Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Walk #222: Bennett Lane Blessings...

One of the two does watching me...

Red Grapes (although they are purple)

White Grapes...


Farmworker housing



Wearing my new "Monkey Wrench Gang" t-shirt that I bought in Moab, Utah---I was craving a walk a bit more isolated. Serene. Probably from some subconscious programming, I chose to go to Bennett Lane just outside of Calistoga.

You see, Robert Redford used to own the movie rights for "The Monkey Wrench Gang". My friend Steve has seen Bob twice running on Bennett Lane. Robert Redford maintains a residence (or at least used to--these famous folks change residences to keep the rest of us guessing as to where they live) in Calistoga. One of the places he takes a run is Bennett Lane. My friend Steve called him "just a little dufer" due to his diminutive size.

So I walked on Bennett Lane; nice and shady.

Since I was wearing my new t-shirt (complete with an R. Crumb drawing of a wrench) I was in the mood for monkey wrenching. Feeling radical. Alas, that had already been done: a barbed wire fence had been cut which provides a game trail for deer.

Barbed Wire Fences: Get rid of unnecessary ones is my opinion. But we shall explore that in future walks.

I walked along in my new radical black t-shirt. The Vineyards are heavy with grapes. Soon the white grapes will start to be harvested. The red varieties will take a bit longer to mature.

I come across two does. Black tail I think (but it is hard for me to tell the difference between black tails and mule deer). They watch me as I walk and freeze. I snap a photo.

Two does. Beautiful. Do they promise me a positive ending to our Guardianship drama tomorrow--when our valiant lawyer wanders into a humiliated court which must admit they were wrong? I hope so.

I walk along past the Farmworker housing, where they have a garden and chickens.

But my thoughts were mostly of thankfulness. Thankful to my work for 1. giving me a living wage; 2. giving me the part time benefited position I have; 3. providing me with housing when I work and 4. letting me take four days off with almost no notice to get important documents. I may rag on the silliness of the hospital at times, but honestly, they have treated me very, very well.

Blessings. Blessed by the black tailed deer. Blessed by legs that walk. Blessed by a spouse who loves me. Blessed by a workplace that provides meaning. Blessed by health. Blessed by walking in beauty. Blessed by the simple act of being able to breathe. I am blessed. And I feel such today....

3 comments:

Ian Woofenden said...

Back at the ME/NH border, and took a 10-mile ride on my nephew's recumbent, with a 10.6 mph average, blowing off steam. ;-)

Ian Woofenden said...

More recumbency tonight, paved and dirt/sand roads around Fryeburg, Maine, my mother's birthplace:

13.07 miles
9.7 mph average
23 mph max

Ian Woofenden said...

Maybe my last recumbing today. I had a conference call for the Small Wind Conference organizing committee, so I cruised around Fryeburg, Maine while talking with my colleagues around the country.

17.67 miles
8.5 mph average (lots of easy cruising, and braking to reduce wind noise when I wasn't on mute...)
26.1 mph max