Now that I have the nice little mapper-dealio on my blog, I feel an increasing obligation to update my blog more often since I can see how many people are actually reading it! So, this is for all of you, from Lynden to San Jose to Minneapolis to Baltimore to Baton Rouge.
Last weekend I went moonlight skiing. There was a full moon on Groundhog Day, and a small group of Missoulians decided to go up to the Lubrecht forest to cross country ski beneath the light of the moon. It was cloudy when we arrived, cloudy and full dark, though the moon's radiance still infused the clouds with luminescence, and we were able to ski without any other lights. Every once in awhile I noticed a patch of starry sky, but the moon remained hidden as we skiied through the forest. But then, as we skiied down a small hill, we came out of the trees and alongside a wide meadow. At that moment the final wisps of cloud blew away and the moon came out, its full brightness beaming down upon the snow-covered meadow, the forest, the mountain peaks surrounding us. The landscape was stark black and white--white snow, white light, black tree, black shadow. My skis squeaked against the snow, but beyond that there was no other sound. The stars shone in the sky, but their light was dimmed by the vivid glow of the moon. I wouldn't have been surprised to see fauns and dryads dancing in the meadow; and the light sparkles sprinkled on the snow must have been due in part to fairy wings . . .
It's been warm this week--too warm for February. Last Monday I had to remove my coat while walking downtown because I was too warm. I am not ready for spring yet! I need a few more weeks of winter, of cold, of snow. None of this 60-degree weather. This is Montana, not California. Plah.
Things I am looking forward to:
1. Contra dance next weekend. It HAS to be better than the one we had last week--which was the most awful dance I've been to. Of course, it didn't help that I was just coming off the high of Wintergreen; how could any regular weekly dance compare with that?
2. Visiting Andrea in Lynden in early March. !! We are hoping to take the ferry to the San Juan Islands and perhaps even to Victoria, BC. I haven't been to this part of the country in three years and it will be wonderful! And wonderful, too, to see my kid sister. Por supuesto.
3. Visiting Rach in Baltimore in early April. Woohoo! Ethiopian food . . . coffee shops . . . maybe visiting DC . . . seeing her and Kara's gorgeous apartment . . . Tricia and Benjamin possibly coming down to spend time with us, too . . . yay.
4. Hee hee. Going to Peru with Janelley in May. It's going to be such a great time--seeing Lake Titicaca, hiking the Inca Trail, prowling around Cusco, exploring Machu Picchu--I can't wait!
Yay, travel. I've not gotten out of Missoula much lately, and it will be good to see friends again, see other parts of the country, of the world--I feel the need to broaden my horizons again. I was thinking today that I've lived in Missoula for almost 2 years. This is remarkable, considering that I've moved to a new location every year for the past five. I've been feeling restless lately, wondering what it means to be committed to a place, wondering how I can do more to plug myself in here. It's not always easy, even in a community as welcoming and friendly as Missoula. Suggestions?
Last weekend I went moonlight skiing. There was a full moon on Groundhog Day, and a small group of Missoulians decided to go up to the Lubrecht forest to cross country ski beneath the light of the moon. It was cloudy when we arrived, cloudy and full dark, though the moon's radiance still infused the clouds with luminescence, and we were able to ski without any other lights. Every once in awhile I noticed a patch of starry sky, but the moon remained hidden as we skiied through the forest. But then, as we skiied down a small hill, we came out of the trees and alongside a wide meadow. At that moment the final wisps of cloud blew away and the moon came out, its full brightness beaming down upon the snow-covered meadow, the forest, the mountain peaks surrounding us. The landscape was stark black and white--white snow, white light, black tree, black shadow. My skis squeaked against the snow, but beyond that there was no other sound. The stars shone in the sky, but their light was dimmed by the vivid glow of the moon. I wouldn't have been surprised to see fauns and dryads dancing in the meadow; and the light sparkles sprinkled on the snow must have been due in part to fairy wings . . .
It's been warm this week--too warm for February. Last Monday I had to remove my coat while walking downtown because I was too warm. I am not ready for spring yet! I need a few more weeks of winter, of cold, of snow. None of this 60-degree weather. This is Montana, not California. Plah.
Things I am looking forward to:
1. Contra dance next weekend. It HAS to be better than the one we had last week--which was the most awful dance I've been to. Of course, it didn't help that I was just coming off the high of Wintergreen; how could any regular weekly dance compare with that?
2. Visiting Andrea in Lynden in early March. !! We are hoping to take the ferry to the San Juan Islands and perhaps even to Victoria, BC. I haven't been to this part of the country in three years and it will be wonderful! And wonderful, too, to see my kid sister. Por supuesto.
3. Visiting Rach in Baltimore in early April. Woohoo! Ethiopian food . . . coffee shops . . . maybe visiting DC . . . seeing her and Kara's gorgeous apartment . . . Tricia and Benjamin possibly coming down to spend time with us, too . . . yay.
4. Hee hee. Going to Peru with Janelley in May. It's going to be such a great time--seeing Lake Titicaca, hiking the Inca Trail, prowling around Cusco, exploring Machu Picchu--I can't wait!
Yay, travel. I've not gotten out of Missoula much lately, and it will be good to see friends again, see other parts of the country, of the world--I feel the need to broaden my horizons again. I was thinking today that I've lived in Missoula for almost 2 years. This is remarkable, considering that I've moved to a new location every year for the past five. I've been feeling restless lately, wondering what it means to be committed to a place, wondering how I can do more to plug myself in here. It's not always easy, even in a community as welcoming and friendly as Missoula. Suggestions?
Maybe you should buy a sailboat and live on the water. One of my 6th graders lived on a sailboat for a year. And her dad is in Montevideo right now for work. I think she's living your life...
ReplyDeleteDang, I KNEW I wasn't living the life I was meant to!
ReplyDeleteI wonder how many people feel that way, though? And WHY aren't they living the life they think they're supposed to be living? How often is it the fault of circumstance, and how often is it through fault of their own?
so the theme is dancing? :) and hurrah for tricia and benjamin. will you be coming up for a visit to canada any time soon?
ReplyDeleteerin