Last weekend we went to Asheville for the Spiritual Matters/Matters of Spirit, NCSA (Nineteenth Century Studies Association) conference. Russel was presenting a paper entitled "Spiritualism on Trial: The Arguments of Austin Phelps." Quite an interesting paper, maybe I'll post a link to it later. The conference isn't always on spiritualism, of course. Turns out there were a lot of crazy things going on in the nineteenth century. My favorite session was "The Religion of William James in Mind and Body. There were four papers in that session, and even though they were way over my head, I was thinking I would take up reading James in my spare time. Along with all my other books. Apparently William James, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Jonathan Edwards all knew and conversed. Though I better check those dates--that may have been a different session. There is a current book called Varieties of Religion Today: William James revisited, by Taylor that sounded quite interesting. Anyway, all in all it was one of those experiences where you realize there is so much to know, and that you don't know much. :)
The drive to Asheville was spectacular. The freeway banks were strewn with red bud trees--which should be called lavender trees--in full bloom, mixed with some white dogwoods, and new, spring green trees, and dark cedar--well maybe it was cedar.
Tomorrow we're off to Jacksonville, Florida, to see Mary in a track meet. My azaleas and dogwoods are blooming.
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