I enjoy all of your writing, but this one went beyond the descriptive to the moving. To what is fundamental to being a live participant in the human experiment. Thank you.
That was one beautiful piece of writing ... and then it turned to politics and I regretted that, but by the end, I got it. Thanks for this. Really thoughtful.
kelton, this was a gorgeous letter to sink into here in virginia on a sunday morning. said all the things, and so beautifully. kindness, and communication and understanding/walking a mile in someone else's shoes. the more we have conversations out in the world, the less it's 'us and them'. it's all just us. thx for this.
Gah! I loved this one so much! From the cords of wood and types to the realization that in the end we all want the same things we’ve just forgotten how to sit at the table together.
As an empty nest present to ourselves, living in a similar cabin with a fire place as our only heat source, we bought a splitter. It’s also nice to invest in community so we buy a cord here and there when our bodies crack too much.
Our neighbors have a splitter and there are days when I look at it full of envy, but then Ben goes outside in his micro shorts in the middle of winter and I'm like, "this is also good." 😂
This piece resonated with me- the realities of hard work to live, the respect for hardworking people who bring us services- and the reality of making partnerships with salt of the earth people with very disparate points of view. I felt the heart connection in this piece as well as the discomfort of widely different perspectives. I feel the same things here in Vermont. The biggest compliment I got from “old timers” when I moved here was: “Can’t figure out if you are a country girl or a city girl cuz you do everything”. I helped cutting and splitting wood, butchering a steer, collecting sap for syrup, plucking chickens…. Down to earth and cerebral at the same time
This is what’s so hard to describe to my die-hard coastal blue-state friends about living in a red state. “How can you LIVE there?!” Well, it’s full of complexities, but people are generally good and the community is strong. I’ve said for a long time, at the end of the day, both “sides” generally want basically the same things, we just disagree on the path for how to get there. Anyhow, beautiful essay. Thank you for taking us there. ♥️
Nicely done. I work a lot in the domain of polarization and public policy. We live 1/2 in Oklahoma and 1/2 in far Northern New Mexico (part-timers in both places thanks to fiber connectivity) -- I am 100% sure that we don't have to agree to move forward but we have to treat each other like decent human beings doing the best we can. Talking, sharing, and listening -- really LISTENING is the only way forward. I am not saying that we don't fight for what we think is right, but what we in the academic biz call "devil shifting" (inaccurately, especially in the negative direction, perceiving others motives or goals) is never going to be the way. Good work, KW I hope we get to meet and have a coffee on our deck one day.
So glad you wrote this piece. To maintain democracy, as best as we can, the importance of considerate dialogue cannot be emphasized enough. Sharing a task we don't "have to" (being kind) might just lead to understanding, empathy and compromise! Urban or remote - rugged independence, aka self reliance, mixed with an awareness of the community in which one lives and chooses to participate will keep us all feeling like we have a place for ourselves and our ideas.
That was amazing. You captured the rural spirit so respectfully while pointing out the irony of our current political situation. Wish it had been available to folks in District 3 before the election. Although don’t know if it would have changed minds already set. Thank you for sharing this.
This one gave me chills. There’s so much we don’t *have* to do. But here’s to doing it anyway because it’s the right thing to do and the thing you’d want someone else to do for you and something that just makes you feel better about the world.
This was such a great read, Kelton. I'm new to Substack and am so glad I stumbled onto ShangriLogs, as your voice is just stunning. I forwarded this piece to my husband from my gmail inbox, and we enjoyed reading it together while waiting for the adorable Polish Crêperie in Bellingham, WA to open for a post-hike breakfast. We recently moved to the PNW from CO, so your words on the area dripping with nostalgic descriptors warmed both our hearts. Looking forward to reading more from you!
Deeply felt. At our core, are we not all a stand of aspens? Are we not all rooted to a community whether or not we seem independent and able to care for ourselves? I enjoyed reading this twice so far and will likely enjoy reading it again and will certainly forward to people in my community to support my aspen idea. Your writing today and Anne Helen Petersen's writing on care / community support could not be more perfectly timed and fitted to this idea. I appreciate and feel validated by your thoughts so much, Kelton. Keep em coming.
This succinctly captures so much of what I’ve been feeling lately:
“...we are but microscopic flecks in a universe trapped in a marble in someone else’s incomprehensible game. It helps to remind me to be outlandish and hopeful and spontaneous. It helps to remind me that worrying is pointless, but beauty and joy and kindness are not.”
Knocked it out of the park yet again. I love how you write about rural life, and as a fellow wood delivery dependent person it’s such a wonderful way to paint a small portrait of the daily life here.
I enjoy all of your writing, but this one went beyond the descriptive to the moving. To what is fundamental to being a live participant in the human experiment. Thank you.
Appreciate this very much <3
That was one beautiful piece of writing ... and then it turned to politics and I regretted that, but by the end, I got it. Thanks for this. Really thoughtful.
