Monday, January 14, 2008

I will miss...


My family, obviously. On New Year's Day I went for a long walk in the forest with my Dad and second Mom, PainterLady. There's this train trestle a good, I don't know, hundred or more feet over the river. It looked a thousand feet up. Those rails you see only extend about a tenth of the way out, and here at the beginning was the only place I could bring my camera up without feeling like my senses were too dangerously compromised. I don't know why PL didn't join me and Dad on the bridge with no rails or walkway that could have a train coming along at any second. I mean, the sudenly damp armpits, twisting stomach, and shallow breathing was so fun! Looking straight down past your feet through the ten inch gaps in the tiers was exhilarating. Well, they might have been only 3 inch gaps. Also, I suddenly remembered my adult onset fear of heights. And PainterLady was the only sane one in the group, opting out of the crazy idea to walk out on the trestle to check the view. It's hard to look at a view, anyway, when every nerve ending is screaming to get off the bridge you crazy woman! Still, I felt very alive and it was beautiful.

The trees. Back on safe ground, we followed the tracks for while to where I remembered seeing some albino redwoods. I am pretty sure that trees are my spirit animal. Um, spirit... life form. Unless it's cats. I wish I could take my cats out to the public parks like people get to do with their dogs. Dad and PainterLady and I were all pointing out things to each other because there was so much awesome nature too see. Mushrooms, mushrooms everywhere, and trees that captivate so fully I think I walked right into PainterLady one time because I was looking up and not where I was going.

The biodiversity. I can name hundreds of species in the vastly varying terrain we have around here, and not just that but I can telll you a little about each one's role and life, too. And yet I had never seen this lichen before. That's how rich the variety of flora and fauna is here. I will miss all of this.

I'm also excited beyond belief about the whole new life and world I'll get to explore in just a month. Tomorrow I hand in my letter of resignation. Wow, and I thought walking a train trestle was an adventure.

6 comments:

jill or jay said...

I am sooo excited for you! You're really moving to Arizona?! You're going to love it. I understand about the "missing" too. You were very brave to walk out there...and I'm sure it was 10"gaps in the tiers! What a beautiful day you had.

Rob said...

What a beautiful day it was, 1/1/08. You will be missed...

Maewen Archer said...

My palms are sweating just thinking about that bridge .... Good luck on your new adventure!

jill or jay said...

I want to know about resignation day at the job!!

Unknown said...

Howdy!
Trosce here - I only noticed just now that you left a comment on my blog! Thank you that was very kind of you to take the time. Since i don't know how to change the date on the comments, i have no clue when you did that, except that it was probably some time ago...Seeing as you haven't added to your blog since resignation day at the job, i expect you have been mad busy. Congrats!

Rob said...

Missing your blog entries. Hope all is well in Hermitgirl environs...