in a rut

sometimes the phrase "in a rut" is a misnomer. finding the tracks JC and i laid down last wednesday at hickory ridge made it a peaceful afternoon yesterday for jse and me. it is amazing how an afternoon of skiing can erase the pain of shoveling... just wish i were on the water more.

into the wild - revisited

spending time with energetic people has a positive effect and the renewed thought that maybe one day i could regain some of what has been lost..... youth is wasted on the unappreciative. it was a luxury to take a morning off and just explore along snowy paths (of course someone had to break trail first - notice who is behind). hickory ridge had a quiet peacefulness on a morning with subzero temps. was i really paddling along the pacific coast just two weeks ago?

recaptured childhood

with continued snowpack on the driveway, requiring saturday morning to shovel, TAE and i made time to create the snowcave we never got the chance to dig when he was little. how many more of those unfulfilled dreams are there left now after 60? hopefully a few..

and it's supposed to snow some more.......... go figure.

sideways

life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally used up and worn out, shouting '...man, what a ride!'
-- George Carlin

with all the snow coming down we're in for another ride i expect. i wish i was looking out the window of "tranquility", the observation deck of the space station, to see it from a different angle. wouldn't it be nice to see a lot of things from another perspective.

thanks to my "older brother" for the quote.

the otter limits

hanging in the kelp beds in monterey bay with these playful creatures was decidedly joyous last week. the time at the sequoia retreat center allowed for early morning hikes under 100' trees to a beautiful waterfall, but it's nice to be home to two feet of snow. now if i only had time to ski instead of shovel.

moon rising - fullur tungl

the full moon in January afforded a solo river trip complete with eagles, pelicans, geese, ducks, and one lone coyote. he was unphotographed and followed me down river to a point where he just sat there watching. i circled around and made two parades past him just so he would have something to tell the kids about when he went home. there wasn't enough clear sky under which to howl...