Piglet Bearing Gifts, Minneapolis, Minnesota, December 2007, photo © 2007 by SkyWire Alley. All rights reserved.
I’m afraid the photograph of Piglet gives me away — I’m a little late posting this piece. I had wanted to get it out in January. You know what they say about the best laid plans.
Still, it wouldn’t be right to go without acknowledging our 2007 Guests. We’d like to offer our gratitude to the writers and artists who submitted their work to us in 2007. It has made the red Ravine community a richer place to visit. Please accept our heartfelt thanks.
We are well into March and ybonesy and I have been doing Spring cleaning. We’ve got some changes planned for 2008, and a few surprises, too. We went live nearly a year ago this April. We are still here. The experience has been rewarding, challenging, thrilling, and humbling.
Somehow, people continue to visit, risking that long walk to the bottom. Believe it or not, it’s when our energy is flagging, that we feel the most gratitude to our dedicated readers. Especially those who dare to join the conversation with their comments.
Just in case you missed any of our Guests in 2007, I’ve added links to each of their posts below (our 2008 Guests can be found on the sidebar). Revisit if you wish. Let them know what you think.
Deep bow. And thank you.
April 2007
25 Reasons I Write by Judith Ford
Til Death Do Us Part by Laurie L.
Continue Under All Circumstances by Teri Blair
May 2007
PRACTICE – Place – 15min by mimbresman
A Place To Stand – Greenwich Country Day School by Nat Worley
Help Wanted by Sharon J. Anderson
The Art Of Love by Juanita McDermott
Wishing You A Peaceful Heart – An Open Letter To Cindy Sheehan by Beth Bro Howard
June 2007
Killer Water, A Desert Rat Chronology by mimbresman
My Father’s Smile by Beth Bro Howard
The Devil Came Down To Austin by Carolyn Flynn
July 2007
Everyone Has A Story by Annelise
Dreaming Of Frida Kahlo by Laura Stokes
August 2007
Thornton Wilder & Bridges by Teri Blair
Abandoned Is… by Elizabeth Statmore
A Letter To Agnes Martin And A Surprise Reply by Joanne Hunt
September 2007
Writing The “Remembering Grace Paley” Piece by Elizabeth Statmore
40 Days, 8 Flags, And 1 Mennonite Choir by Teri Blair
Interview With Author And Teacher Robert Wilder – Part 1
Interview With Author And Teacher Robert Wilder – Part 2
October 2007
The Turning Point: Two Poems by Alissa King
Under Your Voodoo by Sharon Sperry Bloom
The Unanswered Question by Beth Bro Howard
Inner Rhythms by Gail Wallinga
November 2007
Coffee Rorschach, Part I by OmbudsBen
Coffee Rorschach, Part II by OmbudsBen
December 2007
(Whose B-Day?) Going To New York by E. Elise
-posted on red Ravine, Sunday, March 23rd, 2008
QM, I hate to be the first to comment, but you gave nothing away, other than the the fact that you are who you are. What a wonderfurl tribute to those who have contributed with their own posts.
As you might guess, Piglet is my all time favorite & I always include Piglet in any baby gift that I give! The first Disney costume I purchased for Brant was a Piglet costume! So what if it was pink. Was piglet a boy or a girl? It didn’t matter to me, as I still have no clue. Piglet was Piglet!
I hope this does not mean I will be banned from commenting on red Ravine. Always…D
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I’ve always been more on Eeyore fan meself. Put him in a room with Marvin the Robot and you’re just a few short steps from the edge of it all.
Congrats on your upcoming anniversary. I’m glad I found you guys . . .
Brian
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diddy, with Pooh and the gang, gender has never entered into the picture for me. We get to be drawn to whomever we are drawn to! Keep coming back! I wonder who started the pink and blue thing anyway. And how they decided who got which color? It must be a tradition old as the hills.
Brian, Eeyore works, too. I kind of like Eeyore. As for Marvin the Robot, when you’ve got a brain the size of a planet on the starship Heart of Gold, how can you not be depressed? It would indeed be edgy for Eeyore and Marvin to be in the same room. Aiyeeeee.
I always liked the Tao of Pooh, the Tao of Piglet. Right in that one moment.
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Dear QM & yb: The red Ravine community is an outstanding gift and opportunity, which you’ve created and selflessly offered to me and so many others.
Thanks from the bottom of my heart. It’s been a real privilege to participate.
Thank you, also, for mentioning one of my “most favorite” books, The Tao of Pooh, by Benjamin Hoff. As a gift in return to you, I offer this little conversation between Pooh and Piglet:
“When you wake up in the morning, Pooh,” said Piglet at last, “what’s the first thing you say to yourself?”
“What’s for breakfast?” said Pooh. “What do you say Piglet?”
“I say, I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today?” said Piglet.
Pooh nodded thoughtfully.
“It’s the same thing,” he said.
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I have enjoyed my visits here and will continue to come as long as the door is open. 🙂
I will get back to read some of the guest posts. I have no doubt they are all special..,,just like your site is!
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Thank you, QM & YB. This is one of my favorite places to visit, and I hope you will both be here for a very long time. 🙂
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Thanks breathepeace, gypsy-heart, and Robin. It’s a delight to have you visit. We’re hoping the door will be open for a while to come. breathepeace, great exchange between Piglet and Pooh. It’s all in our perspective. Breakfast is very exciting if we are present enough to enjoy it!
