Unbearable Thoughts
Volume 1, Issue 21 — A Day for Spuddling
IN THIS ISSUE, we continue a western them with a meander into Yosemite by Matt McGowan. Then we have a reminder of events this weekend related to the Buffalo National River, a conversation about the little white dog and an old last word that doesn’t really get the job done.
Yosemite Valley
TRAVEL YONDER
By Matt McGowan
Man, they are serious about bears here. I guess they’ve learned the hard way. The hotel front desk attendant said don’t leave food in the car. The bears can smell it, and they will get it. My wife had already shown me a YouTube video of a fat but agile brown bear climbing in a car window and taking out a loaf of wheat bread.
Which is kind of funny because last night, after she fell asleep, I heard some weird shuffling and scratching outside, like someone was opening presents. It went on for a while, too long, before I thought, that’s totally a bear. I looked outside but didn’t see anything. Apparently I didn’t look hard enough because this morning, when we left the hotel at 5:45 a.m., there was trash and debris strewn all around the hotel dumpster. My wife said bags were shredded, presumably by a creature with sharp claws. “It could have been a raccoon,” she said. Nope, that was a bear.
Drove 395 north to Tioga Pass Road. Unbelievable drive to the Porcupine Creek Trailhead. Starting there, we hiked about 14 miles in all, with side trips to North Dome and Yosemite Falls. Made it to the valley floor much later than expected because the hike down from the falls, though only three miles, was hellaciously steep, with a million switchbacks and dusty slippery rocks. With a heavy pack, I can’t believe I didn’t fall. Saw Half Dome all day, right over there to my left, at many levels and in varying light. Took a thousand pictures of it. Took a thousand pictures of the falls too.
Got a bite to eat when we hit the valley floor. Walked through a meadow along the Merced River. Surely one of the most beautiful places on the planet. Stumbled into Curry Village at 7 p.m.
The writer, Matt McGowan, is author of the recently released novel, 1971, available through Amazon.
Upcoming Buffalo River Events
Special events are planned throughout the year to celebrate the 50th anniversary of designation of the Buffalo River as the nation’s first national river.
ENTERTAINMENT
June 9 — The Kenda Drive-In on the east side of Marshall will feature films from 8-11 p.m. June 9 that focus on the Buffalo National River’s history, beauty, recreation and art. Find the Kenda Drive-In via this Google map locator.
June 10 — The Lucky Star Farm and its artist-in-residency program will offer a variety show at the Buffalo Point Campground Amphitheatre featuring music by Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes and the folk art duo of Donna and Kelly Mulholland of Still on the Hill; a historical reading on the Rush Ghost Town by author Alison Moore; stories of the Ozarks by photographer and writer Don House, photographer and writer Sabine Schmidt; and textile Imagery of the river by Cate McCoy.
June 11 — The Buffalo National River Partners will present an Ozark Music Festival from 2:30-9:30 p.m. June 11 at the Tyler Bend Pavilion. Read more about the musicians set to perform.
ON EXHIBIT
The Shiloh Museum of Ozark History in Springdale, Arkansas, has an exhibit of photographs by Ken Smith of his exploration of the Buffalo River, primarily from 1964, on display through the end of the year.
The University of Arkansas Libraries exhibit, 40/50/100, was created in 2002 and is still available online.
FOR RESEARCHERS
The Kenneth L. Smith Papers MC 1423, Special Collections, University of Arkansas Libraries.
Various manuscript collections related to The Ozark Society including the Ozark Society Records MC 477, Ozark Society Foundation Records MC 1811, Highlands Chapter Records MC 1533 and Sugar Creek Chapter Records MC 2162
Neil Compton Papers MC 1091 and Neil Compton Recordings MC 2043.
Chronicles of the Little White Dog
Usually I go up to bed about 10, leaving my wife and the little white dog to watch TV late into the night. Last night I stayed downstairs later watching Parallel Mothers. At about 11 the little white dog started agitating for something.
"I think she wants up in your chair,” I said.
"No, she doesn't."
"What does she want?"
"She wants an s-n-a-c-k."
"Why would she want a snack?" I asked.
"She gets one about 11."
"Since when? Why?"
"Otherwise she's mean to me."
For goodness sake.
The Last Word
spuddle | 'spədl
This archaic word from the 17th century is a verb for the all too common act of doing lots but achieving little, often because one’s mind is elsewhere. The earliest documented use of spuddle appears to be 1630, and it may be a blending of “spud,” a spade or trowel, with “puddle,” so metaphorically the act of digging into the water of a puddle.
Spuddle returned to the modern world in 2020 when Rick Broadbent, in his story “I Don’t Want Fame — Just Glory and Money,” for The Times of London, wrote:
“I come home from the races and my dad is spuddling about on the farm,’ he says.”
Now, where was I? Oh, yes, that’s the last word.
