mmm, trees

ok, so just returned from four days in the woods in a cabin with two of me good friends. got much done... finished re-reading dracula, got part way through four other books that i brought along for further research in the ongoing book project, and was also given a terrific gift of this newspaper called 'chronicles of the old west.' the paper puts together news from the old west and presents it as it would've been done in the original papers, complete with pictures, diagrams and photos... and some historical perspectives thrown in for good measure. very tasty gift!

unexpected high point of the trip (aside from some terrificly good and bad sonny chiba flicks, and surprisingly tasty franks and beans, you say?) had to have been the short hike i took alone on saturday afternoon. the hike was fairly non-descript at first, wandering across a meadow, through the grounds of the local firestation, and then up along highway 243. however, on the way back from the mostly uphill trek, i took a short detour off the road to get a better view of the setting sun.

watching the sun dive behind the mountains in slow motion, and watching the birds caught in the light, transforming them into dust motes falling across the suddenly endless valley reminded me that words are terrific tools... like verbs are shovels, adjectives are buckets, and so on... but trying to describe the humbling experience of watching your self-centered perspective suddenly grow, and seeing the world expand around you, with sweat dripping off your brow and the sounds of wind passing among the trees, the small crunches of leaves as you adjusted your perch... well, it's like trying to dig a grave with a toothpick.

will look further into my bag of tricks and see if i can find a shovel, or at least a broom to clean all of this up. meanwhile... try to imagine it... or better yet, go find yourself a patch of nature, something with cars no nearer than 3 miles and watch the sun set. you'll see what i'm talking about, i hope.