The dark chthonic waters – essentially ancestral waters – rise from the unseen land of the dead into light and become visible. This process is controlled by ancestral agency, the waters becoming a medium through which ancestral presence surfaces and circulates. (Mark Nemglan)
The part of southern Indiana I belong to is characterized by karst topography, where water flows through soluble limestone and forms sinkholes and caves. Sometimes the water even disappears underground in what is called a sinking stream.
I need to get outside today. Rachel and I are going to take a walk this morning, then I’m going to doing some berry picking. Also, I’ve been thinking about the Lost River lately so I think I’ll visit the Orangeville Rise and the Wesley Chapel Gulf today.
Today I learned that the East Fork of the White River (which runs south of town) is called Aankwaahsakwa Siipiiwi by the Miami people. This translates to “Driftwood River”–which is a far better name that East Fork of the White River!
Roadside shrine near Medora, IN
One of the prettiest dogwoods I’ve ever seen, across the street from the credit union.
Cherry blossoms are nice, for sure, but have you ever seen a redbud luminous on a karst hillside?
We’re on the edge of most winter storms here. In Indiana, winter storms tend to include all of northern Indiana down to Indianapolis. Often they’ll hit Bloomington–only sometimes Bedford. If the Midwest is characterized by winter storms, we’re barely Midwestern. We’re expecting 1-3" tonight.
I’ve accepted an invitation to join the finance committee of my local community foundation in January. Can’t be much of a localist without putting in some practice.
It’s still very hot but the season is shifting: I’m seeing more spider webs.
We’re in the dog days of summer around here. Hot and humid. But also, the corn is tall and the melons are ripening and the cicadas are sawing. There’s a certain late-imperial decadence in the air.
Last year I quoted the Old Farmer’s Almanac definition of “dog days of summer”. I thought about that definition again yesterday because I think they’re wrong about the dates, i.e., July 3 through August 11.
