Great article, Fran. Boring is a very small and indeed boring (read: peaceful) community near us, on the way to Kingsport. No one hardly ever refers to it anymore, but there was a fairly affluent family by the name of Boring who settled and farmed there beginning in the 1850s. There was also a dedicated post office and a church named Boring Chapel.
Oh, Jan, I’m so glad you found the Piney Flats article!
Boring, Ore., is named for a pioneer, too, William Boring.
Portland also was home to a pioneer named Josiah Failing, who lent his name to an elementary school and a street. The school was sucked up by Portland Community College in the 1960s, but you can still see Josiah’s name on the building.
Your last entry here smacked me in the face because recently I wrote a piece about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, thought perhaps I shouldn't share it on Substack, and trashed it. Then, as you instructed, I flushed the trash. It's gone. Okay, so what could I possibly add to the plethora of editorial comment and malaise recent events has caused? Why throw another log on that fire? Of course my perspective is different. Everyone's is. You throw out a writing prompt and chaos spews forth. There were actually two pieces I flushed with the trash. I can't even remember the other one, but this one haunts me. Still, the temptation to rewrite it would accomplish nothing. It's gone, thank the gods. Another ember dies in the rising darkness.
And of course I can always rewrite a new version without the current conflict at the center of it. There were issues I wanted to share based on personal experiences while living in a kibbutz in 1976. That was long ago, but the issues remain the same. Nothing really changes in that part of the world, at least for a hefty portion of the population. Some are still living in the 12th Century and the 20th moved far too quickly for many people as it is.
I do need to tell parts of that story. Four months on a kibbutz was really life-changing as well as informative about that way of life. If only the banking industry and the Israeli economic crash, the kibbutzim probably wouldn't have been gobbled up by concessionaires. Anyway, I digress from the vital point of cultural changes that have been going on in the Middleast for the past hundred plus years. You've lit a fire, Fran. Thank you.
What can I say? You are very brave.
Great article, Fran. Boring is a very small and indeed boring (read: peaceful) community near us, on the way to Kingsport. No one hardly ever refers to it anymore, but there was a fairly affluent family by the name of Boring who settled and farmed there beginning in the 1850s. There was also a dedicated post office and a church named Boring Chapel.
My centuries-old homeplace is located in Piney Flats, which has an interesting history as well. Here's a link that tells a little about the area. My family has lived and farmed in the area for 160 years. https://www.anamericanfamilyhistory.com/TennesseeFamilies&Places/Piney%20Flats.html
Thank you for bringing attention to our little map dot!
Oh, Jan, I’m so glad you found the Piney Flats article!
Boring, Ore., is named for a pioneer, too, William Boring.
Portland also was home to a pioneer named Josiah Failing, who lent his name to an elementary school and a street. The school was sucked up by Portland Community College in the 1960s, but you can still see Josiah’s name on the building.
Your last entry here smacked me in the face because recently I wrote a piece about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, thought perhaps I shouldn't share it on Substack, and trashed it. Then, as you instructed, I flushed the trash. It's gone. Okay, so what could I possibly add to the plethora of editorial comment and malaise recent events has caused? Why throw another log on that fire? Of course my perspective is different. Everyone's is. You throw out a writing prompt and chaos spews forth. There were actually two pieces I flushed with the trash. I can't even remember the other one, but this one haunts me. Still, the temptation to rewrite it would accomplish nothing. It's gone, thank the gods. Another ember dies in the rising darkness.
I think you are both brave and wise, first to write, then to trash. As you and I know, there are always more words out there for us to rustle up.
And of course I can always rewrite a new version without the current conflict at the center of it. There were issues I wanted to share based on personal experiences while living in a kibbutz in 1976. That was long ago, but the issues remain the same. Nothing really changes in that part of the world, at least for a hefty portion of the population. Some are still living in the 12th Century and the 20th moved far too quickly for many people as it is.
Wow. That was a long time ago. I’d be interested in what you have to say.
I do need to tell parts of that story. Four months on a kibbutz was really life-changing as well as informative about that way of life. If only the banking industry and the Israeli economic crash, the kibbutzim probably wouldn't have been gobbled up by concessionaires. Anyway, I digress from the vital point of cultural changes that have been going on in the Middleast for the past hundred plus years. You've lit a fire, Fran. Thank you.