Upper Left Edge

a small paper for a small planet

  • Sign In
  • About Us
    • Welcome
    • History
  • The Edge in Print
  • Writers
  • Links
  • Contact
  • Support
    • Underwrite
  • Tides
  • Categories
    • Art
    • Photography
    • Books
    • Culture
    • Healing
    • Spirit
    • Entertainment
    • Food
    • Happenings
    • Movies
    • Song and Dance
    • Television
    • Fiction
    • Nature
    • Plant Medicine
    • Poetry
    • Politics

We are gathered

June 25, 2012 by Watt Childress Leave a Comment

Beloved is the word
we share round
today’s wedding of
reader and poet.

We ring this word
hither and dear
with each waltz
into the microphone.

Filed Under: Poetry, Spirit, ULE, Uncategorized

Counterstomp

June 22, 2012 by Watt Childress 4 Comments

In 1984 a bioacoustic researcher was studying whale songs on the west coast. She heard news that four baby elephants were born at the Oregon Zoo, and went to see them. While there she sensed a vibration near the elephant cages. It turned out the animals were using low-frequency sounds to send messages back and forth across the zoo grounds. [More]

Filed Under: Art, Culture, Nature, Song and Dance, ULE Tagged With: animal communication, B-52s, elephants, New Wave, Oregon Zoo, Portland, summer concert series

Trust Trek: The Next Generation

June 17, 2012 by Willa Childress 5 Comments

When I was seven years old I had my first encounter with the Lower Nehalem Community Trust. The Alder Creek Farm property was in the process of being purchased, and I can recall how excited I was to be on the land. The most vivid memories for me are the things you’d expect to entrance a seven year old… I can remember that there were two calves in what is now the main building, and that the dairy part of the farm was still in working order [Read More]

Filed Under: Culture, Feature, Nature, ULE Tagged With: Alder Creek Farm, Lower Nehalem Community Trust

The epic silence of Iron Dad

June 14, 2012 by Watt Childress 3 Comments

Just think what Iron Dad could do. He would know exactly what to say to kids in every situation, no matter how hard. Goofball snafus would be replaced with laser-beam humor. His storytelling would never cease to amaze. Young audiences would be cheered by the knowledge that his wisdom could banish any bogeyman. [Read More]

Filed Under: Culture, Movies, Spirit, ULE Tagged With: Gordon Hempton, Iron Man, suicide, The Avengers

Get your letters in to stall Walmart!

June 13, 2012 by Rabbi Bob 2 Comments

walmart sucks

“We don’t hear much these days about Walmart or another big box store coming to the coast, but the permitting process is moving forward,” says community activist Laurie Caplan. “If you are concerned about the uglification of Hwy 101, the existing abundance of empty storefronts along the coast, the existing damage to our local wetlands, the inability of local businesses to fairly compete with Walmart and others like it, and more, then please write your three letters” [Read More]

Filed Under: Culture, Politics, ULE Tagged With: Walmart

Puttzing into summer tomfoolery

June 7, 2012 by Watt Childress 8 Comments

“The [Cannon Beach] Puttz is a way to have some fun as a community before the craziness of summer begins,” says Evie Alburas, a fellow board member of the Tolovana Arts Colony. “It helps us enjoy being silly. Every year I’m flabbergasted by the unorthodox things that hole creators come up with — like a big scary fishlike creature holding a Barbie in its mouth, or a ramp that shoots balls up in the air that you have to catch in baskets on your head.” [Read More]

Filed Under: Culture, ULE Tagged With: Cannon Beach Puttz, goofy golf, putt-putt, Tolovana Arts Colony

Charles de Lint sings about Animal People

June 5, 2012 by Watt Childress Leave a Comment

“There’s only one thing you’ve got to remember.
Everything in this world is a brother or sister.”

In addition to being a world-class author, Charles de Lint is a heartfelt folk musician. Here he offers up a message about Animal People, beings who are also featured in his mythic fiction.

Filed Under: Song and Dance, Spirit, ULE, Uncategorized Tagged With: Charles de Lint, Cherokee Girl

Unshod

June 4, 2012 by Watt Childress 1 Comment

If only man did not tether us
we would fly widdershins,
kick up clods at the sun,
make clouds of turf swirl round our heels.

Instead we pace and crib to get high
in the sterile gold stalls of Olympus.
Here the social feed smells mean
and riders mimic predators.

Filed Under: Poetry, Spirit, ULE, Uncategorized

A Bake Sale For Civics Textbooks

June 3, 2012 by margishindler Leave a Comment

Last week the Yamhill County Oregon Democrats held a bake sale. The proceeds from this sale go to purchase civics textbooks for our county’s secondary schools. How about that. In the U.S.A., the country which is fond of bragging about our superiority, we have dropped the ball on nurturing our children into becoming citizens.

Filed Under: Culture, Politics, ULE, Uncategorized Tagged With: bake sale, civics, computers, textbooks

Animal people will love “Someplace to be Flying” by Charles de Lint

June 2, 2012 by Watt Childress 6 Comments

De Lint’s storytelling draws mastfully from both folklore and scientific truth. When I worked as a field biologist, fresh out of college, my mentors informed me that ornithologists who study the crow family quickly learn that the birds are also studying them. These creatures are among the most intelligent of all animals, having demonstrated self-awareness in mirror tests, tool-making abilities, and a total brain-to-body mass that is close to that of humans.

Filed Under: Books, Culture, Spirit, ULE Tagged With: Animal People, Charles de Lint, First People, mythic fiction

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 19
  • 20
  • 21
  • 22
  • 23
  • …
  • 29
  • Next Page »

More Gleanings

Here Try Some of This Ointment

April 17, 2024 By Watt Childress 4 Comments

We are the Luminaries

August 8, 2023 By Watt Childress 2 Comments

Open Letter for Creation’s Caregivers

June 19, 2023 By Watt Childress 5 Comments

My November 2022 Ballot Choices

November 6, 2022 By Rabbi Bob 1 Comment

One Cup of Tea

November 15, 2020 By Lila Danielle 1 Comment

Additional Wisdom...

Readers’ Comments

  • Watt Childress April 28, 2025 at 11:48 am on Uncle Zech’s Amphibious GestaltAlso, you inspired me to insert a sentence crediting Hoyt Axton with the song's genesis. Many thanks!
  • Watt Childress April 27, 2025 at 10:55 pm on Uncle Zech’s Amphibious GestaltThank you kindly Jim for reading this and commenting. I enjoyed your review of "Sun House" by David James Duncan,
  • Jim Stewart April 27, 2025 at 8:26 pm on Uncle Zech’s Amphibious GestaltNice! Hoyt Axton wrote the Jeremiah song and sang it with great gusto. Life wanders on and I'm still glad
  • Watt Childress April 26, 2025 at 3:51 pm on Uncle Zech’s Amphibious GestaltDuring spring I think of you, and all the May Pole celebrations you've organized over the years. So grateful for
  • Watt Childress April 26, 2025 at 3:18 pm on Uncle Zech’s Amphibious GestaltIn my dreams I sing to the multitudes, with a voice as clear and sweet and churchy as Lou Reed.
More Comments...

Confessional (archive)

Come into The Confessional -- view the former Upper Left Edge forum entries.

Pages

Home | Contact | Advertise | Underwrite | The Confessional | Welcome | History | User Agreement | Privacy Policy

Post Categories

Archives on the Edge

Upper Left Edge

P.O. Box 1096
Cannon Beach, OR 97110

Send an e-mail

© 2012–2025  Upper Left Edge