Bartram & The Seminole King From Bartram’s Travels, published 1791 Alachua Indians AFTER crossing over this point or branch of the marshes, we entered a noble forest, the land level, and the soil fertile, being a loose, dark brown, coarse sandy loam, on a clay or marley foundation; the forests were Orange groves, overtoped by … Continue reading Bartram & The Seminole King – A Quaker Lenten Meditation
William Bartram, A Quaker Lenten Journey: Up To His Ass In Alligators William Bartram, traveling by canoe alone, somewhere in Florida, circa 1773. What I’m reflecting on: this was what he most wanted to do, what he felt was his leading. (I have divided some of his long sentences & longer paragraphs, for modern readers. … Continue reading William Bartram: Up To His A** In Alligators
‘Why I Am Not A Progressive Quaker” – A Response A few thoughts on Jim Wilson’s post, “Why I am Not a Progressive Quaker.” First, I appreciate that he appears to have read my books on the Progressive Friends movement before commenting on them; not all reviewers take that much time. Second, he credits the Progressive … Continue reading ‘Why I Am Not A Progressive Quaker” – A Response
“You been hitch-hiking all the way?”
“Oh no,” he said. “Only here and there. Out to the camp in Manzanar, where there wasn’t any bus or taxi. And a stretch in Mississippi, after we got bumped from a train by some war shipments or other.
He shook his head. “Same thing happened in Cleveland. The army wants a train, they get it. Then you either wait for the next train, or find some other way. I couldn’t wait anymore, so here I am. That happened to you? Getting bumped from a train, I mean.”
“Um,” I stumbled, “not recently.” I was sure now that I was carrying some kind of mental case. Probably harmless, but not operating in the same dimension.
A blast of static from the radio caught his attention. “That a ball game?” he asked.
“Yeah,” I said. Pirates and the Cubs.”
“Is that so?” He seemed puzzled. “They in spring training?”
“No,” I began, but then stopped. I had a feeling it wouldn’t do any good to explain that the season was half over. His time sense was clearly out of whack. “Cubs are ahead,” I said lamely.
“Don’t have a radio in my truck,” he said. “Too bad. It’d be good to listen to on some of my runs to the camps.” He rubbed his hands together. “I’d a driven it out here if I could, but o’ course, you can’t get gas, what with the rationing and all.”
While I was trying to remember when there had been gas rationing, he looked around the interior of my Toyota. “Real nice car you got here, friend. You maybe working in the war effort?”
The question caught me off guard. “I-I guess you could say that,” I answered. After all, I thought, what else is designing parts for missiles?
My hesitation seemed to embarrass him. “Gosh, Mr. Nelson, I don’t mean to be asking sensitive questions,” he said hurriedly. “I’m not digging for military secrets or anything. It’s just hard to get away from the war, you know?”
missile-launch
A home run?
“Yeah,” I said, “I know.”
Yes! It’s okay to think about Valentine’s Day again. And so . . . Coming Wednesday: A Quaker Valentine Story Watch This Space . . . . Meanwhile, some items of research data on Quakers and love: In the mid 1820s, President Andrew Jackson rewarded a Philadelphia supporter by appointing his son Richard a secretary … Continue reading To All Romantic Friends: Coming Wednesday – A Quaker Valentine Story