For The Love Of Dogs

"Such a simple concept, yet so true: That which we manifest is before us; we are the creators of our own destiny. Be it through intention or ignorance, our successes and our failures have been brought on by none other than ourselves." Garth Stein, "The Art Of Racing In The Rain."

Roads Not Taken... Leading An Intrepid, Four Seasoned RV Life

Another six inches of snow thursday night; it's really beginning to pile up now. This is the Lovely Ouray of old... foot upon foot of wondrous snow. Just when I was beginning to think Old Man Winter was growing old and tired of it all, he comes out of his coma with a vengeance in time for Christmas. Better late than never.

Basking In The After-Glut Of Christmas

Uh, I guess Santa shaved this year; what can I say, at least he showed up. 

The Man In The Window

In the face of bitter cold and deep snow, a rare "civilized" potty stop was made at Mc Donalds. While waiting on my tiny bladdered soulmate, I succumbed to the lure of an ad for oatmeal with real fruit, which, in reality, tasted like a nutritionally vapid and revolting concoction of wallpaper paste and sawdust... topped with raisins. Those food photos are misleading. 

Minus Ten Zen and the Art of Snow Angels

A Double Dawg Dare has been known to get people to do some mighty... ah... crazy things. Got this one on video... Marathon Man Leonard practicing the fine spiritual art of Zen and Snow Angels at the Ouray Hot Springs Pool.

Visions Of Scrap Cookies Dance In My Head

Lovely Ouray, Colorado, 6 AM: Near zero out on our Christmas lighted deck. Dawn struggles against the cold grip of darkness. Snowplows rumble below, blue lights flashing, steel scraping ice... a familiar sight and sound this week.

"A Confederacy of Dunces"

Alrighty then, time to move along... right after this final footnote to the passionate discussion that followed personal observations in the previous post, "An Inconvenient Monkey Wrench."

An Inconvenient Monkey Wrench

At a time when the bulk of his "work" laid behind him, Albert Einstein, perhaps the most scientific, studied, and brilliant of all scientists, was asked about Intelligent Design. "I see a pattern but my imagination cannot picture the maker of the pattern... we all dance to a mysterious tune, intoned in the distance by an invisible piper." 

"Like"

I'm watching the leading edge of this storm drift into The Crevice as I type. It looks as innocuous as a lamb from my Lazy Boy swivel-rocker-recliner, which seems to have grown roots between our gas fireplace and Imax size sliding glass door to the deck. Tiny flakes are swirling more than landing. I'm hoping for some "silver dollar" flakes, as they are my favorite.

Subway, Part II... The Last Hurrah In Zion

After three hours of "bouldering," we reach the final approach to Subway. North Fork canyon steadily morphs into the shape of a "keyhole." The oval bottom resembles a tube with graceful crescent walls... a sensual Rubenesque waistline, if you will, that steadily wraps around us like a corset.

Chronology Interrupted...

Whew! It's been a busy time. I will get to part two of the Subway hike next post. I just wanted to let you know that we are back home in Lovely Ouray. We arrived to snow-less and mild tee shirt weather... but that has since changed (of course). Several days of snow and still snowing now. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, just in the "Saint Nick" of time. 

Saving The Best For The Last Hurrah In Zion

After a balmy November that zipped by like a chetah in hot pursuit of gazelles, The Subway was to be our final hike in Zion. Co-Campers Maikel and Susan were "all in," even after our disclaimer that this hike can test ones mettle, and it's not as easy as the length in miles might suggest. If you are looking for an all day adventure into Zion's backcountry, the rewards along the way and at the end of the Subway hike are well worth the effort.

Thoughts Big and Small At The Alter Of East Temple

You don't have to be religious in order to believe that Zion is a spiritual place. In fact, Zion is one of the few places that believers, agnostics and atheists alike (unalike) can find common ground... join hands, so to speak, and "worship" without compromising their convictions. It would take a real curmudgeon to mis-understand the glory to be found in Zion, and other "freaks of nature."

Edgy Petroglyphs and Rattlesnakes, On The Rocks At Santa Clara Canyon...

Santa Clara Canyon: Nothing shatters this desert rat's Peace In The Valley like the distinct and familiar sound of a rattlesnake... followed by the sight of a rattlesnake a few feet away. There he was, a fat, muscular spring loaded coil... cocked like a gun... daring us to come one step closer. A Mojave Rattler, looking me square in the eye, buzzing like a high voltage power line, and sizing up my intentions and distance with his wicked black forked tongue... daring me to come one step further into his strike zone. Yeah, the rattler was frightening, but he was also intriguing; an unsettling combination, fear and curiosity.