A Modicum of Comfort
Wendell Berry, Town Meeting, nurturing local culture, & our latest call for submissions
Midwinter is a study in contrasts. On one hand, there is plentiful snow for our beloved winter sports, the days are noticeably longer, and we northerners are blessedly able to handle a cold snap. On the other hand, we are at peak vitamin deficiency by late February, and that initial thrill of the white stuff tends to diminish as the hours of shoveling, shivering, and sweeping up salt and grit pile on. Yet, there are still ways to hearten our souls and nurture our connections. This week, we offer you the beauty of a barred owl photographed by Literary North’s Rebecca Siegel; my look into the hopeful, everyday work of community building; and an opportunity to write for Junction about something that has comforted and sustained you through both winter and the pandemic. Details below.
- Courtney Cook
The Work of Local Culture
There are 10,000 or so of us who live here in Hartford at the junction of three rivers and five villages in eastern Vermont, as well as many thousands who live on the other side of the river in western New Hampshire, and to our north and south. We are a closely linked ecosystem, and my town, along with our neighbors, is trying to get plans in place so that our community stops contributing to global warming and starts strengthening a sustainable and resilient local culture. This is a small point of hope for me; it is something I can act on. (Read more.)
Call for Submissions!
As our New England winter stretches on and we speed towards the anniversary of the month when our lives were radically upended, we want to hear what’s helping you. Are you rereading old books or digging into new hobbies? Is there someone in your life you’re especially grateful for, or have you simply rediscovered the joy of talking to dear friends on the phone more regularly? Maybe you have a new favorite trail, or you’ve tried ice skating for the first time since you were a kid. We want to hear it all in your short personal essay. Our suggested word limit is 250 words and further guidelines can be found here. Please email your drafts, and any images you might like to accompany them, to us at junctionmag@gmail.com. Deadline: March 12th.
Calendar
WEEKLY BLACK LIVES MATTER VIGILS:
Mondays in Grantham, NH, 4:30-5:30pm, across from the Grantham Post Office
Mondays in Hanover, NH, 5-5:30pm, on the green
Tuesdays in Lebanon, NH, 5-5:30pm, Colburn Park across from the Lebanon Opera House
Wednesdays in Meriden, NH, 5-5:30pm, Rte. 120 and Main St. intersection
Wednesdays in Windsor, VT, 6-6:30pm, Old South Church
Thursdays in Canaan, NH, 5-5:30pm, sidewalks on Route 4 & 118
Fridays in Claremont, NH, 5-6pm, Broad Street Park
Fridays in Springfield, VT, 5-6pm, 6 Main St.
For more opportunities to engage, see the SURJ Upper Valley Facebook page.
Thursday, February 25th - 6:30pm
Anti-Racism Author Discussion with Cynthia Bittinger - Windsor Public Library [virtual]
Thursday, February 25th - 7pm
Improv Games Workshop - Valley Improv [virtual, registration required]
Saturday, February 27th - 10am
Planning Your Garden with Ben Pauly - Billings Farm and Museum [virtual]
Saturday, February 27th - 8pm
Here in the Valley - Live Stream from the Briggs Opera House [virtual]
Saturday, February 27th - 8pm
A Virtual Conversation: Angel Bismark Curiel - The Hopkins Center [virtual]
Sunday, February 28th - 12pm
Restorative Justice Speaker Series: TJ Donovan - Hartford Dismas House [virtual, registration required]
Tuesday, March 2nd - 7pm
Book Launch: Julia Cooke - Norman Williams Public Library [virtual, registration required]
Wednesday, March 3rd - 3:30pm
Making Music Together - Upper Valley Music Center [virtual]
Wednesday, March 3rd - 7pm
Libraries in the Time of Covid - Vermont Humanities [virtual, registration required]
Wednesday, March 3rd - 7pm
A History of the Concept of Race - Rutland Free Library [virtual]
Thursday, March 4th - 5pm
Virtual Panel Discussion: Global Art and Art History in the Wake of COVID-19 - The Hood Museum [virtual]
Thursday, March 4th - 7pm
GameStop, Robinhood and Reddit: Market Structure, Social Media and Financial Bubbles - Rockefeller Center at Dartmouth [virtual]
Thursday, March 4th - 7pm
Writer to Writer: Kerrin McCadden & Matthew Lippman - Vermont Studio Center [virtual]
Thursday, March 4th - 8:30pm
Conversations with Mark Morris, feat. Peter Sellars - The Hopkins Center [virtual]
Saturday, March 6th - 7pm
Circus Spectacular - New England Center for Circus Arts [virtual]
Sunday, March 7th - 4pm
Ben Kulp: Dissonance to Consonance - Upper Valley Music Center [virtual]
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