I drove up to Vermont to visit Jenna this morning, and what a beautiful drive it was! The further I drove, the more beautiful the autumn colors against the azure sky. On an early Sunday morning, the leaf-peepers were not on the road yet, so I was free to sail through the gorgeous landscape unfettered.
Our visit began at the local library book sale where we scored a few treasures. We enjoyed lunch at a small cafe, and then we browsed a few second-hand/antique shops. With some time left in the afternoon, we drove down to Brattleboro, where a literary festival was taking place. More bookstores, more treasures, and then we strolled down to the Brattleboro Free Library for a reading.
Rick Bass, from Yaak, Montana, is a writer and an environmental activist. Jenna was familiar with his work, but I wasn't. How lucky for me that I was introduced to his stories up close and personal! His comfortable and engaging story-telling is peppered with surprises that evoke laughter and renewed attention. One does not want to drift away into private thoughts during the story for fear of missing the surprise.
The two stories that Bass read for us were Choteau and Eating. You can find them online (in print or video form) if you are interested. As for me, I cannot get Galena Tom Ontz or Russell and Cindy out of my mind. Bass' characters became real for me, and I suspect that they will continue to live in my head for a few more days. And that's okay; I liked them.
I'm not much of a movie-goer. I don't have cable TV. More and more, I prefer the images that stories create in my mind. Sure, one has to work a little bit harder to "see" the stories without the help of the television or movie industries, but it doesn't really seem like work at all. I mean, go back and start reading this blogpost again. I'm willing to bet that you were able to "see" the October Vermont landscape, the little village with the library and cafe, the second-hand shops and the bookstores. Am I right? Of course I am.
See for yourself.
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