Monday, March 20, 2017

ROGUE RIVER RUN

This challenge brought about a happy memory
I hadn't visited for some time.  My thanks to
our hostess this week.
Submitted to dVerse
Haibun/haiku
March 20, 2017
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When visiting my daughter, who lives in Salem, Oregon, we chose to take a ride up the Rogue River on one of the jet boats that deliver the U.S. mail from Gold Beach to isolated spots on the river.  There were about 15 people in our group.  It was a glorious day and a glorious opportunity to see the unspoiled and unpopulated course of the Rogue, where we saw heron, cormorant, osprey, a bald eagle, and assorted wildlife   It seemed to be as it had been since the beginning of time, a veritable untouched Eden. 

At mid-day we stopped at Lucas Lodge, which is at the confluence of the Rogue and the Illinois River.  There we were seated at one large table with red-checkered tablecloth, and served a farmhouse style dinner of crispy fried chicken, buttery mashed potatoes, garden vegetables, hot biscuits with blackberry jam, and apple pie.  It was a quiet group at first, but I suggested we go around the table and introduce ourselves.  What followed was a meal I will always remember.  Conversation flowed freely amongst the varied folks at the table … a pair on their honeymoon (blushing appropriately), an employee of the timber industry, a save-the-white-owl environmentalist, a pharmacist (my daughter), our tour guide and others.   By the time we got to the apple pie, we were a congenial group, and we found our way back down the hill and boarded the boat for the trip back to Gold Beach. That meal somewhere on the Rogue is one of my pleasantest memories.

Summer on the Rogue
far from civilization
worries fall away

14 comments:

  1. Oh, Beverly, I made this trip years ago. I can't say I remember the food, but seeing my childhood girlfriend after many, many years was such a joy. She and her husband took us on the ride.

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  2. How lovely. This has a wonderful conversational quality to it that adds to the affable content of this wonderful haibun.

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  3. There is nothing like a shared meal to bond a group together.

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  4. The Rogue River, a good meal and a congenial group. What a wonderful haibun this is. The haiku is excellent. I like the tone of this. I felt like you were sitting here telling me about this day.

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  5. River/wilderness meals tend to be the most tasty, and here, as an unfamiliar group bonds over the good lunch would make the meal even better.

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  6. River/wilderness meals tend to be the most tasty, and here, as an unfamiliar group bonds over the good lunch would make the meal even better.

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  7. I love to eat dinner with strangers... there is something so special about learning to know someone without any pressure. Like a guiltless falling in love

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  8. A travelogue in the midst of sharing a meal.....wonderful!

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  9. oh my....this whole setting sounds gorgeous. the scenery and especially fried chicken! i loved traveling with you from my chair!

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  10. Thank you for sharing this moment

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  11. Stunning setting, great food, good company...only one result really. Nicely done.

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  12. love the whole story and warm feelings I got reading this, sharing a meal, laughter, stories, being comfortable with each other over and living life in the moment.

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  13. There is something wonderful in sharing a table...it brings out the best in us.
    Kind regards
    Anna :o]

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