The Hopes and Fears of all the Years

Dearest readers- however few and however far,

This blog has been a wonderful place to vent and muse and develop ideas and tell even silly stories. Each year I commit to writing more and most times I fail. I perfectly realize that without consistent writing, there is not consistent readership and someday when (not if!) I publish my book, I may regret my sporatice nature.

But it was after my last post that I realized how much I need to write and put my words out to the world. The lovely notes and cards and texts after Rain, Rain, Go Away reminded me of the immesurable value of community and sharing.  I was raw and overwhlemed and so many responded with kindness. And those who didn't must have sent my words on because many people read them. And if I was comforted, I trust my words comforted some as well- if nothing else but with the knowledge we are not alone in this life. Our sorrow is the sorrow of being human and the price of Love. But shared sorrow is a gift to the soul.

I'm glad to see 2019 go. It's been a year of great highs and great lows. But it ended on a beautiful high note of shared joy with the marriage of my most beloved sister to a wonderful and kind man. A few of us spent New Year's Eve in front of a roaring fire at my cabin.  My niece and I toasted in the new year with ginger beer in a moment of black skies awash with diamonds. We stood by the porch rail, wrapped in blankets,  with the darkened house behind us. I reminisced about the night her father and I stood in the same spot and gazed at a similar sky.  He had called Janet and I out to see the stars and the wonder in his voice is a sweet memory.  The seasons pass, he rests in eternity and years go by. The stars shoot out their beauty and we are small beneath them.

The next day after they left, I rose and climbed to meet that starlight, hidden by the light of the sun but nevertheless, shining on me.  After our merry band stuffed ourselves on a potluck breakfast, we hiked to the top of the highest peak between the Rockies and the Pyreenes. We tromped in a broken path of snow and over bare rocks, in glorous sunshine to a stiff breeze on the top. I haven't hiked as much as I'd like since my trek to Spain and it felt so good to stretch myself and dig in to accomplish the summit. Single women all, we celebrated our strengths and camaraderie.  We waited for each other and chased a confused dog who bolted back up the trail in search of his mistress. I just met three of the women but as we shared stories and pushed ourselves, we made community.

No camera at the top, but the view, even without know is wonderful. 

 So I sit and muse and try to craft this small story, reminding myself of the joys of new beginnings and new stories to be lived and told. I pray you have a new start toward the light of the stars that always shine down, sending us delight, seen and unseen. 

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep 

The silent stars go by

Yet in thy darkness shineth

The everlasting light

The hopes and fears of all the years

Are met in Thee tonight

 That Light is always shing, deepest sorrows and highest joys. In valleys and on summits, hopes and fears are met with his Light.  Blessings on 2020 as we live in the Light of Love- together. 

Through the Heart of Texas

I drive a lot. 

I drive through big cities and small towns. I drive by a big city’s downtown, like Denver, or right through smaller places like Rapid City. And I drive around a lot of places. I drove around Indianapolis twice before I had time to go downtown and discover their fabulous river walk, wonderful arboretum and the museum with the granite of Washington, DC monuments.  Now I love Indianapolis.

I’m on the road again- one of my marathon wanders from the Black Hills throughColorado, off to Texas and more of Texas, then west to Tucson and San Diego. My winter goal is to prepare for walking across much of Spain in April so I left the snow and headed south. I have grandchildren at the end of this rainbow trail but I also have treasures to find along the way.  

Ahhh! 

 I enjoyed visits with friends in Colorado and I stuck my weary feet in a small hot springs in Montezuma, Colorado after three days of walking four to nine miles each day.  

5 miles in Palo Dura State Park.
What a great hike in the second largest canyon in the US.
And much more accessible hiking than the BIG canyon. 

At my exquisite lodging at Dyess Air Force Base (that’s the branch of service that knows how to pamper guests!), I read all about cool things to do and see in west Texas. 

So off to the National Center for Illustrated Children’s Literature and the storybook capital of the US-Abilene, Texas. Bet you didn’t know that! It was wonderful and if you buy three books, you get a free bag-  “this is Texas and we know how to do a nice tote bag”.  So, of course, I had to buy three books, well four actually.  All the best children’s literature illustrators wait for invitations to have their illustrations and books displayed there in Abilene.  In June the city hosts the children’s book festival and has a really fun storybook park fill of lovely bronze depictions of classic illustrations!  Like the three naughty kittens that lost their mittens complete with a very stern mama cat almost as big as me and a life size Wilbur staring up at Charlotte in her steel web. Who knew? I want to take my grandkids now.  https://www.nccil.org

From there I was off to one of “America’s Best Small Art Towns” according to a book I picked up somewhere along the way. And sure enough- Albany, TX, population 2,000 has an exceptional art collection including some very fine bronze sculptures. http://theojac.org

Finally, I rested my head at Goodfellow AFB. San Angelo would definitely be a town I’d drive around. It’s flat and brown in Feb with non-stop wind. Nothing distinguishing. But I was there and I wanted to get in my walking miles so off I went and...