😂 thanks for sticking it through. That’s also how I felt writing it.
kelton, this was a gorgeous letter to sink into here in virginia on a sunday morning. said all the things, and so beautifully. kindness, and communication and understanding/walking a mile in someone else's shoes. the more we have conversations out in the world, the less it's 'us and them'. it's all just us. thx for this.
Big agree. 💛
Gah! I loved this one so much! From the cords of wood and types to the realization that in the end we all want the same things we’ve just forgotten how to sit at the table together.
As an empty nest present to ourselves, living in a similar cabin with a fire place as our only heat source, we bought a splitter. It’s also nice to invest in community so we buy a cord here and there when our bodies crack too much.
Our neighbors have a splitter and there are days when I look at it full of envy, but then Ben goes outside in his micro shorts in the middle of winter and I'm like, "this is also good." 😂
Keep writing what's on your mind and heart Kelton! I am here for all of it.
This piece resonated with me- the realities of hard work to live, the respect for hardworking people who bring us services- and the reality of making partnerships with salt of the earth people with very disparate points of view. I felt the heart connection in this piece as well as the discomfort of widely different perspectives. I feel the same things here in Vermont. The biggest compliment I got from “old timers” when I moved here was: “Can’t figure out if you are a country girl or a city girl cuz you do everything”. I helped cutting and splitting wood, butchering a steer, collecting sap for syrup, plucking chickens…. Down to earth and cerebral at the same time
Love that compliment. Nice to blur the expectations to a point you just become a good neighbor.
This is what’s so hard to describe to my die-hard coastal blue-state friends about living in a red state. “How can you LIVE there?!” Well, it’s full of complexities, but people are generally good and the community is strong. I’ve said for a long time, at the end of the day, both “sides” generally want basically the same things, we just disagree on the path for how to get there. Anyhow, beautiful essay. Thank you for taking us there. ♥️
Nicely done. I work a lot in the domain of polarization and public policy. We live 1/2 in Oklahoma and 1/2 in far Northern New Mexico (part-timers in both places thanks to fiber connectivity) -- I am 100% sure that we don't have to agree to move forward but we have to treat each other like decent human beings doing the best we can. Talking, sharing, and listening -- really LISTENING is the only way forward. I am not saying that we don't fight for what we think is right, but what we in the academic biz call "devil shifting" (inaccurately, especially in the negative direction, perceiving others motives or goals) is never going to be the way. Good work, KW I hope we get to meet and have a coffee on our deck one day.
I hope so too!
So glad you wrote this piece. To maintain democracy, as best as we can, the importance of considerate dialogue cannot be emphasized enough. Sharing a task we don't "have to" (being kind) might just lead to understanding, empathy and compromise! Urban or remote - rugged independence, aka self reliance, mixed with an awareness of the community in which one lives and chooses to participate will keep us all feeling like we have a place for ourselves and our ideas.
That was amazing. You captured the rural spirit so respectfully while pointing out the irony of our current political situation. Wish it had been available to folks in District 3 before the election. Although don’t know if it would have changed minds already set. Thank you for sharing this.
💛💛💛
This one gave me chills. There’s so much we don’t *have* to do. But here’s to doing it anyway because it’s the right thing to do and the thing you’d want someone else to do for you and something that just makes you feel better about the world.
💛💛💛
This was such a great read, Kelton. I'm new to Substack and am so glad I stumbled onto ShangriLogs, as your voice is just stunning. I forwarded this piece to my husband from my gmail inbox, and we enjoyed reading it together while waiting for the adorable Polish Crêperie in Bellingham, WA to open for a post-hike breakfast. We recently moved to the PNW from CO, so your words on the area dripping with nostalgic descriptors warmed both our hearts. Looking forward to reading more from you!
Thank you so much! I love this breakfast scene in Bellingham, and I'll try to keep delivering on the Colorado nostalgia. Glad you're here :)
Deeply felt. At our core, are we not all a stand of aspens? Are we not all rooted to a community whether or not we seem independent and able to care for ourselves? I enjoyed reading this twice so far and will likely enjoy reading it again and will certainly forward to people in my community to support my aspen idea. Your writing today and Anne Helen Petersen's writing on care / community support could not be more perfectly timed and fitted to this idea. I appreciate and feel validated by your thoughts so much, Kelton. Keep em coming.
"All a stand of aspens" I love that. Just dealing with a little root rot and some beetles.
Here's hoping she loses the recount. And thanks for a great peek into another aspect of your high altitude life.
This succinctly captures so much of what I’ve been feeling lately:
“...we are but microscopic flecks in a universe trapped in a marble in someone else’s incomprehensible game. It helps to remind me to be outlandish and hopeful and spontaneous. It helps to remind me that worrying is pointless, but beauty and joy and kindness are not.”
Thank you for sharing your words.
(This feeling was also deepened recently by reading Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman)
Oh! That was by far my most meaningful read of this year. And 100% it deepens those feelings!
Love that 💞📚
Knocked it out of the park yet again. I love how you write about rural life, and as a fellow wood delivery dependent person it’s such a wonderful way to paint a small portrait of the daily life here.
Thanks very much Kristy 💛