|

12 November~2007

I stayed home Friday night because I was so worn out from telling my stories three times to the third grade classes on Friday morning. That allowed me to get up early to go to Horse Rescue Saturday morning, and open the gates. One of the jobs on the board was to dismantle a set of metals corrals, which I did over the course of a few hours. I also checked my irrigation lines that I installed a few weeks ago. I was thinking what a thrill it will be to see these trees leaf out again next May.

I wonder what kind of winter we will have before then? So far it has been dry and calm.

It was that way last winter until we got three feet of snow on December 16, and then a series of storms that keep the roads icy and the trails snowpacked for most of a month.

One of my stories was about snow, and Wilson Bentley, the first person to photograph snowflakes. The children were quiet and attentive, which says more about their teacher's advanced coaching than my skill as a storyteller. My second story was about an Arapaho girl who loved horses, adapted from Paul Goble's book. Before the stories I introduced the children to three qualities the characters had - a sense of wonder, in regard to nature, passion for something they were interested in (snow and horses), and a sense of gratitude for nature and life, which made these stories somewhat Thanksgiving-related.

A recording of my story is here.

My discussion of gratitude throughout the year was heartfelt. How many of us spend a lot of time being appreciative for what we have. It's something I think about, and know I am living right when I face the day with a simple and thankful heart.

One of the biggest deceptions is the idea that more will make us happier. It just isnt true. What John Burroughs said is right - that when it gets down to it, such blessed little is needed to be happy.

The Greenbelt sure has a November look to it now - still and brown, waiting for the snow and cold that is sure to come. I like this time of year - talking long walks in the cold mornings with the dogs.

My peach tree is hanging on to its fall color a long time - into midNovember!. It is a good tree - 25 feet tall, right of the edge of the deck. In late April it is covered with white blossoms and bees, a living proclamation that spring is here. There are plenty of long cold nights to endure before them.

Enduring isn't quite the right word since I go out dancing more than ever in the winter months. The smile and touch of my dance partners who have fire in their hearts makes the December cold seem like no big deal.

I have lived long enough to know that the beauty of the women I dance with has a lot of similarities with the beauty of the wilderness that I love so much.

(to see a 700 pixel wide image of the above collage, click here; to see a 1400 wide pixel image of the above picture, click here.)