Guatemala

Travel stories soon to come after this week of work.

Open Sky 11/8/11

Here we are in this cottonwood valley
Branches holding out their last offering to the wind
Trembling at the change of seasons
Golden sun dries the sweat on our backs
Toss football, harvest sage, drink water
Revel in the feeling of lightness
At a packs off break

Here we are underneath this pyramid rock
On a plateau layer cake of juniper and sandstone
Here we are at the confluence of lake and
Monument canyons, a tongue of rock
Hovering over dead rivers, mesas rising over and over
A rumpled cloth of land

Here it is, the harvest moon through the tree
As the sun goes down, a ringed round halo
Wisps of clouds, frozen moisture hovering above
Winter moving in with a snap, bite in the air
Nipping fingers and toes

Here we are, the Open Sky chamber orchestra
One small guitar, seven male voices
Harmony, then disharmony
We all have pain, we all have sorrow

Here we are spilling dinner, boiling rice
Orange embers fanned into yellow flame
Simple foods, many thanks
Gather close, 'bows tie us together
Lean on me
Song fades into the night

Here I am one small green tarp
Under the bright blaze of Jupiter
Orion hunting over the horizon
Shut eyes into desert dreams

Hail Ganesh, remover of obstacles!

Fall in Durango

Yum

Farmer's Market Day

Dinner
Spinach and Pine Nut Ravioli
Asiago Cheese
Fresh Arugula
Sauteed Green Beans with Caramelized Onion, Garlic, and Jalapeno

Cowboy Motorless Parade
Earth Prayers and Poems Research
Liberty Mountain Gear Shopping
Book Reading

first day of school

Breathing, relaxing, sitting with tense muscles. My spine is not comfortable with spending time aligned. Talking, de-escalating, cooperating, requesting. Positive Control Systems. Almost 12 hours of training. Also jumping jacks and peeing in a cup.

SeaTac

101 pounds of checked luggage. No curbside check in. Bag got pulled in airport security because they thought my headlamp and belt buckle were a bomb. Took twenty minutes and three runs through the scanner and unpacked two sleeping bags, sleeping bag, a tray of clothes, two trays of small stuff--it was the bottomless carry-on bag. Walked a stick through security. Next step, Phoenix.

After a long summer...

I'll be back to writing regular posts in September!