Friday, June 18, 2010

Veering Off Course

I thought that I was headed for Moses Lake, WA but I spied a turn off towards a lake and wetlands about 20 miles before. Asphalt turned to a gravel 2-track which narrowed even more so I opted for a steep short uphill, gunned it and ended up on a tight loop by a small dam. VOILA: privacy and water and splendor for free.

La Perla strings along beautifully behind Blue, the Ford F-10 pick up. I can not believe my good fortune. Easy to pull, to turn and I can back up if need be (unlike Tortuga and the Honda tow car). The travel stress is gone. And here I sit, with my little home. Everything I need and want right here. Well, almost...but that's okay for tonight, soon enuf I sense a lover 'round the bend.

A walk along Kootenay Res brought me yellow-headed and red-winged blackbirds, eastern king birds, a great snowy egret, cinnamon teals, blue-winged teals, northern shovelers, coots, phalaropes, white pelicanos and northern harriers. A sunset explosion through charcoal clouds.

I awoke the next morn on the heels of dreams of Victoria Falls, spawned by the sound of rushing water going over that little dam. I laid in bed and remembered "Smoke that Thunders" -- the magnificence of it all. A bull elephant sauntered down the middle of the street, scattering people like pool balls. Panicked runners looking back over their shoulders. He walked up to a vegetable stand, wrapped his trunk around a 50-pound bag of oranges and shot it into his mouth. He chewed on it for a long time, whereupon he brought his trunk back up, reached into his mouth and extracted the nylon net bag.

My life, yes. I chew and savor. Swallow a few seeds. Reach for the remnants and lay them to rest. Eventually, I saunter on.

3 comments:

  1. Christina!
    Where are you??
    post or email or phone me.
    Carole

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  2. so to hear you've really settled into your travel path. I am following you on this blog. I will get views,vistas, space and mountain greenery in two weeks!!

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  3. Sorry to worry everyone out there...I hadn't anticipated that I'd be out of cell or wi-fi reach for a week at a time. I'm back on contact now...

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