↓
 

The New American Digest

For Followers of Gerard Van der Leun's Fine Work

  • About American Digest
  • About New American Digest
  • “The Name In The Stone”
  • Remembering Gerard Van der Leun
    • from the website: Through the Looking Glass
    • from the website: Barnhardt
    • from the website: Neo’s Blog
  • Articles
    • The Overland Stage
      • The Holladay Overland Stage: 1 – The Central Route
      • The Overland Stage – 2 Company Operations
      • The Overland Stage – 3 Exploring The Route – An Overview
      • The Overland Stage: 4 – South Platte/Julesburg/Ft Sedgwick
        • Jack Slade
      • The Overland Stage: 5 – Julesburg to Junction Station (aka Ft Morgan)
      • The Overland Stage: 6 – Junction Station to Latham
      • The Overland Stage: 7 – Latham Crossing to Fort Collins
      • The Overland Stage: 8 – LaPorte to Virginia Dale
      • The Overland Stage: 9 – Virginia Dale to Cooper Creek
      • The Overland Stage: 10 – Cooper Creek to Pass Creek
        • Fletcher Family
      • The Overland Stage: 11 – Pass Creek to Bridger Station
      • The Overland Stage: 12 – Bridger Pass to Duck Lake
      • The Overland Stage: 13 – Duck Lake to LaClede
      • The Overland Stage: 14 – LaClede to Almond
      • The Overland Stage: 15 – Almond to Rock Springs
      • The Overland Stage: 16 – Rock Springs to Fort Bridger
      • The Overland Stage: 17 – Fort Bridger to Weber Station

I find I don’t wish to explore new lands, but to explore again those I have already passed through, trying to see what I’d missed in the first hectic rush … Gerard Van der Leun

Home→Published 2025 → June → 14

Daily Archives: June 14, 2025

Deep Thoughts

The New American Digest Posted on June 14, 2025 by DTJune 13, 2025

I don't really have any at the moment - at least none I can put into a coherent ramble.

It is Flag Day however - and Trump's birthday, and the Army's birthday.

And "Arrest Your Favorite Protestor Day" if the all the speculation of NoKings proves true. Even in a little town with a population of 5000 not far from here ...

To say nothing of what may happen in the Middle East between the time I write this and the time you read it.

Possible Canadian, 1930:
A man in a crowded bar needed to defecate but couldn't find a bathroom, so he went upstairs and used a hole in the floor. Returning, he found everyone had gone except the bartender, who was cowering behind the bar. When the man asked what had happened, the bartender replied, 'Where were you when the shit hit the fan?'

"Travelling between Tehran and Tel Aviv ..."

Continue reading →
Posted in Uncategorized | 19 Replies

and you say you’re not a fan of poetry ? ..humph.

The New American Digest Posted on June 14, 2025 by ghostsniperJune 13, 2025

From a selection of comments

"I doubt anyone has read less poetry than me.
Like jazz, I just don’t get it.
Both seem to be exercises in how to make something simple, complex for no reason at all.
"

Maybe not reading it - but ...

Tear it open let it bleed
Scream the truth I can’t concede
Burn the lies consume the ash
Rise again from the devil’s wrath

* * * * * * *

Rusted walls closing in too tight
Echoes scream in the dead of night
Cursed by the weight of what I’ve done
Falling deeper nowhere to run

* * * * * * *

Shadows creeping whisper my name
Chains of despair drag me deep
Underneath where no light can creep

* * * * * * *

He's a poet ... and doesn't know it :)

Continue reading →
Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Replies

Rules

Contact: dt@newamericandigest.org

Gerard Van der Leun
12/26/45 - 1/27/23


Gerard's Last Post
(posthumous): Feb 4, 2023
"So Long. See You All a Little Further Down the Road"

When my body won’t hold me anymore
And it finally lets me free
Where will I go?
Will the trade winds take me south through Georgia grain?
Or tropical rain?
Or snow from the heavens?
Will I join with the ocean blue?
Or run into a savior true?
And shake hands laughing
And walk through the night, straight to the light
Holding the love I’ve known in my life
And no hard feelings

Avett Brothers - No Hard Feelings

The following was posted along with the announcement of Gerard's passing.
Leonard Cohen - Going Home

For a 2005 interview with Gerard


June 2025
S M T W T F S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930  
« May   Jul »

Most Recent Comments

  1. Wild, wild west on Tunesday: Cowboy Junkies – Where Are You Tonight?April 28, 2026

    It's a thousand wonders I saw this, because I despise Letterman, but years ago, they did a song on his…

  2. Wild, wild west on My Current Disaster – Chapter 1April 28, 2026

    I got off the board and on to other things just as Autocad was coming out and never had a…

  3. DT on Tunesday: Cowboy Junkies – Where Are You Tonight?April 28, 2026

    Sweet Jane was considered but I went with something less well-known. The band popped up for a while then slipped…

  4. SK on Tunesday: Cowboy Junkies – Where Are You Tonight?April 28, 2026

    Had kind of forgotten how much I liked them. Thanks for this reminder. Their version of Sweet Sweet Jane is…

  5. Gary on My Current Disaster – Chapter 1April 28, 2026

    Sorry if this is dumb question but........ Was it a Hard Drive failure or simply the power supply dying ?…


Blogroll
The New Neo
Jean's Blog - Pondering
The Feral Irishman

Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man,
play a song for me
I'm not sleepy
and there ain't no place I'm goin' to

Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man,
play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning,
I'll come followin' you

Take me for a trip upon
your magic swirling ship
All my senses have been stripped
And my hands can't feel to grip
And my toes too numb to step
Wait only for my boot heels to be wanderin'

I'm ready to go anywhere,
I'm ready for to fade
Unto my own parade
Cast your dancing spell my way
I promise to go under it


Men who saw night coming down about them could somehow act as if they stood at the edge of dawn.


From Gerard's site. The picture always caught my eye.

Archives

  • April 2026
  • March 2026
  • February 2026
  • January 2026
  • December 2025
  • November 2025
  • October 2025
  • September 2025
  • August 2025
  • July 2025
  • June 2025
  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024

Contact: dt@newamericandigest.org

About "DT"

The New American Digest © 2024 - Weaver Xtreme Theme
↑