And now we hike 14-ers: Long's Peak

And now we hike 14-ers.

Will and I made it to the top of Long's Peak this weekend.  His silhouette on the highest point seems to reflect the dreams and ambitions of a strong, capable young man in his sixteenth year.

Meanwhile, my own silhouette would not likely evoke the same adjectives.  Maybe "ambitious" would fit...

But, we both made it.

We hit the summit at 8:26am.  Glorious.  I conquered some fears.  And my advanced years gave me patience and confidence to take it one step at a time.

Now onward.

Ghosts

I know I saw whooping cranes.  We were in Montana, between Missoula and Bozeman.   I'd been driving for a couple of hours, but the sun was just coming up.  There were two of them, on my right.  The kids were fast asleep.  I wish I could go back, stop on the side of the road, and wake everyone up to see.

But the cranes were so still, and quiet.  So unbelievably tall.  They faced the sun, as if in worship.  At a glimpse, they looked human.  About 5 feet tall, arms/wings tucked in.  Motionless in a field.

All I have is a picture of the sunrise, so they remain as ghosts.  But, that moment.  Catching my breath as I saw them.  Knowing it was dreamlike, but real.  I'll remember them forever.

Backroads

The backroads of Montana. This photo will stand alone.

New Chickens, First Eggs

It is a special day when new chickens begin laying eggs. We all guessed late January or February, but they jumpstarted in 2016.  Make no mistake:  the chickens are our pets.  Lemon, Fluffers, Flight, Twilight, Cupcake, and Mo, Jr.  But, the fact that they give us these gifts every day feels like a small miracle.  

Lined Up Colorful

Just before the holidays, my family took a trip.  We combined a cheap flight to Vegas with a road trip to Southern California, to put our feet in the ocean in 2016.

Our hours driving through the desert did the trick to strip us down, of something.  There aren't many variables in the desert.  But lots of raw beauty.  The earth sits so still and dry, conserving all its energy, while this band of highway cuts through, cars and trucks speeding with abandon.   At a rest stop, Will and John kicked the soccer ball, the only kinetic energy around, while locals sat and watched.  We left food for someone there who's mind had left her, but she had much to say.  I wonder how she survives.  

Bits of color create such contrast.  The blue sky gets the glory, but at one point, we saw a row of bright balloons, lined up like tourists beside the train tracks.  They stood witness to all the traffic, foreground to the desert scene.  Hours later, my family lined up in just the same fashion on the beach, witnessing the awe of the ocean.  Bobbing beings, looking out on a stark landscape of sand and sea and sky.  

In Their Hands

Currently, at my household, there is a serious nail-biting habit.  Every time I look, someone is furiously chewing at whatever is left of their fingers.  I try to hold their hands a lot.  Those hands, so engaged with the world.

Stardust in Paper Bags

June and some friends are spreading stardust around town, in the form of paper bags filled with gifts for the homeless.

One parent gathered toiletries from generous dentists and hotels.  Others contributed food and drinks.  The girls took paint to the bags, with words and art.  

Despite all this goodness, I worried about our words.  The words written on the bags, and the tenuous connection between young privileged white girls and people without food or shelter.

The girls wrote:

Believe in Your Dreams
Today Will be a Good Day
Thank Happy Be Happy
It's Always Too Early to Give Up
Live Love Laugh
May Your Day Be Happy

But why focus on the weight of our differences?  We can all embrace these thoughts.  Why anticipate resentment?  Why overthink it?  The kids sure didn't.

Again, I am wiser to think like a child.