April 20, 2024: The First Dandelion of Spring, 2024
A seasonal rite of passage, for sure. In most places, crocuses are the first sign of spring. Here in Alaska, it’s the ubiquitous dandelion, a plant, a garden pest most consider to be a weed. I saw my first dandelion of the season in front of a brick wall here at the Wingate Motel. It was bordered by green grass. Most likely the wall was warm, and this enabled the dandelion to grow more quickly. There is now heat coming from the sun. I used to equate heat coming from the sun with February. This year, February was dark and cold. I am reveling now in what is better weather. I am right now attempting to keep two things in mind. Once again, one of these thoughts has escaped me. This happens a lot to me. I can no longer line up my ducks and expect them to not wander off. This, I am told, is not dementia, but rather is aging. I’m going to counter whatever the reason for this might be by writing things down. I will call this journal “One, Two, Three: Three, Two, One: A list of mental lost and found items.” Well, I tell you, I am no less imaginative than I was ten years ago. In fact, I might now be even more imaginative. |
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Because I am tired, writing this dispatch is requiring single minded intensity of focus. It was yet another long day of getting books into the hands of appreciative readers. I don’t like going to events because some readers (if you want to call them that) are not appreciative. However, these readers, all educators, were very appreciative. This is the best story of the day. A teacher from Savoonga came and got books yesterday and today. Lots of books. And as she picked them out, she kept saying, “wow.” She was a Native, somewhat heavy set, with brown eyes and blue glasses. We began talking. Yes, they need books in Savoonga, which is located to the west of Nome. We talked a bit and I proposed to her that Pam and I come to Nome and do a book fair. She thought this was a wonderful idea. The question that came to mind when, finally, she had two canvas bags of books was, how to get them home? She decided to take a taxi (an Uber) to the post office and mail them home. She did do this – upon her return she said that she mailed 36 pounds of books. And, then she went and grabbed some more, which she said she’d put in her suitcase. Now this is why we do what we do. Another woman liked the idea of my doing a book fair in Old Harbor, which is located south side of Kodiak Island. So next fall, once the federal appropriation comes through, I might go the furthest points north and west in Alaska. How did it come down to all this? I could retrace my steps here, but I’d first have to fire up the Way Back Machine and do a historical analysis. A good idea but I don’t have the time to do this. |
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