San Angelo, Texas has a fabulous river walk!  Not THE San Antonio River Walk but this walk has few people, no skaters or cafe chairs ready to bump you into the water.  Just lovely Hill Country limestone slabs cantilevered over the Concho River in stacks and piles. Water runs from fountains, under the walkway and into the river. Statues of sheep, resplendent in design and colors, line the walk and remind walkers of  the town’s history in the wool industry.  Anglo and Hispanic cultures are celebrated with mosaics on underpasses, pickups and even a VW beetle.  One mosaic interweaves classic art masterpieces to interpret the city- Van Gogh’s sky and Henry Moore’s people combine to celebrate all that is fine in a town that has worked hard to bring beauty and fun to a riverfront that probably wasn’t always so attractive and accessible. 

http://www.artinuncommonplaces.org/

https://rippedjeansandbifocals.com/reasons-to-visit-san-angelo-texasdo-in-san-angelo-texas/

What else have I missed on my hurry to get from point A to point B?  I’m in a fine season of life- I have time to dawdle but so do many people. Few chose to get off the main road and explore the less known. Maybe because I live in the “fly over” zone of America, I know what people could miss.  

All places where people take pride and create beauty are winsome, are places you remember and talk about.  Places you want to share- so get out there and explore that place you might have been tempted to drive around. Drive right through life and savor all the unexpected!

Adventure .... and lost and found

I had one last adventure before I left Big Bend State Park- a solo hike.  Safe, easy, close to the road. ha!

It was close to the road- the road opens to a little parking area and there is a sign for Cinco Tinajas. "Five Jars"- or in this case, naturally formed pools.



 I did pay attention to that little voice, "Take the walking poles" even though the path looked pretty flat to me.  I had my water in my new hydration pack. I had TWO cameras- one Sony, one iPhone which takes great photos but didn't have cell coverage anywhere on Big Bend Ranch. So it was just a camera. I had my sun hat so shouldn't need sunscreen... wrong. But off I went- water and chocolate on my back.

This is the last flat part of the hike. The "road" at the bottom?  The dry river bed.

This canyon becomes central to my story....view from the top.

Those poles were really helpful, invaluable actually getting down the steep path of volcanic scree. Photos don't do it justice. It was steep. But the dry river at the bottom was worth the scramble. The whole place is a photograph waiting to happen. Lovely.  I wandered alone- it's amazing how comforting fellow human footprints are. And the horseshoes prints were fun to follow.




The big cat prints?  Not so comforting. But I would be out before dark.

God's Zen garden. 

My destination. It's hard to get the scale.
Huge. 

Great photos, good hike, lovely day.

See the happy smile. She has no idea what the next few hours will bring.
Happiness is bliss. 

Except, after a rigorous scramble out of the canyon several hours later, I realized I had lost my iPhone/camera... in the canyon.  Not quite panic- which is a big step for me; and no self-loathing, no self-recrimination- a HUGE step for me.  OK- I made a mistake and Lord, if this is a lesson or a blessing, please,  don't let me become lunch for that kitty with those big paws.

Back down the scree. Hike into the canyon- what side was I on when I scrambled out?  Why isn't my phone in a neon case? Why didn't I put a lock on it in case I don't find it? What exactly IS on my contact list- did I really put all my passwords there?  OK- now a bit of concern is creeping in.


But- God is good. Even when we don't find lost cameras/phones/wallets/ car keys, He is always good.... but He was very good, very gracious to me that day and there, on the ledge high above the small pool of water was my phone AND... a bright blue carabiner, which caught my eye.




 
 Bread and wine? Water and chocolate!  The trusty walking poles- thank you, Drew. Come and get them back any time. Love the backpack, Steve and Abby. Thanks!

Gee- don't I look happy? Well, I was.
 Just a bit tired after my second scramble back out!

The hike out of the canyon wasn't that hard- my heart was light.  The hat was helpful but I must remember sunscreen in these desert wanders. The kitty remained invisible. The lost was found.

 It was a good day.

Amazing cactus growing on the side of the canyon wall. 

Coexistence.