Thursday

          The cold crackled around me this morning due to the temperature plummeting during the night.  It snowed about six inches of powder.  after my usual late and lazy breakfast, I donned my ski attire and practiced on the slope out front of my door.  Skiing under the fluff I whisked down the slope time and again, until I grew tired of the uphill work to get the downhill thrill and went on to more artistic pursuits, such as, taking pictures of non-existing wildlife!

          I spent a great deal of time just looking or perhaps a better word:  absorbing.  I never grow tired of this and if I were an artist I would spend my life capturing the feeling on canvass or watercolor board.  Photography reproduces.  But its hard to capture the emotion of the moment.  I guess, perhaps, photography is to real and the moment is too surreal.  So I absorb and take a few inadequate portraits of trees and snow and moss.  It is the best I can do.  Perhaps it is the way it should be.  The beauty reserved for those that make the effort.  This, however, seems selfish and does not take in account those that cannot but would if they could.

          It is such a beautiful area it is too bad one could not live here and, of course, that is the problem.  We humans, by our presence, destroy what we seek.  Perhaps it is best we stay in our cities and only visit the wilderness for our primordial rejuvenation.  We don't  meant to destroy, it is because we no longer know how and, cannot, live within the natural world.  If we, tried we would perish.  And the irony is, we as a species will probably perish anyway because we no longer live within these natural bounds.

          I have no solutions, only the knowledge that man cannot destroy nature but, only himself.  The universe will tick on with, or, without us.

          The best I can do is to enjoy what is left, attempting to take only the image of my experience, and leave not a trace of my presence.

          I finished reading Caravan, by James Michener.  It is really about Afghanistan.  A place where, when I was a lad, I wanted to go.  Perhaps by the time I am able, it will be possible.

           One of the two stoves ceased functioning tonight.  It is in the fuel regulator.  I cannot fix it here.  The other is working, but erratically.  that, I believe, I can keep running.  If that should quit the trip would be over in a hurry.  No heat equates to no water, equates to no0 food.  From here i have a long, hard one day out, and most likely two, to the road with no one waiting.  We keep our fingers crossed.

           I am lying wrapped in feathered comfort, listening to the wind howl as it stirs the fallen snow that rustles against my abode.  I am warm cozy, full.  I will worry about tomorrow when it comes.