"Hope"

"Hope" is the thing with feathers

"Hope" is the thing with feathers-
That perches in the soul-
That sings the tune without the words-
And never stops- at all-

And sweetest in the Gale- is heard-
And sore must be the storm-
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm-

I've heard it in the chillest land
And on the strangest Sea-
Yet, never, in Extremity,
It asked a crumb- of Me.

-Emily Dickinson

best friend

My best friend, Jasmine, passed away yesterday. Some unknown illness took her in a matter of weeks. She was a loving soul and a constant companion. We hiked forty peaks together this season and had countless adventures in her eleven years of life. She was the perfect mountain dog, fearless, agile, athletic and never daunted by adverse terrain or conditions. She especially enjoyed sitting on the top of a peak scanning the incredible landscape below. She loved skiing in the spring and when it was time to go and I was clicking into my skis she became quite excited and would even yelp and squeal with joy in anticipation of the descent. Her favorite passion, however, was the relentless pursuit of chipmunks, squirrels and birds. She hardly ever captured one but was always game to give chase. Even though she was not trained as a hunting dog she would sense a hidden ptarmigan or grouse and freeze into the classic point pose revealing the hidden quarry. While we were hiking she regularly came back from her explorations to check on me and I got into the habit of saying this little poem to her. It seemed to soothe her and she would turn and happily trot off... "You're a pretty dog gon good little ol dog gon dog, dog gon it..anyway." I will miss her deeply.

night flight

drops on a leaf

last color

a show

mountain goat encounter

We got very close to a mountain goat the other day. A magnificent animal in a spectacular setting, with great friends!!

schuykill register

bluebells

forest

lets cross here

garden gate

My friends Dale and May are artists. Everything they touch, weather it is paint, yarn, piano keys or an old dilapidated house,they use as a vehicle for aesthetic expression.
They grow incredible gardens and have built wonderful primitive fences around them to keep the hungry deer out. Each garden has an elegant gate fashioned from willow branches and bailing wire. They are simple, functional and each one is a unique piece of art.

pasque party

modean and brita

Modean passed away recently. He was sixteen and had a good life, a great home and a best friend, Brita, whom he spent his whole life with. They were soul-mates, sleeping on the same pillow and grooming each other daily. Dean was a hunter, making rodents and birds in the neighborhood beware. Brita is the show-girl, very delicate and elegant with tiny paws and she will always respond to your greeting with her little voice.
When we went out to see Modeans' beautiful little grave, Brita followed us. As we stood there she began to circle the grave, pausing at most of the rocks and rubbing her head and shoulders on them with her little purring motor going full force. She knows that he is buried there and misses him. I have always wondered if animals have emotions and after seeing this touching moment I am sure that they do.

boulder lit up

Sometimes it is the brief moment when a boulder is lit up by the setting sun that reality becomes timeless.

the wind

Some gusts sound like a freight train rolling across the desert. There is a strange calm before it lifts the sand, stinging your face.

claret cup gathering

There was a gathering, deciding what color to wear.
They decided on red!

desert moods

The dramatic moods of the desert are illusive and sublime, changing with each gust of wind.

landmark tree

I recently did one of my favorite ski tours. There is a tree on the way down perched on a knoll that is easy to spot from a distance. I call it the landmark tree. Some might think that it is a dead tree, but to me it is very much alive. It's weathered branches reach towards the clear blue sky and It lets me know that I am on the right track. An old friend pointing me in the right direction, alive and well!

a star

slope