Saturday, February 25, 2012

Keeping Company

Today's rock n' tree


Rosie started lifting her leg, not at home but on the trail in the company of all her boy dog friends. Chance lifts his leg higher than any dog I have ever seen. It's a wonder he doesn't wet himself with spray, so it's no wonder Rosie has decided a little leg lift is in order.

Trees that grow on the silted tops of rocks have my respect. They don't have much in the line of normal tree footing but they manage and sometimes they even manage to alter the rock. I have seen roots envelop a boulder, split a boulder and nearly rebury a boulder. I think of a tree altering a boulder like a slow motion magic trick. And I can't but think the trees and their rocks are keeping company across species much like my dog and I. Rosie's roots, thankfully tenacious.

And Mr Chance.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Raven

Glory Hole



Last night I had a dream I was taking a serious test in serious group. The test was to correctly name your bird totem. Raven popped into my head but I had difficulty not saying 'ranger' instead. (Remember I was dreaming.) When it came to my turn I did indeed successfully say Raven. Everyone else named a bird, but then the 'Man' asked me to name my bird totem again. I looked the man in the eye and said 'morning glory' because I'd had it with this test. The Big Fellow said, 'definitely Raven'.

Ravens nest in the wall behind the glory hole. This morning as I drove out the parking lot one of the Ravens did what they occasionally do and flew the road with me, hanging right in front and above the windshield of the car, a sweet reminder about my funny feisty dream.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Rainy trek



Birch Marks

Mr Big

In contrast but right near Mr Big, these two brave baby souls live precariously beside the trail. 

At the end of the rainy trek, sunshine breaking through.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Lurking

Lu on the move

Lu followed Rose and I into the field. Lu's a tricky girl. She knows she doesn't want to play 'chase me' outside with the dog where Rosie can get up some speed and cut and run. Inside Lu taunts Rosie, outside Lu lurks. Pretty smart for a pigeon toed bow-legged beauty.


Sunday, February 19, 2012

Burly Morning

Old Maple with a high healed amputation

A bunch of burls and scars caught my eye this morning. How do these hardy trees survive these bumps?
Big scar for a big tree

Younger maple with a big belly


Thursday, February 16, 2012

Pale

Pale Green Ice


Rose worries when we walk the trail without the other dogs. The same dog who bosses all the big boy dogs around doesn't like to walk alone. This morning she was teased by chipmunks. One chipmunk sat in the middle of the trail and dared her to chase. Rose looked at me as if to say you first.

Walking, I pale in comparison to her dog friends, but I lead the pack at back scratching, just a matter of knowing  your strengths.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Sunday, February 5, 2012

A New Resting Place




I chatted with a jeweler friend /business associate yesterday. He lives a distance away and he hasn’t paid too much attention to Irene or the flood. I had to explain how it is that a flood from August is still very much part of my daily work. Once he grasped the magnitude of what is both different and uncertain here, Andrew was taken aback. How are you able to function in such uncertain circumstances, was his question.

Life is like that at times. I have had a solid three years of one thing after another. One big thing after another with very little rest between the buffeting waves. Sometimes though we prepare ourselves for our lives without even knowing it. Not so long ago, as much as I loved being in water, I did not feel comfortable in over my head. I worked on it. I swam everyday I could and talked myself through my worries, told myself, I can get to shore, I can. And now through all these changing seas, my most restorative respite; water as deep as I can find.

Friday, February 3, 2012

Dancing Burls

Three good bumps.
I am taking a life drawing class. First time in decades I have been in a 'I want you to do it like this' situation. Oh boy. I am sometimes teased about getting into a tight spot and describing the difficult experience as great. Well, here comes another one.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Pearls

I love these last chance barrels warning, presumably people, from falling into the intake shoot at the dam. When I see the big sign 500 yards before the barrels that says 'Danger, turn around', I feel immediate anxiety. How do you know when the sign is for you? For background, I have a hard time interpreting the orange signs on the back of trucks that says 'construction vehicle, do not follow'. When I am in traffic behind a truck with that signage, does that mean at any moment it could be not okay?

From a number of different perspectives I have been struggling today with black and white. Photographing white things, strong declarative statements, drawing with charcoal. I think that's why I like those barrels, like an orange pearl necklace, no confusing words, just wrong.