Happy Monday, folks!
The mine that is the thrift store has yielded another gem: a camo “Miss Utility” 811 hat with an American Flag on the back. Now I can hide in the woods, jump out, and tell the shocked bystanders “Hey, call before you dig, OK?”
Needless to say, it’s on my head this morning. It also doubles as a hunting hat. Now, I’m vegetarian, but I’m hunting for wins, man! Here’s the weekly letter, published in The Nighthawk. Enjoy!
Letters from Josh
Letters from Dad Letter 92 7/26/22
Howdy, folks! Well, it’s certainly been a bit warm out there, eh? I’m typing this from a coffee shop in downtown Lynchburg. The sun is cooking the pavement outside, and I lurk like caffeinated lizard, sipping a cuppa joe and trying not run up the walls. If I had the proper lizard feet, I certainly would be on the ceiling right now. The White Hart Cafe has a strong brew in the pot today, and it’s got me ENERGIZED. But, I’ll stay grounded, both by lack of sticky pads on my toes, and a slight remembrance of social graces, and write you a note instead. I checked the PO box the other day, and got a letter from my father. He sent me an excerpt from A Song for Nagasaki (Paul Glynn.) You might enjoy this. “There are some people who write haiku poetry to make a living. You know what I think? We should make our living become haiku poetry. You might toil in a clatter factory or on a tossing fishing boat or be battling to make a living in a dingy shop. There are people who have written inspiring haiku poems in such unpoetic situations. And we, if we really want to, can make any occupation, and twenty-four hours of each day, into a poem. Of course, first we have to create a heart that is both serious and light! We have to gaze below the surface of things, search out the hidden beauty that is everywhere and discover the glorious things all around us. Then each day becomes a haiku poem.” Now that’s kinda nifty, isn’t it? Speaking of poetry, even if we don’t live it all the time, do you write it? If you’d like a poem to be featured in this publication, send it along for consideration! PO Box 783, Rustburg, VA 24588. And if you’ve never written a poem, you might try it. I got a call from a buddy earlier who was having a hard time. I mean, what do you do with the most difficult things in life? Sometimes it’s cathartic to put the grit into words. Perhaps you’re happy and content. It’s nice to note that down. Writing to be silly is a favorite pastime of mine, too. Check it, I’ll make something up right now, rolling with the ol’ 5-7-5 syllable rule of haiku:
I like coffee black
“Like my heart” I often joke
Strong enough to fly
Some news from the countryside you might enjoy: The Chicory is blooming in full splendor, gracing the roadsides and meadows with a celestial blue. So is the Nighshade. The flowers remind me of stars that are sleeping in the field after a hard night’s work. The strange, thorny plants low to the ground remind me of something a witch would grow in her magical garden. The crows found a hawk the other day, and yelled “GET OFF MY LAWN” until he left. The bees are living up to their reputation, and one of the hives has filled two “supers” (boxes) full of honey! What amazing little critters they are. They’re also getting a bit grumpy as the season progresses, and buzzed me while I was trying to give them a new jar of sugar water. “Hey, that’s no way to treat your sugar daddy!” was my admonishment. Stay cool, y’all!
- Josh
Downtown Lynchburg cooks up cool lines in the summer heat