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Canaan
Canaan is often used in the bible as a reference to the “Promised Lands” and so-called “Justified invasion of Canaan” was turned into a popular song by Coven with One Tin Solider. Of course, depending on who you ask, Dennis Lambert pretty much turned this biblical verse on it’s head.
Canaan Heights, as the name suggests, is one of the highest elevation locations in West Virigina. It’s not unlike Canaan, NY, which is the highest elevations of the Taconics.
“Canaan Valley in Tucker County can be difficult [to pronounce] especially for people who are familiar with the Bible and are used to the biblical pronunciation KAY-nun. It’s pronounced kuh-NANE here in West Virginia. Canaan Heights and Canaan Valley Resort also put emphasis on the second syllable.”
Essays, Now Written and Posted
Over the years I’ve written many essays I’ve never posted here. Some of them are ideas that are under developed, others are things forgotten. Sometimes I just want to wait to post commentary on an issue once it’s fully played out. But over the past few weeks, I’ve been trying to post more, post some things written long ago, because I think they are either relevant or quite interesting for people to read.
Even one child’s death is too many, unless they are unborn – in Albany County 🤱
I am often taken back by the hypocrisy of Albany County’s Health Department campaign, “Even One Child’s Death is Too Many.”
The county is very concerned about children drowning, people not stopping for school buses, or mother’s having children in bed with them and accidentally crushing them, but not so much about abortion. Any way you look at it, a child dies.
Now I’m not one to say that abortion should be banned, but it shouldn’t be celebrated nor should it be common. If you engage in a sexual act, you are creating a child. If you change your mind after the fact and get an abortion, you are killing a child.
There are many reasons abortion should be available. It’s basic healthcare and it can save lives of the mother, who might be burdened by a child birth and raising when they are unprepared. Or the pregnancy could be very risky. But by no means should it be free and without consequences.
Maybe the penalty could be a civil offense or a misdemeanor for all but the most egregious offenses like woefully reckless sexual behavior. Penalties could be as minor as just a required public apology and legal record of the death. There should be at least an acknowledgement that a child was created who later was killed.
It shouldn’t be about denying a necessary abortion but I don’t agree with celebrating it as a right or as a form of liberation. After all, it is the intentional death of a child, which in many ways is more tragic then an accidental drowning, crash or crushing. Abortion should be available, but it shouldn’t be free or without consequence.
Listening to Oliver Anthony, Riding My Mountain Bike to Work 🚵♂️
After last night’s rain that didn’t turn out to be too much it wasn’t a bad morning, though I got into the office a bit later then I would have hoped around 8:30 AM. But it’s fine, I cooked down a nice pot of black beans and rice and had some eggs with broccoli and onions.
I do wish I was on my way to West Virginia this year, 
but with work and meetings I am much too busy for that, though I am thinking of heading out to Madison County for the Columbus Day Weekend assuming it’s not too wet. It would be a blast to ride some of the roads and Charles Baker, and also paddle Nine Mile Swamp. 
Probably the colors are pretty good out in the hills of Madison County, they were getting pretty good at elevation in the hilltowns over the weekend. More cows and less coal then West Virigina but still fun. 
I am hopeful next year, especially if I get a new truck and do not get too tighted up in owning a house or being a homesteder. 
That house next to my parents house sold, but it would have been a mess to fix up and had too many neighbors even if it was cheap. You know, I do kind of like the smell of cow shit, and it’s legal to smoke pot in New York and be a stoned poney 
at the State Horse Camp.
It seemed odd that I was home by 3 PM on Sunday, 
but there was just shit to do before it got dark out, and I wanted to unpack and decompress before the week was done. I had a list of data jobs to run down at the library, and I was completely out of food but didn’t want to drive to the grocery store, 
as I am low on fuel and I like biking to the grocery store as it forces me to make choices on what I buy. 
It’s kind of a money saving strategy, I guess, plus it saves on fuel and the risk in getting in a crash. 
But maybe it’s kind of silly. 🤪 I also returned a bunch of beer cans, 
as that needs to be done so I got my $1.70 and it’s not like you can burn the cans.
I was so excited when they had fresh cranberries at Hannaford last night. 
Seems silly but they’re such a seasonal treat. I ran home and made some delicious homemade pancakes with shredded cranberries, whole wheat flower, some stevia, baking powder and salt. 
Lately I’ve been really into pancakes, using whole wheat flower and often hardy ingredients for dinner like chopped frozen vegetables 
and soy sauce. Just like to try new things. Eggs were good for breakfast as was the coffee. 
Mornings are so dark these days. And Friday it’s off to Madison County for the next adventure. 🛻 I’ve been wanting to paddle Nine Mile Swamp for a number years — it was over a decade since I last dun it.
I wish it was easier to have truly creative thoughts, see the world clearer 💭
I wish it was easier to understand the world, have a clear, lucid understanding of the world around me. See things the way they really are, find the deeper meaning. But it’s so darn hard, as most of the time I’m just trapped in the same frame of reference and even when I smoke I get more tired then inspired. I just wish there was something deeper and more profound to life.
Squaw Lake
Exploring Squaw Lake at Moose River Plains.