[lit-ideas] Re: Pausing Philosophically for Coffee off the B9086, with Tammie Norries

  • From: David Ritchie <ritchierd@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Thu, 11 Aug 2011 16:35:34 -0700

Free eggplants are in the ground.  I repeat, Houston, the eggplants are in the 
ground.  

That should have Homeland Security perking its head like a setter on the scent.

Today I finally got round to reading last semester's student comments.  The 
first student's response was pretty awful.  Why didn't I give them any 
opportunity to get feedback on their drafts?  And why was it a lecture course 
rather than a seminar?  And why was it so boring?  Coming to the end of this 
sheet, I realized that this particular student not only probably hadn't done 
the reading (and thus had nothing to say on the subjects under discussion in 
our seminars), but probably had not even read the syllabus.  The syllabus 
explains that drafts can be handed in at any time and that feedback will be 
given in class every single week.  After that little piece of joy, the others 
were a nice surprise, extolling my many and various virtues.  The good thing 
about the new system of sending them as e mail attachments is that I get to 
keep these beauties for reference in times of gloom.

Took J. to an estate sale in the neighborhood today.  L. wouldn't go in...she's 
allergic to such events...but J. and I had a good time.  J. got a hat with one 
of those fishnet half veils, very Audrey Hepburn, and long gloves with pearl 
buttons.  I bought a hand towel, a steel bowl for melting chocolate etc., a 
gortex fishing suit.  Since my crabbing jacket was bought at an estate sale 
about twenty years ago, I was happy to find a new outfit.  I know that earlier 
in the year I reported buying waders with trousers attached, but I'm now 
worried that if you go overboard in this outfit its capacity to hold water may 
make getting back into the boat rather difficult.  The gortex jacket and 
trousers should be a better bet.

Here's an excerpt from a piece about Britain's northernmost isle, "Scottish 
National Heritage describes Keen of Hamar as a lunar landscape, which at first 
sight it seems to be--bleak and lifeless--and yet it is home to some of Great 
Britain's rarest species of wildflower, including Edmondston's chickweed, 
slender St. John's wort, kindey vetch, hoary whitlow grass and, one of my 
favourites, mountain everlasting...Start off from the car park at the end of 
the track that extends north from the B9086 road near Stackhoull.  It overlooks 
the battleground of Burra Firth...With 500-foot cliffs only a step to the left, 
knifed by isolated stacks and ravine-like geos, [in the sudden mist] we decided 
it was time for a pause, coffee and some serious compass and map work.  Better 
safe than sorry.  When the mist lifted, almost as quickly as it had descended, 
we found ourselves dangerously close to the cliff edge and sharing the sandy 
top with a gathering of colourful tammie norries, the Shetland name for 
puffins."

Somehow *so* British.

Three ladies will reappear soon, all with gussied-up feet.  Why my toenails 
were not invited to this particular party, inquiring minds probably don't want 
to know.

Carry on.

David Ritchie,
Portland, Oregon

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