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Thursday, June 16, 2016

Peaceful, Easy Feeling

“Today I have grown taller from walking with the trees” ~ Karle Wilson Baker

Even as ashen clouds rush across a sapphire sky, they gather in the distance. Not here, where a chilly breeze gives rousing chase to all but brief intervals of sunshine; its warmth steadfastly denied.

It’s a campfire day, when everyone gathers close in a room without walls to share laughter and warmth past sundown, then toasted cherry pies as stars pop out above like diamond-studded measles on a vibrant velvet mantle and the perfect joy on a young child’s face reflects in the dancing flames.

Sunburns have tanned or peeled from weekend fishing expeditions when the little man with a Spiderman pole brought home all the winnings, thus convincing him that he is ready for competition when “the big boys get a little better” ;-)

Yes, it’s a peaceful, easy feeling here in the woods. Half a day and a world away from the desert; where monsoon only teases on 111 degree days.  When I return I’ll share with you a place deemed somewhat hellish, but for now, it certainly isn’t where I am -) Hope it’s the same for you! Until then, I’ll be working with my most strident character, which simply won’t be denied her chapters!

Update:
The kids headed down the mountain this morning, for duties that beckon below. The sudden silence is lovely and oddly lonesome as we clean up the remnants of a memorable week and prepare for possible evacuation. 
The windswept flames of the Cedar Creek fire, which started yesterday around noon, quickly and steadfastly spread and by this morning  had burned over 5000 acres; now threatening many mountain communities, including ours.  Never a dull moment ;-)

Happy Trails!

When or where do you get your ‘Peaceful, easy’ feeling?



17 comments:

  1. Yikes! I hope that fire isn't too near you. You've otherwise painted a lovely picture of an idyllic existence in the woods. The first paragraph could be a tutorial on descriptive writing. You are so good at that! ☺

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    1. Hi Debbie!
      Aw, you say the kindest things. Thank you :-) While not yet considered 'contained', the fire is 8 miles away - and holding. Dense smoke has just this morning begun to cloak the town and filter eerily through the woods. There are six ground crews, two air tankers and Hotshots on the ready. If we have to leave we'll run the gambit on home, for the shelters don't except pets. Granted, some state routes are currently closed, so the drive will be considerably longer.
      Side note: The local radio station has been playing Meatloaf songs (in between fire updates) this morning. I sure hope that doesn't mean bad news...

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    2. Here's hoping you won't need to be evacuated! Meat Loaf was hospitalized for severe dehydration recently and his shows were postponed. Lat I heard he was on the road to recovery.

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    3. Thanks for chiming back in, Debbie:-)
      Thankfully, we were able to stay the entire 10 days. But I don't think I could have endured too many more smokey days ;-)
      I knew you'd know something about Meatloaf! Gads, I hope he recovers. When classics go I always feel as if a piece of me went with them. Good thing for memories ;-)

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  2. Hi, Diedre!

    Once again my favorite desert cactus is half a day and a world away at her retreat in the woods, shaded from the sun and yet thriving. You painted a picture of what serenity looks like, dear friend, and I now share your peaceful, easy feeling. The description of your week brings back many happy memories of camping trips in scouting and vacations with my family in the mountains of northern Pennsylvania. No seaside resort has ever given me the peaceful, easy feeling that a week in the mountains affords.

    I hope they bring that fire under control soon and that it doesn't force you to cut short your visit and evacuate. It would be a terrible shame if fire damaged your pristine vacation spot.

    Stay safe, dear friend Diedre!

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    1. Hello, dear Shady!
      I'm pleased to have shared the feeling well enough for you to feel it too! Thank you for your kind words and thoughtful comment :-)
      I agree wholeheartedly with your statement about the woods vs. seaside; somehow it just feels more at one with nature and I derive much more delight from a scampering squirrel than I do a scuttling sand crab - ha!
      Fortunately, we capped off on Wednesday as many filling stations have run out of fuel from the rush of folks either leaving or preparing to. There's been no change in evacuation status as yesterday's winds were favorable. We all hope for the same or better today and remain ever-grateful to the outstanding efforts of the fire teams.
      Thanks for keeping the good feelings going, my friend!

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  3. Wow, that does sound peaceful! I get too creeped out by bugs to enjoy it, usually. That's sad!

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    1. Hi Stephanie!

      Bugs don't bother me too much. Unless of course they happen to be spiders or scorpions! then I get a little hysterical ;-)

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  4. Mountain woods are nice "peaceful easy feeling places" that I don't get much of anymore. When have gone back to Tennessee in recent years I haven't taken advantage of that like I should have. But all in all I'm usually kind of a peaceful easy feeling kind of guy wherever I happen to be and I can kind of get it right here at home as long as I'm not thinking about the current events overly much..

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

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    1. Hi Arlee!
      I've driven through Tennessee and have seen the special beauty of those majestic woodlands. I imagine your mom's porch to have been a haven for serenity.
      You're such an easy-going guy, Arlee. I do believe that for you happiness is wherever you are!
      Oh, I'm with you on the current events issue. Beyond nerve-racking, huh? I have to limit my intake sometimes, for sanity's sake.

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  5. Your camping sounds lovely. I need to go camping and be in the woods for the WIP I started. Being around nature like that would really help me get in tune with my character.

    I'm sad to hear about the fire burning nearby. The Disaster Crimes Book I'm working on now is about fire.

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    1. Hi Chrys!
      Seems like even if I don't have something in progress, time in the woods - or just outdoors - will inspire ;-)
      I learned a few interesting things from this fire event, like filling stations running out of fuel, empty shelves in stores, and how pets and people are ushered to separate shelters! There are even separate shelters for small and large pets. Sometimes the shelters themselves are forced to evacuate due to fire danger. I knew that fire creates its own weather, but had no idea tornadoes were part of it. Now I know. One of the largest shelters was evacuated due to a tornado sighting Saturday. Lots to consider,huh? :-)

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  6. Goodness! I hope everything is okay? And good luck with your WIP. I've got a few things in the works. I wish I could go to a cabin for 6 months (a modern cabin with hotel amenities, of course:) and just knock out at least 3 projects. I can dream, right?

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  7. Hi Quanie!
    Yeah, we're fine ;-) Just hoping our cabin is still there to return to later.
    Thanks for the good wishes! I'd hoped to get a lot more finished while I was there but, well, there were a few distractions - ha!
    A modern cabin? You mean one with running water and all? (grin) ours actually has 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2 porches, and about 45 trees! Plenty of room to spread out or hang out. Drop on by when you're in the area ;-) I bet you'll get your projects done.

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  8. Those fires can be so scary and devastating. We had an 18-mile fire here a few months ago.

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    1. Hi Kelly!
      Scary is right, but as long as our pets and loved ones are safe we can always move on. I do hate to see the forest burn and feel for all the displaced wildlife.

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Any thoughts? Join the conversation, comments welcome here!