That reminds me, a friend told me about something she had heard about recently called conscious eating. Apparently, it’s helping people lose weight. But it’s not a diet. You can eat anything you want. But you have to slow down, chew slowly, and not be doing anything else while you are eating – but be present with your body. And notice when you are full.
Ever since she said that, I’ve wanted to slow down and enjoy my food. I had a Clementine last night that was out of this world.
I don’t know why, but Pooh’s exciting breakfast reminded me of that. Slow meal-times where we consciously eat. You never know where the comments are going to take you. 8) Thanks for the gift!
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Thank you.
I would dare to say that reading your blog is the real learning to blog – you don’t list just your emotions, but depict the fellowship you have through your emotions that reflect the journey and transfer from monologue to lovely chatter of the friends who uplift one other and inspire all who just see you.
While reading your blog I have sensed the truth – talking about the oneness of the humanity and having the community indeed are two different things. Your blog inspired my wish to cease musing alone and become one of you. Wow, it is fine indeed not to be alone, but is it possible in the concrete case? Therefore I humbly knock on your door. Hi, blessed are you who stay in such huge hug of true friends. It was the blessing to meet with you. Thank you.
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It’s been a wonderful experience reading each story, sharing a photo and being allowed to participate with tongue-in-cheek comments. (Someone has to bring the level of intelligence down) 😉
It’s also been exciting forming friendships with mysterious people, trying to put a face to a story… I can’t tell you how many times I’ve pictured blue hair, no eyebrows and superman pajamas (with a rear flap) to even out all that brain matter. Let me know if I’m warm…will ya?
Best wishes for another inspiring year Red Ravine…and thank you both.
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QuoinMonkey & ybonesy,
Many thanks for creating a blog that is beautiful to the eye and inspiring to the heart.
Good work. I know it has been a lot of work. Your redRavine community is grateful.
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Thanks back to all of you, and to you, QM, for preparing this post and all the work you do for the blog. The guest pieces have been delightful, profound, inspiring. Each and every one has added to the richness of red Ravine.
BTW, QM, speaking of Piglet and Pooh (and I loved the dialog, too, breathepeace), today when you mentioned to me over the phone “the Tao of Pooh,” I hadn’t yet read the comments in this post, and so I have to now confess that I thought you said “the Tao of Poo.” It made total sense when you said it, kind of like that saying, Sh*t Happens, and it made me think of a wonderful little book called Everyone Poops (LINK). So, I tell you this not to be irreverent or flip, but really because now, after reading the comments in this post, I have to laugh out loud at my misunderstanding.
(I wish I could make an emoticon with the stinging red cheeks now, but in lieu of that I’ll end with this fellow 8) .)
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Oh, the Tao of Poo. I wondered why you hesitated, ybonesy, when I said that on the phone. No wonder! 8)
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Sorry to be getting to this so late. Between business trips and getting my own blog legs, I’ve not had the quality time I’ve wanted to walk to the bottom of rR because whenever I do, I like staying there for a while.
Posting the links of guest writers is an incredibly generous gesture. Thanks, QM. And thanks to QM and yb for teaching me this year about respecting the voice, heart and soul of rR — it is unique and must be safeguarded. There is that cliche that if we have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants. If I have seen further about the power of safe, simple expression with words and images; about the courage to provide a safe place for all to journey, it is by walking to the bottom of rR. Thank you and continued energy — and peace — to both of you.
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And sigh! I guess when I don’t appear for a while, my avatar disappears.
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Tomas, very elegant. Thanks for stopping by. I like that – from monologue to the lovely chatter of friends. And community *is* important to ybonesy and me. I’m glad it comes across.
Heather, blue hair, no eyebrows and superman pajamas (with a rear flap) to even out all that brain matter. Let me know if I’m warm…will ya? — YES, in my mind’s eye, you are quite warm! 8) You always make me smile. It is fun to imagine what people look like on blogs, knowing we may full well never know. Again, I find the mystery to be appealing.
Sinclair, thank you, for sticking by us. It is indeed a lot of work. So far, so good. We ran ourselves a bit ragged in the beginning. But as soon as we started to treat it more like a practice – well, let’s just say we have learned a lot. And are still learning.
Sharonimo, it’s good to hear your voice on red Ravine. I’m kind of glad we have a place that people might not visit as often, but stay a while when they do. Every day, every other day, once a week, once a month, I do hope all voices feel welcome here.
Down where I’m originally from, you’d say, “Come on (pronounced own) in, sit a spell.” And a spell usually meant a long time, enough to share a few scratch biscuits with real butter, fresh peach preserves, figs off the tree out back, sweating glasses of sweet tea, or a cup of Sanka. Ah, those were the days.
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WOW– keep writing that memoir QM– I loved the taste and feel of your “sit a spell” description. I’ll be right over….
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breathepeace, thanks. Come on over. 8) I may not be able to whip up all those fun Southern foods. But I’m sure I can convince some friends who like to cook to cook them right up. Have you ever been in the South?
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[…] to posts: Piglet Bearing Gifts (red Ravine’s 2007 Guests) and haiku […]
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