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!

may already?

sorry its been so long, lots of things have been happening, i will try to get my inspiration back...

little big econ state forest

Well, hello. Writing from the airport wi-fi, as per usual. Sad to be leaving Tucson, there were a lot of things that added up to a nice feeling--people I enjoyed, who were into going out and doing cool activities, in an interesting place, with as much work as needed to keep busy. I will certainly miss folks. It will be nice to be making some money, though, and to get some more trail crew in before summer--help me to get ready for crew leading. Most of my day dreaming time has been taken up with fast forwarding one month, and I am possibly setting myself up for disappointment, but on the other hand...road trip, exploration, camping, climbing, eating, dancing. Maybe it will be everything I hope. Lots of new music to listen to, another hat to make, new books to read. Orlando, here I come.

wheels

Just finished registering my car, a white 99 Isuzu Rodeo. She's pretty sweet. I just hope I can keep her running nice. I'm sure we'll have many fine adventures. I'm looking to figure out her name, and in honor of the Rodeo, I've been leaning towards western style names, but also started thinking about some spanish words. Imput or ideas welcome.


Sweet Marie
Nellie
Luna
Jancy Jane
Paula Jo
Bessie Belle
Clementine
Slew Foot Sue
Daisy Mae
Dusty Lee

rough drafts

Looking Back

Valentines I am sending myself

Lightweight Seminar

Excuse the stream of thought, it was too chilly for complete sentences.

Thundersnow. Only 1.5 Miles today. As we walked away from the van, snow blown sideways, thundersnow. I was warm while hiking, very easy road walking. Quick start tomorrow good idea to get warm. New Schwag! GoLite packs and puffy coats. Couscous dinner, bear hangs. Next time: Neoprene socks.

Long cold night. Especially toes. Felt sick and achy into the morning. Ryan is serenading us. Evac this morning, Matthew had blood in his urine, we all joke how smart he was to get out when he did: it’s cold. Day hike then move when CL Matt comes back. Lots of Cat Claw Acacia. Much booze and cold on this trip. Via coffee break. Cold.

Let me set the scene for you. 10hrs of hiking ass-cold blowing wind steep slope no trail no water foot of snow don’t know where we are going hiking in the dark bouldering broke our aqua mira water freezing as we watch it.

Breakfast on a frozen slab of rock sunrise just a tease wispy frozen clouds water freezing as we pour it in to the pot. Nohl’s cold toes on warm stomach. Hiking hiking trying to find the trail up and over rather than around and down. Past the cat claw into a Manzanita forest through red split trunk trees in the saddle of giant’s cairns, the stone jaws and fingers of rough golden stone on the other side is a tumble of rounded blocks falling haphazard into the valley far below. Poles stowed clambering leaping squeezing climbing down, like Alice through the rabbit hole spit out in the land of Lower Holdout…a rainbow of windshirts jumping for joy, for the camera crew, to stay warm. A carved out creek sinuous and strong. Running singing laughing until—splash! A misstep and cold wet leg gross red gloop scrape it off! Stay warm walk for warmth.

Walk through the desert and onto our trail, pink flags leading the way through Upper Holdout, beauty in the desert rocks, weak sun in front, snow behind on the high ridge. We are walking so fast now, I am keeping up, but missing out. Light and fast, we are going, light is right, but where is the time to soak in the magic of this place? We’ve got to make it to Reef Tank—maybe even before dark? Leave behind the holdout, enter the mundane world of the Santa Teresa Wilderness. No water at reef tank, just lots of cow poop. Making dinner in a blizzard—it finally caught up to us. Coldest night ever, must have fallen asleep twice, because I remember that there were two dreams. One where we were camped at the branch and I couldn’t understand why we didn’t go and get extra sleeping bags from the issue room. Wake up and skip breakfast. Let’s get out of here.

Golden rocks gravel ribbon ridge road. Insolent mountain cows. Blue shadows white snow. Coyote tracks and cold cold sunshine. Sore knees, tender toes, dry throat. Stepping home. The first time I am able to meditate to wonder ponder think breathe and walk.

I am so glad I got to go on this seminar—such an adventure, so much laughter. Pushed at a lot of my comfort zones, skill levels. If I can get through that in good spirits, I can get through pretty much anything.

