Sunday, March 30, 2014

Bikes and Buds





Got Diedre out on her bike today. She made it 'round the entire circuit through the cedars...


Sunday, March 23, 2014

CelticFest 2014

Up in Kaysville, there's a family of Egans recently returned form a long sojourn deep down south in Florida. A ten-year long fool's errand to a place where no self-respecting mountain-bred westerner should ever be forced to eek out a living amidst humans better adapted to such heat and humidity.
Here he is yestereve with me at their CelticFest, a renewed tradition celebrating all things properly of the north and western UK isles, along with a shot of his wood sylph of a daughter at the same festivity.
Afterwards, we were able to get out and on the local roads with a couple of longboards, long after a chilly midnight.
Happy times.


Friday, March 21, 2014

More Signs and Wonders




A couple more sure signs of change here in our wee town; crocuses blooming next to disused shovels and changing fluids in the old 'Strom.  God knows the fluids need to start flowing...

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Small Waters





On a Friday afternoon, a search of small waterways for signs of life and green. It's early in the process, but everything's awakening to the coming season's process.



Saturday, March 15, 2014

A Load of Stuff


He just likes hanging about in plastic buckets. Makes him feel big and useful, he says.

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Provident Mulch


Up in the hill, the forest service has been trimming and chipping up limbs off of junipers over the past couple of weeks; some sort of fire abatement program.
We thought we'd take advantage of the free yard mulch so kindly strewn about on my bike ride route, and the kids were a big help and great company in the process.


Saturday, March 8, 2014

Winter Falters


 The geese are wandering around the field while sticking quite close, and the sheep are getting a bit more excitable as the grass comes up outside their paddock. Rumor has it that spring is on the way, and we're happy about that.Too many pocket gophers about. though. It's not easy to get the kids to trap them and Zooey doesn't care about them as long as we have chickens and rabbits that are so much easier to spot and catch. Not the most functional ranchero in the world, but here we are at the edge of our little world, and it's always beautiful. 














Sunday, March 2, 2014

Bristlecones and Raven


Some ninety miles to the west as the raven might soar straight,
on a ridge overlooking an undulating desert plain
stand trees who have lived thorough millennia-
and some have endured standing,
departed for more than a hundred years.

Their wooden flesh is the color of desert sand and rusting iron
and the perfume of health remains in their bones’ marrow
even long past their death.
Every living leaf is a stout needle, stalwart and deep green;
and though upon the eldest alive
there are only a few branches
with live bark spiraling and sprouting that deep jade
so small in measure beside deadwood 
that little life will yet outlast my immediate family and me-
if the tree’s ancient patterns persist.

At this human moment, if snow and sleet swirls high on that hill
or clear, sharp starlight shines down on these relatives of mine,
the cold might slow their deliberate, sugary blood,
though rather than freezing sap,
strength will continue course as if spring rains wash down
and midsummer sun scorches concurrently,
because time is very different for those Bristlecones,
as for that raven
whistling past trees and over the sheer edge
without a thought for time
or of the four thousand foot drop below.

Read for the splendid people at David's Granary. Good gathering of souls, music and words today!