Hobo Jungle

[webenda]

Murph,

Back from the Great Apple Expedition?

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Murph,

Back from the Great Apple Expedition?

Yes, tired and renewed; also, reminded of the prodigious powers of apples.

By the time I had gone as far north as Scranton, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the painting of the forests had already begun. By Cortland, a color riot was well under way, with intense burgundies, reds, oranges, burnt siennas, raw umbers, and yellow ochres everywhere, at the tops of trees or brushed against their sides; goldenrod in broad swaths and patches, demanding attenton; purple something-or-others refusing to be outdone. Lots of greens still dominated, making the colors present all the more particular - an unanticipated treat.

It all reminded me of my favorite rows of colors in a box of 48 Crayola Crayons I had as a kid. Not an insipid color, rubbed here and there, among 'em.

Of course, the air was loaded w/ the luxury of fields being harvested and turned; dust rising; cows relaxing under trees; as severe-clear and blue a sky as could be imagined.

Squirrels were getting busy, and farmers looked serious. Homer Men and Boys clothing store has begun presenting all the Carhartt winter wear everyone knows will be needed, pretty soon.

I couldn't resist kneeling down (perhaps, an appropriate position for paying proper homage) and touching the pumpkins and smelling them, still in their rows, along w/ the earth that bore them; ran my hands over dried corn stalks; sniffed myriad apple hybrids searching for the faintest nuances among them but finding no words to describe them.

Imagine that. Murph-the-verbose and not a word found to capture it all precisely. Typical.

[webenda]

"Not a word found?" You used 264 words to describe your trip very well (in my opinion.)
Thank you for the interesting report. The desert (other than flowers) does not change much with the seasons.

[rogruth]

Murph,

I didn't need any photographs.You painted them with your words.

Wayne said you used 264 words.I could not have done that with a 1000.

Very nice.

[The Dirt]

By the time I had gone as far north as Scranton, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the painiting of the forests had already begun. By Cortland, a color riot was well under way, with intense burgundies, reds, oranges, burnt siennas, raw umbers, and yellow ochres everywhere, at the tops of trees or brushed against their sides; goldenrod in broad swaths and patches, demanding attenton; purple something-or-others refusing to be outdone. Lots of greens still dominated, making the colors present all the more particular - an unanticipated treat.

It all reminded me of my favorite rows of colors in a box of 48 Crayola Crayons I had as a kid. Not an insipid color, rubbed here and there, among 'em.

Of course, the air was loaded w/ the luxury of fields being harvested and turned; dust rising; cows relaxing under trees; as severe-clear and blue a sky as could be imagined.

Squirrels were getting busy, and farmers looked serious. Homer Men and Boys clothing store has begun presenting all the Carhartt winter wear everyone knows will be needed, pretty soon.

I couldn't resist kneeling down (perhaps, an appropriate position for paying proper homage) and touching the pumpkins and smelling them, still in their rows, along w/ the earth that bore them; ran my hands over dried corn stalks; sniffed myriad apple hybrids searching for the faintest nuances among them but finding no words to describe them.

Murph, that description was simple beautiful. What a pleasant read.

I grok what you were seeing and feeling, though I don't have your poet's touch in the 'saying'.

Reminded me of one of your other descriptions of stopping on a hill in NY. I might have to go back and search for that.

[Tramp]

Murph, nice stuff. Good to hear some descriptive prose around the Jungle again. Cheers to autumn, melancholic beauty that she is. If I had to phuck a season, it would be fall. Early or late is the question.

[The Dirt]

Tramp, LMAO!!

Maybe you can help me raise Murph's bail money. Some farmer had him arrested for groping his pumpkins.

Could have been worse, (mental health commitment) .

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Maybe you can help me raise Murph's bail money. Some farmer had him arrested for groping his pumpkins.

I've been known to appreciate a nice pair of melons......

[MurphOnMillerAve]

"If I had to ....a season..." (That one's burned into my memory and will lurk there awaiting the right moment to use it in polite company. )

"...arrested for groping pumpkins..."

"...appreciate a nice pair of melons..."

Now, ya' see, folks, those three comedians rawght there, well, they be proof - so very happily so - that this is a uniquely demented, good ole' boys club (+ Daisy) that deserves its reputation for special behavior and beer-swilling happy times. Yup. This is the place to be, which becomes more apparent every time I check into the ward.

Bless yer li'l hearts and tooshies, too, for a job well done wit da' edifying humor there, guys. I like how it all got unified by the time the last comment appeared, almost like a well organized essay, though as spontaneous as the chuckles and smiles on the faces of the perpetrators who penned the lines. You be the men!.

I think I just heard a few high school locker doors get closed, just down the hall from us, and I think I just saw Hev snap somebody's jock a moment ago in the gym.

I'm refreshed already.
Patient M.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

P.S. Here's a confession. I had to look "grok" up. I thought, at first, it was a mistype but couldn't figure out which letters were misplaced, so knowing the source, I figured it must, indeed, be a word and one I missed along the way. And, lo, sho' 'nuff, there it was, a nice new word for me to learn.

[2railjon]

Here's another one of my "toys" for Airborne. It's Bushmaster's Carbon 15 pistol in 5.56 caliber.


I decided to give it a test fire before purchasing it. Here are the hits from 25 yards away firing single handed. The circular rear peep sight was a bit annoying as I think the sight should be more of a blade type as on a regular pistol. But at that distance with a seven inch barrel and nothing to prop up against, I've got no complaints. That sucker is a blast to shoot!!!!

[The Dirt]

Jon!
I can't see it. (I'm at work). I'll show Airborne in the morning before school. I swear, if he could have a chance to see your collection, he'd WALK to Mississippi!

Rufus, Tramp knows how I appreciate a nice pair of pumpkins myself.

Yeah, Murph, take any serious topic, and we'll run it right into the gutter in short order.
Though I was not to be the first. It was only after Tramp posed his philosophical conundrum about 'early or late'. Me, I find 'early' way more exciting and stimulating. 'Late' is serene and beautiful in her own right, but way too sober and somber for a good... well... you know.

But not to detract from your beautifully written piece. I enjoyed it immensely.

[webenda]

Murph,

Does your reference give credit to Robert A. Heinlein for "grok?"


Jon,

Excellent shot group. I used to be able to do that (keep a tight shot group) but now I am lucky to hit the target. My aim wanders around like an old drunk.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Murph,

Does your reference give credit to Robert A. Heinlein for "grok?"

I surely hope so; been a part of my vocab since tthe early 70's.......

Been hearing the phrase "thought masters" in a radio commercial recently --- as far as I know they were limited to being on Qo'noS.....

[rogruth]

I think RAH published "Stranger" in 1963 and I find something I missed every time I read it [at least eight times,I know that is not a record].IMHO it still is an influence.