The Prairie Panicle No. 3
A monthly roundup of interesting items from the prairie
Welcome to The Prairie Panicle! This is my monthly “potpourri” newsletter. The prior two editions have received some quality feedback, so please keep sending the comments, suggestions, recommendations, and more!
Why “The Prairie Panicle”?
A panicle is a type of flowering seedhead with many branches. Several important prairie grasses (switchgrass, big bluestem, and others) bloom in this manner. The multi-branched inflorescence symbolizes the complexity and layers of life on the semi-arid grasslands. I hope this newsletter helps to illustrate that.
Things I’ve Written
Let’s kick off with a quick summary of my writing over the last month:
“Thanksgiving Opportunity”: On the week of Thanksgiving, I took inspiration from Thanksgiving proclamations by Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt as an opportunity to live out thankfulness in the two greatest commandments.
“The Table”: So far, this is the most widely-read essay in West of 98 history! It’s a reminiscence about a local coffee-drinking group, so common in many towns, and what those groups mean to community, local culture, and the people who participate. There are also a few stories of hijinks from days gone by.
“Resilience”: Looking through the prism of some local challenges, I am thinking about how to make our local communities more resilient, in a manner of days gone by. Once upon a time, global catastrophes did not always affect the local community. Many people just went right on living. So it should be again.
“The Funeral”: Funerals are an important, powerful, and often entertaining piece of local life. We should honor them, we should appreciate them, and we should attend them when possible.
Stay tuned! I am working on some opportunities for my writing to appear in other outlets soon and I cannot wait to tell you about it!
Books I’m Reading
I tried to read “All the King’s Men” about a decade ago and I couldn’t get into it. Recently, Seth Wieck (he’ll reappear shortly) shared his appreciation for the book, so I decided to give it another go. The emphasis on dialogue can be a challenge, but it is an extraordinary piece of writing and a brilliant tale of the dimensions and consequences of political power. I’m not done with it yet, but I’m glad I picked it back up.
Last year, I decided to re-read “A Sand County Almanac” over the winter. This year, I am doing it again. It is one of the most important texts ever written about land stewardship and fidelity to place. If you’ve never read it, I would encourage you to check it out. The linked version has an introduction by Barbara Kingsolver (of “Demon Copperhead” and other fame) and that edition is also an excellent audio book.
Online Reads
Ashley Colby (co-host of the highly interesting “Doomer Optimism” podcast) has written “The Case for Left Conservatism”. If that sounds counter-intuitive to your modern political sensibilities, that’s the point. She proposes to reject “the ongoing bureaucratisation and commodification of all the most sacred aspects of life” and center “the local, the particular, and the human scaled,” regardless of political traditions. You may not agree with everything in the piece, but it will get you thinking. As someone who fully rejects the bipartisan dysfunction and toxicity of American politics, I applaud all who are willing to re-organize their thinking outside the political binary.
The great Jeffrey Bilbro (editor of Front Porch Republic) has written that pastors and leaders in rural churches should read great fiction. I couldn’t agree more. “Forming Imaginations That Value Faithful Service” is worth your read.
Seth Wieck has written on the importance of December 7, 1941: John Wieck proposed to Edna Otelia Artho west of Amarillo. That event would intersect with other events that occurred that day, but Seth reminds us of the enormous impact of events that never register on the world stage. He also shares some beautiful poetry and wonderful family Christmas traditions.
Listening Recs
Episode 004 of the “Rural Church and State Podcast” is out! Dan Stewart and I have a special discussion about the Christmas season: how to embrace its message of hope while managing the difficult human feelings of the season. It’s a very real conversation, but it was enjoyable to record. We even have a few shout-outs to great Christmas movies.
Dan Carlin is a madman and his “Hardcore History” podcast is the stuff of legend. The episodes are extraordinarily long (the newest clocked in north of 6 hours!) and they appear out of nowhere. His new episode dropped last month, almost a year after the prior episode. It is a two-part episode on the Vikings, their European conquests, and their intersection with Christianity. It’s an incredible listen with tremendous insight into the development of European (and thus American) culture.
Things to Watch
When you have two children aged five and under, ’tis the season to watch “Home Alone” and “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” at least a dozen times. I don’t hate it. There’s plenty of “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” too!
P.S. If you haven’t read the internet conspiracy theory that Peter McAllister is a mob boss and “Home Alone” is a tale about organized crime: Enjoy.
James Decker is the Mayor of Stamford, Texas and the creator of the West of 98 website and the Rural Church and State and West of 98 podcasts. Contact James and subscribe to these essays at westof98.substack.com and subscribe to him wherever podcasts are found.
You’re reading AtKM! You won’t regret it.