We were expecting rain late yesterday but it didn't come. Instead, it rained overnight. I was hoping for a good rain, enough rain to soak the ground so that I could pull weeds before going to school. Alas, there just wasn't enough rain for that, but it sure did give the pre-dawn hours that lovely aroma of sage and creosote that I love so much.
I walked the dogs early for a sunrise hike. The clouds had mostly cleared so there wasn't much drama, nor much color, as we walked the maintenance road for a 3.2-mile hike. This seems to be the ideal distance for Minnie, who enjoys dipping into the stockpond in the end.
That stockpond and the dogs' sandy feet create quite a mess in the Honda, though. Ugh. It never ends!
Later in the afternoon, in a social studies class of 7th graders, I ended up chatting with one young girl about hiking. "Why are you wearing hiking clothes?" she asked. This is the first time in over ten years anyone has ever asked me about my clothing choices for school. Yes, I wear a lot of hiking pants and shirts because they are very comfortable.
"Because I am an avid hiker and often hit the trails right after school"
"I love hiking, too" she said. She is only the second or third teenager I've met who loves being physically challenged outdoors. So I told her about my six-week road trip to Alaska two summers ago, and how that road trip somehow has changed me, made me more aware of nature's beauty. I don't even remember how I got started on that topic, but she just looked at me and said "Wow, you must be rich!"
No, I am not rich, I assured the girl. The biggest expense was gasoline (and then beer and food at the brewpubs along the way). Vancamping saves one so much money. For many people, the lodging is the most expensive part of traveling. But it shouldn't be. I know it's not always feasible with a family of small children to camp out in the wilderness. It was just me and two dogs and we slumbered in the van for all but ten days because we had room and we were happy that way.
The girl's words got me thinking, though. My sister is rich, but she is unhappy and desperately looking for love. I am not rich, but I am rich with memories, memories of days in the wilderness, or days with friends and family. I have done a lot of traveling in my lifetime, from across western Europe to western North America. I can not pass on my memories to my children. When I die, the memories die with me. All I can do is write those memories down here.
Ironically, my sister Iris' 56th birthday is today. I wonder how she celebrated. Was she alone, or with friends? Did her (estranged) husband call her and wish her well?
No comments:
Post a Comment