were fellows like Addison & Steele, Samuel Johnson, and Benjamin Franklin. They wrote with a goose quill stylus and paper instead of a laptop of course. But the term, blogger, still seems right since they wrote personal essays on a wide variety of topics.

Sometimes they wrote in a hurry, as Johnson admitted to. There are advantages to both slow and fast writing. If the blogger is working on a difficult theme, the slow approach works best.

But fast writing can better capture the spirit and mood of the writer. Sometimes that is the better approach, such as when a traveler arrives in town and feels a bit giddy because things are working out better than he expected. Don't let anybody tell you that concerns and worries are terrible and negative things. Without them, how could we have upside surprises?

I'm having one right now -- right this minute -- in Glenwood, NM. This time I didn't have to get towed 50 miles back to Silver City. I'm behind the library on long picnic tables, sucking wi-fi (open 24 hours) from the library, and charging everything up with my 100 foot long extension cord.

I could be working inside the rig, parked nearby in the parking lot. But it's so much more sensuous here under the shade of an ash tree, with cool breezes ruffling its leaves. In the interior West you can only find a real tree -- one with leaves instead of needles -- in town. But city noise is so oppressive that it just isn't worth it.

Ahh, but it is in a little burg like Glenwood. I took my siesta stretched out on this hard picnic table and looked up at the fluttering ash leaves.

Camping with the Quest-for-Community caravan has reminded how much I miss sitting outside in warm air, with shade. Why should someone have to be reminded of that? So I bought my first folding chair in years!

All it takes is a nice breeze and you won't feel warm in single-digit relative humidity. In the mountains outside Glenwood, that same humidity is responsible for a small forest fire. It's that time of year.

Comments

NE-er said…
Been there, done that, LOVE Glenwood.
I'd like to "meet up" with your happy caravan on my way to meet the WIN's and kayak (June 11th/Moab,UT). Obviously, I'm a New Mexican and it wouldn't be that far. I'll be "freshly retired!"

Is that allowed - or is the community by "invitation only?" I won't be offended if it isn't.

I loved the photo of you with your aging poodle on Randy's blog...
Desert Diva,
You are hereby invited. (grin). I think we are on your way, if you were planning on the route through Western NM.

At the moment we are dispersed. I am furthest along, at Glenwood. Laurie is along your way too, at Bayard (Silver City). Email me and I'll forward your email to her. (occupation_of_independence@yahoo.com (note the underlines are not hyphens.)