bird.
Jun 28, 2011
Jun 27, 2011
6.26.11
the upgrade
6.25.11
something is happening here that breaks my heart.
the pines are dying. everywhere all over colorado they're dying. the pine beetle - which once was kept out of the high country by our cold mountain weather - has worked it's way into the forests here as the temperatures rise. for the past few years the winter hasn't been cold enough to kill them and so instead they're killing the pines. all of the pines.
from a distance the mountains look nearly the same; only here and there do you see brown dead trees standing tall and hopeless among the mass of green. some areas show more death than others but by glancing at a tourists photo you'd never know. yesterday though, steph and i hiked to the ampitheater in the mountains above ouray and what i saw in the woods there made my gut turn. almost all the pines we passed on our four mile hike showed signs of beetle kill.
where once you'd look around and see only bright green, fluffy boughs glowing in the sun, now there are sweeps of skeletal branches, bleached and gnarled and utterly jarring. it really looks like the whole pine population, meaning most of the forest here, could be lost. i feel this anticipated loss so acutely that my eyes fill up with tears just thinking about it. i know, i know, i'm a tree hugger.... but much of my childhood as spent stalking through these fragrant woods with my dad, looking for the wildlife that lived in them. i've skied and hiked through them my whole life. these woods shaped me and they bring the mountains to life. where will the animals go if they're all gone? will enough other trees remain? and will the beetles move on to other species once the pine have been exhausted?
i know that my life is small and that i cannot possibly understand the life of a tree, not to mention a forest. in the face of nature i know nothing about time and i'm probably being melodramatic but i simply cant help it; i love these trees so much....
Jun 25, 2011
Jun 23, 2011
Jun 22, 2011
6.20.11
home on the range
the town of my childhood is perennially mellow; a sunny, sleepy place where nearly everyone passed on the street says hello and everyone passed on the road waves. so far though there has been hardly any reason to go to town except yesterday for topo maps, eggs, salad greens and a fishing license - all of which are available at the hardware store. i have everything i need or want right now at the homestead dad took off on his black harley yesterday, leaving me well stocked and alone. i've got a truck, a freezer of buffalo, a fridge of hot sauces, a cupboard of coffee, many shelves of books and a revolver.
Jun 20, 2011
6.19.11
during the mumford and sons set the freezing rain turned to snow.... it snowed. which was really so beautiful and epic.
happy summer solstice babies!6.18.11
this is casey.... one of my oldest and dearest.
today was all about tarp jumping with friends, dancing in the valley, the decemberists at sunset, front row for old crow, kicking up dust, the buck, and tandem bike rides home at 5 am.
Jun 18, 2011
Jun 16, 2011
6.15.11
today was mostly spent on rebecca's deck hanging out in the sun. this is the view from our festival home.
Jun 15, 2011
6.14.11
to do list:
- hike to morning glory arch
- go swimming at mill creek
- get burgers at milt's
- go to the bookstore
- mail postcard to new zealand
- get groceries and block ice
- drive to colorado
Jun 12, 2011
Jun 11, 2011
Jun 10, 2011
Jun 9, 2011
Jun 7, 2011
Jun 6, 2011
6.5.11
the space station
outer space is interesting. the pay is good. i love my fellow cosmonauts. but i have missed the earth.
6.3.11
story stones
"... recently i noticed the blanket dad gave me years ago has a leather tag on the bottom. it reads, 'spirit quest - with respect for those who sought their own destiny through a vision into the spirit world of their creator.' i never noticed it before, but i guess now that it is the only blanket i own i pay more attention. of course i love this tag and i love to be covered in this blanket now in all my gypsying and all my strange new beds.
last night i had a dream that i was living and working in a huge old building. there was something vaguely european about the whole thing. it was a residence but also a sort of venue and we were quite busy with putting on a performance. there was one main singer but it was a circus atmosphere, full of wildly dressed bohemians and street performers. i was on top of a high building looking down when i noticed a man swinging from a giant tapestry on the side of the building. the tapestry was a huge version of my blanket.
"hey!" i said to him, "you have the spirit quest blanket!"
"i do!" he responded brightly, swinging over to me.
"it's rare!" i said, "they only made a limited amount you know?"
"i know," he smiled, nodding his head.
then he looked right into my eyes with his clear blue ones and climbed up closer to me.
"the things you learn in the meta, on the adventure, are always true."
with that he swung away. it was such a powerful message that i woke myself up and texted it to myself so i wouldn't forget. of course i did forget until checked my phone over coffee. the best text ever. straight from a dream.
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