Monday, November 12, 2012

Huck Finn Pays Tribute!

original art by Justin Williams * Fort Worth, Texas

"I was pretty tired, and the first thing I knowed I was asleep.  When I woke up I didn't know where I was for a minute.  I set up and looked around, a little scared.  Then I remembered.  The river looked miles and miles across.  The moon was so bright I could a counted the drift logs that went a-slipping along, black and still, hundreds of yards out from the shore.  Everything was dead quiet, and it looked late, and SMELT late.  You know what I mean--I don't know the words to put it in."

"I took a good gap and a stretch, and was just going to unhitch and start when I heard a sound way over the water.  I listened.  Pretty soon I made it out.  It was that dull kind of a regular sound that comes from oars working in rowlocks when it's a still night.  I peeped through the willow branches, and there it was--a skiff, away across the water.  I couldn't tell how many was in it.  It kept a-coming, and when it was abreast of me I see there warn't but one man in it.  Thinks I, maybe it's pap, though I warn't expecting him.  He dropped below me with the current, and by and by he came a-swinging up shore in the easy water, and he went by so close I could a reached out the gun and touched him.  Well, it WAS pap, sure enough--and sober, too, by the way he laid his oars."

"I didn't lose no time.  The next minute I was a-spinning down stream soft but quick in the shade of the bank.  I made two mile and a half, and then struck out a quarter of a mile or more towards the middle of the river, because pretty soon I would be passing the ferry landing, and people might see me and hail me.  I got out amongst the driftwood, and then laid down in the bottom of the canoe and let her float.  I laid there, and had a good rest and a smoke out of my pipe, looking away into the sky; not a cloud in it.  The sky looks ever so deep when you lay down on your back in the moonshine; I never knowed it before.  And how far a body can hear on the water such nights!"  

*** This is an excerpt from 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'
written by none other that my favorite author- Mark Twain ***
The book was first published in England in December 1884
and, then in the United States in 1885

The illustration was done by a friend of ours, Justin Williams, on a wall in his garage.  Justin graciously emailed me the picture, and, I am pleased to incorporate the drawing into my celebration of the birth of Mark Twain.
***

Samuel L. Clemens, aka Mark Twain
Born in Hannibal, Missouri November 30, 1835
Died in Redding, Connecticut April 21, 1910

Thank You:
Google
Yahoo
http://online-literature.com
http://twainquotes.com
Wikipedia
Huckleberry Finn
a 'special thanks' to Justin Williams

Thank you so much for stopping by.  We're about to embark on the Thanksgiving for the year of 2012, and, my wish for you is to have a joyful, AND, thankful holiday!

Are we thankful enough?  I'm always finding more to be thankful for...just waking up is a blessing to me! And, I am thankful for my family, friends, and, you!  Please stop by anytime, even if I don't have a new post...visit an old post just to say HI!  We will all be busy with the holidays coming up, and I look forward to seeing what you present on your blogs for them...'White Christmas' perhaps?
***
"You see, in our house there was a sort of family prejudice against going fishing if you hadn't permission.  But it would frequently be bad judgement to ask.  So I went fishing secretly, as it were--way up the Mississippi."
~Mark Twain * Speech March 7, 1906



'hehe'

be safe, see you soon! 

12 comments:

  1. Twain's writing is relaxing and evocative, isn't it, Susan? As a boy I spent many relaxing hours drifting around in a row boat on a creek where my family vacationed. I can still see it, hear it, feel it and smell it. Floating on inner tubes on that creek, toes squishing in the mud on the bottom, watching "witch doctor" dragonflies skim across the water - those experiences were honest and basic, the kind a kid needs. I feel very fortunate to have been there and done that.

    I wish you and your husband and Scootie and everybody else in your family a very happy Thanksgiving, dear Susan. I am very thankful to have you as a friend!

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    1. Good afternoon Shady! We too enjoyed prowling around creeks, digging in the mud, looking for shells and such. You're right...what fun that was. And, Twain's writings are so evocative and exciting as you say! I haven't read all of Huck Finn, but, now I would really like to. It's so much different than watching the movie...I think, because I love the way Twain writes and describes it all. You can just picture it in your mind.

      Thank you so much for coming by Shady. It's nice and cool in Texas right now, Yay! Thank you for your wishes, and I wish for you and Mrs. Shady, a wonderful Thanksgiving-maybe Mrs. Shady will make a great macaroni salad next week, lol! Thank you so much for being a wonderful friend!♫

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  2. what a nice post...in honor of mark twain!

    being a 'quote lover'...i have to say he has some of the BEST quotes!!

    YOU and your family have a joyful & thankful holiday too, susan. we DO have a lot to be thankful for...don't we?! sometimes through tough times...we tend to not take a good look around us...and being thankful for more than just the 'material' things in life. know what i mean?
    OH, cute cartoon too!! haha...poor scarecrow! just a bit deflated!

    happy turkey day!!

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    1. Hi Laura, you know I couldn't pass up Mark Twain's birthday! He does have the best quotes! One I like is, "In the beginning God created idiots-that was just for practice. Then, he created Congress!" I just love that one! He had such great nerve to write exactly as he saw it!!! Finding things to be thankful for means we're standing up to the tests in life, I believe...that keeps me going.

      Glad you like the cartoon...it's pretty good! Thank you for coming by. I'm sure I'll see you before Thanksgiving, but, do have a great one!♥

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  3. i forgot to say...i like justin's drawing too!! =)

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    1. Justin is really good...he does a lot of deviant art, and, I've been trying to get him to do some other things for me to use on my blog. He did this drawing on his garage wall!!! He'll be glad to know this drawing was liked. Thanks Laura!

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  4. Twain was quite a writer, stemming from his unique way of looking at life. Thanks for sharing the Justin Williams drawing, also.

    Have a great Thanksgiving, Susan!

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    1. Hi Nancy. Twain was unique as you say. He must have been a deep thinker, and, what an imagination! I don't think he ever ran out of things to say. Thank you for coming by Nancy, it's so good to see you. I hope to get some more drawings from Justin.

      Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!♥

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  5. Simply ages ago since I read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - and I thoroughly enjoyed it too. Thank you for a great post Susan, you have such a wonderful way of celebrating birthdays, milestones etc :D)
    Love Justin's artwork too and the little cartoon at the end.
    Sounds like a busy time coming up for you, all that cooking and, yum, eating ... have fun and, yes, it is nice to think about all the great things we can be thankful for. Cheerio for now xx

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    1. Hi Susan, so sorry I didn't get back here sooner! I, too, haven't read Huck Finn in ages, and was astonished at the way it is written. I only got to read a few chapters...now, I want to get the book and read it all. The writings are much better than a movie for sure.

      A busy time indeed! And I certainly don't need all the sweets! My stomach just can't take too much food anymore, but it's hard to resist. Thank you so much for your wonderful comments-the cartoon is funny, lol! Have a great week, see you soon!♥

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  6. Replies
    1. Thank you so much Justin for the great drawing, that was an inspiration for this post! Send more!

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