Not stellar

I am doing this thing that I occasionally do, where I find myself chasing circles around nothing, and I am sad for no reason, and I go to check Facebook, and then gmail, and then yahoo, and then webmail, and then my blog and the answer is always the same, nothing new--not that I am really expecting anything new. It is a failure to live in the moment and to appreciate all the good things that are going on and even the brilliant blue skies outside can't break me out of it. I feel like one of those birds who keeps grooming its feathers over and over, trying to look good, but instead slowly shredding the edges until it is frazzled and frayed. I'm really okay---I just want to be able to hang on to these folks that I come across in my travels instead of having to say goodbye way too soon. Nomad living leaving me unfulfilled right now.

NOLS SW

Sesame pita, Greek yogurt, Kalamata Olive Hummus, Red Onion, Baby Arugula, NOLS Falafal Mix. Good Dinner.

I'm here in the southwest, settling in, feeling pretty glad that I came here. Drove out to a course in the field to bring them their next ration of food today. Tomorrow I guess that I am helping to build a fence, and then Laura is supposed to visit me. Waiting for SCA to tell me how the interview went. People here are very nice and friendly, even the instructors, who are in and out. We made pizza and played Settler's of Catan last night.

haven't thought of resolutions, yet

I am facing a dilemma that I was not anticipating. Seems that I might now be looking for spring work--could go back to the old job, but it isn't a great fit, and they know it, and I know it...So now I am looking around madly for something to make a little bit of money, unlike this entire winter. And I've actually found some really great options.

SCA is hiring leaders for their alternative spring break, which is one month of work, and means that I could bop around with Sky and Laura, or hike the AT for a little bit, and maybe pick up some other short trip-like jobs somehow.

Also there are Ridgerunner and Caretaker positions open for the southern part of the AT, which actually sound very fun and exciting, talking to people about hiking and LNT and gear and fun stuff like that. It is different from everything else I have done, and I am rather jazzed about it.

But I don't want to get my hopes up too high, and I need to decide soon what I am doing and tell Salish. Bounce. I also need to get my WFR recert, and want to talk WTA into paying for half of it, or something. I will scrub floors, peel potatoes, whatever.

Also must prepare to apply for summer WTA work. Not even thinking about fall. Trying to leave Tole Mour behind--though that may not be the right choice, either. A huge part of me wants to GO BACK!

t-day

Menu So Far That I Can Tell:

Juice Shots: Grapefruit and Mint, Ginger and Apple

Crackers with Cream Cheese and Olive Tapenade

Clementine Oranges

Black Cherry, Pomegranate, Wild Blueberry Jellybeans

Fig and Goat Cheese Spinach Salad

Seed-crusted Harvest Rolls

Butternut Squash Bisque

Maple-glazed Brussel Sprouts

Rosy Duchess Potatoes

(guest is bringing green beans?)

Carrot, Pecan, Cranberry Grain Salad

Turkey

Stuffing

Cranberry Sauce

Caramelized Onions?

Duck of some sort?

Pastry Wrapped Honey Poached Pears

Vanilla and Butter Pecan Ice Cream

Pumpkin Pie

16 People--most are exchange student from Wash U.

I made another hat--this time for a baby boy, and it is pretty cute. I have a hard time making the place where one row blends into the next look seemless.

Pictures from Texas

Ponder

The last two weeks have flown by, and I have really enjoyed my time here in Texas. So much has happened but nothing ever felt rushed or busy. It just kind of flowed along from breakfast into work, sometimes into a guitar session instead, with games in the afternoon, potlucks or craft nights in town, pauses for duckling cuddling, and lots of learning about Rocket Stoves, cob, Earthbag houses, plumbing, sweet potatoes, and crochet. Leaving tomorrow for St Louis. I'm rather glad I'm taking the train, it will give me more space to shift my thoughts forward.

adventure month

I am back in the airport once again, inspired by free wifi. Sunrise as we drove to Seatac, glow-orange with a line of pink and blue all around. It's raining now. I am mostly glad to be leaving Seattle. I am mostly excited to be headed towards a farm in Texas to help build some sort of house. Things seem pretty routine--security lines were long, a granola bar is way to expensive, my luggage is too heavy and overfull. At the same time it feels like everything is unstable, and about to change in some life-altering way.