It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

Ed is keeping the family well represented in the writing publications department.  Here is a brief intro and poem about him that appeared in the Christmas Day edition of Keeping Our Eye on Sun Valley .  The pictures aren't included, so I'll put the actual link at the bottom.

It came Upon a Midnight Clear

Ed Northen, a retired fire captain and paramedic who worked in the field in southern California for 34 years, could be considered the poet laureate of the Wood River Valley…along with former Blaine County Commissioner Len Harlig, of course! Northen, who has been writing poetry for 20 years, has been published in Word Gathering, Ariel, Chimera and Poetry Works and reads at local poetry gatherings.                 He kindly allowed us to use one of his poems to brighten your Christmas Day!                 When he’s not writing poetry, you can find Ed at Galena Lodge where he volunteers on the BCRD Nordic Patrol. Or you can find him out practicing environmental stewardship, hiking, trail running and fly-fishing as a guide for Silver Creek outfitters.                              It Came upon a Midnight Clear From the Mountain top I peer through layers Of wintry firmament Air so translucent It has dimension I see beyond the stars Whose gaseous state  Burn brightly Like fiery diamonds Heaven is not far Not in distances Of light years But in the invisible The unseen Which envelops me. My vision is clearer Among the celestial luminaries When society’s chaos is removed And I am left With the sparseness of Essential thoughts I consider the forest Resembling matchsticks far below Living trees Which need not be cut down Except one To make a cross On which God Must hang To become the propitiation And I, an heir A bloody beneficiary Of Love On this sparse summit Suspended in air I abandon self Until my voice erupts With spontaneous chorus This Eve of the Christ’s birth Gloria in Excelsis Deo

 Here's the link to the actual article with pictures.

The Easiest Family Vacation Quiz Ever

One of the great events of the year was the Northen family reunion at St. Simon’s Island.  We all had a lot of fun, but now that we are headed into winter, how much do your remember?  This is the easiest quiz ever because you were all there, but let’s see if you remember who did what? Some questions can have more than one person for the answer. 

1. Who spotted a shark on the beach?

2. Who climbed up on the fireplace mantel to find a toy lizard?

3. Who slept in a closet?

4. Who had an alligator on their head?

5. Who had their arm in a sling?

6. Who ran around naked by the swimming pool?

7. Who lead an ice cream making activity?

8. Who saw a wild horse?

9. Who slept overnight in an airport?

10. Who won the most games of ping pong?

11. Who had the biggest bedroom?

12  Who was the best paddle board rider?

13. Who used an app to name all of the constellations in the night sky on the beach.

14. Who had a visitor during our stay at St. Simons?

15. Who was the last to leave when the vacation was over? 

We took turns with various meals.  Name the family or person that was in charge of each meal.

16. Stuffed Shells

17. Taco night

18. Seafood jambalaya

19. Southern Soul barbecue

20. Roasting marshmallows and s’mores

Answers.

1. Ryan 

2.  Eli 

3. Evan 

4. Jack and Liam 

5.  Lora 

6. Maggie and Owen 

7. Mary Beth 

8. Pat’s family 

9. The Cotters 

10. Connor 

11. Pat and Rita 

12. Melissa 

13.  Dan 

14.  Maya 

15.  Maura and Dan 

16. Pat & Rita 

17. The Cotters 

18. Maya and Ryan 

19. Maura and Dan 

20. Eli

Thanksgiving Remembrance

Growing up in a large family fifty years ago, Thanksgiving was always a huge event in which relatives who may not see each other at any other time of year gathered.  Even today those memories still filter through. Ed has written a poem remembering those family Thanksgiving.  It is interesting to me to think about in what ways our perceptions were the same and how they were different.

Thanksgiving  Remembrance

We were ordinary people

Living in the dark secrets

Nobody talked about

A Catholic family

Seven kids

And innumerable 

Aunts

Uncles

Cousins

On Thanksgiving

The clan congregated

In our modest tract home

Filling

Every open space

With food

Appetizers

Chips

Dip made with Lipton soup

Celery

Carrots

Ranch Dip

The counter overflowing

With single and

Double crusted pies

Pumpkin

Mincemeat

Pecan

All the kids

Were sequestered

Out of the house

Until the feast

Was spread

In true Rockwell style

I don’t remember

If  grace was said

But these survivors

Of the Depression

Dust Bowl

And World War II

Had gratitude

In their DNA

I imagine

The short

Prayer

For health

And Strength

And daily food

We praise thy name O Lord

Would be a sincere

And accurate prayer

For these South Dakota transplants

Multiple tables were set

Children ate on card tables

Relegated

To share this feast

With a cousin

You did not like

Turkey

Ham

Stuffing

Mashed Potatoes

Candied Yams

Sweet Rolls

Green bean casserole

Corn

Brussels sprouts ( for the adults)

More food

Then we would see

In most months

As our family

Would receive

Bags of groceries

Left on the doorstep

So not to embarrass

For which we were grateful

After dinner

We were sagely

Obligated to wait

Until our normally

Shrunken bellies

Now stretched to capacity

Had room for dessert

Which when allowed

Was devoured with delight

This one day a year

When indulgence

Was not a sin

Tables were cleared

The adults sat down

To talk

Or engage

In a fractious game

Of Pinochle

While my brothers

And sisters

Emptied sink

After sink

Of dirty dishes

Until

They sparkled

Shiny

Returned to their place

The leftovers

Divided

And distributed

Like care packages

Which would be made

Into next week's dinners