Walk #316: The Tree Guy

Joni's home!

She pulled in last night at 6:30--just as I was setting up a feast of barbecued pork loin, mashed potatoes and a salad (with a few tomatoes from our garden). We feast, chat a bit and later fall asleep to the sound of rain tinkling on our recycled tin roof.

But it will be a short reunion, as I'm about ready to drive to the Napa Valley for five days. I squeezed in one last walk this morning...with the sun fully ablaze.

I stopped to talk with one of the neighbors on the Ridge. This gentleman lives down the road a bit--in a cabin. He makes his living by traveling the world collecting seeds from various species of trees. He is by all appearances a soft spoken, simple living, in shape, pony tailed, "back to the lander" with a subdued smile; a forestry expert--whom I am told has a world renown reputation. He likes the progress on our house made of mud (I'm receiving more and more complements from those who view our structure from afar).

I tell him that his name came up at the histrionic planning meeting the other night.

"Did they say I was for or against the plan?"

We discuss the plan and find that our views are in agreement--and that the Butte County Plan is a good one. Since C. is on his way to San Francisco, we talk about the possibilities of doing some ride sharing to the bay area and agree to have dinner sometime.

Connections...

Walk #315: Abandoned Trailers and Gary Snyder

Either my glasses are dirty--or there is smoke in the air.

Foothills residents worry all summer about fires then, as soon as it is wet enough to burn things--they start burning. All the summer's trash goes up in smoke. All the building materials, unwanted items and stuff to burn just for the fun of it--are tossed in piles and ignited. A pyrophile's dream.

I found a new abandoned trailer on my walk today. Sometimes they burn too.

I let Angel run free through out the walk. A rare day when she decided that she would be mindful of my directions. Could be that she heard me say that Joni was coming home today. This dog understands much--and she seemed especially happy and playful on our walk.

And lastly, a friend sent me a Gary Snyder quote:

Practically speaking, a life that is vowed to simplicity, appropriate boldness, good humor, gratitude, unstinting work and play, and lots of walking brings us close to the actual existing world and its wholeness.

Walk #314: The Slow Building Movement!

A walk down the road outside our house. Cloudy today. Looks like rain.

Ran into a neighbor who gave me a proud tour of his house. He then gifted me with a sackful of pomegranates. These "off griders" are a hardy lot. He told me of the early years living up here, when he would stop at the creek to wash up before work (they had no well).

"We would just roll up our bedrolls in the morning, since we only had one room in our trailer."

Through all of this, he managed to stay married to the same woman and raise two children. Eventually he built a house around the trailer...adding on bedrooms, a family room, a kitchen and lastly--a master bedroom (not quite done yet).

"Only took 15 years", he said.

Long live the slow building movement!

Walks #311, 312 and 313: Marooned...

I found this bug yesterday. A quick internet search identifies it as a Dark Jerusalem cricket. This is a frightening bug: Two inches long and ugly as sin (in a beautiful sort of way); menacing...you can hear the thing walk across a wood floor!

As for walks? Yes, they are happening. I am marooned here in Concow with the girls. Joni is still in San Diego, helping out with her Mom.

Yesterday, a large coyote crossed my path on the walk. Unlike the bug above, the coyote had a graceful beauty to him. He crossed the road about thirty yards in front of me. The trickster stopped and briefly our eyes locked. He then bounded on...

I'd rather be eye to eye with a coyote than a Dark Jerusalem cricket (somehow this name seems both rascist and anti-Semitic in one foul swipe).

Walk #310: Cold Noses...

Dogs aren't dumb. They know who they can rely on.

Angel's first preference for her six a.m. walk is Joni. Seeing that Joni has been with her Mom in San Diego this week, I guess I am the second choice for the early morning walk.

It is dark. We are all sleeping in the cabin when Angel walks up to me and stares. I awaken to see a white, anxious, seventy-five pound dog looking at me from the perspective of about two millimeters from my nose to hers.

"Go away", I moan and roll over.

Dogs who have to pee are persistent. Angel climbs on to my bed and sticks her cold nose on my face; she begins to lick me. She wins.

Out we go...

dark...

raining...

taking her silly time...

sniff...

sniff....

dogs like rain...

plod....

plod...

sniff....

sniff...

sleepy...

the dog is happy....

the owner of the dog isn't.

And Joni does this every morning without whining.

Walk #309: Get Outside!

It is neither sunny nor cloudy. Not hot or cold. An in-between sort of day.

Angel and I did our customary walk along the Ridge. We are waiting for the rain that is due in any minute now. I just got an e-mail from an old high school friend who said he likes to "hike" rather than walk.

What is the difference? Apparel? Intent? Economic status? Location? Age of the participant? In the UK they call it "rambling". Doesn't matter what you call it. For me, it is just important to get outside once a day, for at least a few minutes, preferably someplace non-urban (but urban areas can be wild too), to enjoy this planet that is our home for way too short of time.

That is what I try to do. That is what this self-absorbed blog has made me do: Just get outside. Pay attention to what is.

Walk #308: T-Shirt and Shorts...

November 4 and it is downright hot outside.

Joni is hanging in the air someplace in California right now; I hope her Southwest pilots aren't taking a nap. As Joni flew to see her Mother in San Diego, Angel and I took a two hour hike on the Ridge. An awesome day which reminds me why I live in California.

I wear a T-shirt (from Fallen Leaf Campground at Lake Tahoe) and shorts. Angel wears her leash. We are joined on the hike by one of the neighbor's dogs (Grady). The dogs romp. I walk. Good for both human and dogs.

Not much to report. The Killer Bees and their hive have vacated the Ridge. One of my "off grid" neighbors was playing their stereo. There was a huge mound of bear scat on my driveway (gotta tell Joni about that when she comes home).

I returned from the hike sweaty and happy. The two seem to go together. A friend of mine once told me that a person should sweat, at least, four times a week. Agreed.