On the twentieth anniversary of Ed Abbey's death, I bought some cheap (three dollars for a fifth), four year old, sour mash, bourbon whiskey (Jim Beam), grabbed my walking stick, called my dog and headed out. We walked to a place on the ridge where I could sit and enjoy the bourbon. Not bad really. Never had Jim Beam before. Most American whiskey is too sweet--this wasn't. Worth the price.I toasted Ed. Thankful for his books, for his clarity about life and our place on the planet. His humor. His essays. His activism and life.
A turkey vulture circled above. Quite close. Only for a moment and then he was gone.
As I sat, a black tailed deer sped by so fast that my dog missed it. He ran within about forty feet of us, charging on. Bounding the way deer bound. Bounce. Bounce. Bounce. Gone.
I sat some more. Had the Jim Beam next to me on the rock that had some old dung dried onto it. Looks like Bear crap--(yes, they really do sh** in the woods).
Ed said that sentiment without action is empty. On the way back to the solar house, I found this noxious sign.
In honor of Ed I tore the thing down. Looks better. Here's to you Ed Abbey!
4 comments:
YAY! Tearing down that sign improved the view considerably.
looks tremendously better. please continue to do so. i will.
Yes, I think it looks better too. And Pawelek (welcome!)...such beautification efforts will continue whenever prudent!
As Abbey said: "the earth belongs to all of us; and none of us."
Nice reenactment, Allan! Did you tell the vulture "Not yet...," as Ed once did?
Keep the faith, and thanks for the inspiration!
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