Friday, June 29, 2007

Time

Where does the time go? I can't believe how long it's been since I've written a blog or surfed on others. At first it was a fatigue thing from pregnancy - combined with a lack of running and a feeling like I had nothing to say if it wasn't relavent to running. Then I was gone. Gone, gone, gone. I could spend days reminiscing - and write pages and pages - so many memories. Sometimes I wish I could bottle it all up and send it out to sea. Someday someone could read about the beauty I've seen and how seeing the great big world out there somehow gives me a sense of inner peace. I know, it sounds sappy - but I almost starting crying once when I was out there - it was just so amazing.

I've gotta apologize for being AWOL - I didn't realize how it may seem when I'm pregnant and then I suddenly stopped communicating. I finally had enough comments and emails from friends to let me know how it appeared. Everything baby is 'so far, so good'. I've had a few ultrasounds and have photos of a beautiful little face with no name. I have another dr. appt. today. My due date keeps changing - sometime in December. We're still not naming the baby Boston.

Where, oh where, did I go on vacation? Two trips were chaperoning kids school camping trips - one in cabins and one in tents. The highlights: within 48 hours, standing at the tip of the contiguous United States (Cape Flattery in Neah Bay) and looking out at Tatoosh Island - to being amidst the Olympic Mountains at an elevation of 5230 ft - to hiking through mossy old growth rain forest - to chasing Dungeness Crabs at a saltwater beach at sea level. And waking up oh so early in the campground to the sound of the birds, and taking a walk with the neon pink sunrise reflecting over Sequim Bay.

The third trip was Grandma Camp. I am in awe of my mother. This was her third annual camp with all seven of her grandchildren. As a grown-up, we're free to hang out at the cabin and participate - but also free to play and have our own mini-vacation while we're there. She does intense crafty activities with the kids - concrete leaf print bird baths, watercolor painting . . glass plate art, she takes the kids into town to the candy store and out for ice-cream and swimming at the lake, she roasts marshmallows and popcorn over the fire - she cooks pancakes in the morning. They took walks and did some community service pulling an invasive plant down by the river. She surprised the kids and took them on a horseback riding adventure out a trail to a clearing where they were provided a catered breakfast feast. All the other five adults in attendance also rode horses. I, the pregnant mommy, hitched a different ride to breakfast. I was able to capture photos of the delight on my children's faces as they mounted horses, then was whisked away.

My ride was some cross between an outback wagon ride and feeling like Cinderella in her carriage. An older gentleman named Clint - a weathered sort of cowboy - was my driver. Bob & Wishem pulled the wagon. Before we left, I had a little bit of time to talk to Clint . . . get a feel for his pace of life and meet the horses. But once we started moving, we were both silent for the 45 minute ride out and also on the ride back. This was the part of vacation where my emotions took over inside me. The trail wound around Sun Mountain in eastern Washington, with the Methow Valley below and glimpses of Lake Patterson glittering in the morning sun. We rode through hillsides ablaze in sprays of wildflowers - most specifically the sunny yellow balsam root leftover from springtime. The light breezes blew through the aspen trees, almost twinkling like christmas lights. We road along quietly, listening to the wind and the horses hooves and the wagon wheels over the ruts. Every so often Clint would point out a grazing deer, or grouse crossing the trail. Big yellow butterflies would zigzag through the air around the wagon. There was just something about the sights, the sounds, the smells . . . the fresh air . . . that was just astounding - wondrous in its own right. Arriving early at the meadow where breakfast was served, I had time to talk with the chef - outback chef by summer, telemark skiier by winter - what a life. I nearly stepped on a gopher snake as it slithered past my feet into the nearby rock pile. They aren't poisonous, but at quick glance look very similar to a northern pacific rattlesnake. It was one of those moments in life when you don't know how you'll react - I sorta stared at it and watched it go by.
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It's funny what people pull from a text and focus on. Clint seemed to attract attention, so I thought I'd edit the post and add a photo of him. I hope seeing him in photograph after reading the fine print, isn't like spoiling a good book by watching a movie. He just seemed to earn a small tribute of sorts, so here he is.

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Now my kids are out of school on summer break for two months. Novice piano music fills the air at home. My youngest woke up this morning and told me she had a dream that she was a native american (she is not) hunting bison, but that then she saw some deer and went over to pet them and wanted to ride them. What a crack-up. I have a full summer schedule ahead - to include lots of sand, music, sun, beach days, walks in the woods, good books and great friends. Maybe I'll go for a run. I'll have to journal it all in my blog. I miss writing, and it's gonna take me eons to read through all the other blogs I've missed. I'll get there. It's summer, and all I have is time.

12 comments:

IHateToast said...

glad to know i wasn't the only one freaking out about the mysterious disappearance of the Gingerbread Man.

i'd like to go to grandma camp! that sounded great. it all did, but there's just something about grandma camp.

Kurt said...

Yeah a posting from our Gingerbread man! How is pregnancy going for you?

Great post, I am sure the kiddo's are just thrilled about the camp. Heck I want to go!

I am still planning to go to Seattle in August. Ready to race? LOL

Keep in touch with us, you have your group of loyal GBM followers now.

JustRun said...

I had a feeling it was just life keeping you away. But I'm glad to see a post- I missed your writing! Don't worry too much about catching up, that's just life too I guess.
Grandma camp, however, sounds fantastic!

D said...

You must get your creativity from your mom - what a fabulous thing to do with your grandchildren and children!! Wow. It is great to hear from you - can't wait to meet lil Ms/mr. breadman!

psbowe said...

Now you're pulling my stunt: disappearing! teehee.

Joe said...

Sounds like you have been having a lot of fun. Did Clint remind you of Curly from City Slickers?

Anne said...

It's great to hear from you again and to know the absence has been because you're making new memories and not trying to escape any recent ones.

I too am in awe of your mother. What a wonderful gift to give both grandkids and their parents.

Anonymous said...

Welcome back. I'm glad you are doing well and staying busy

Robin said...

Glad to hear that your baby is doing well and you've just been sucked away by summer-itis! I'm having a hard time keeping up in Blogland too, it's always like this for me in the summer.

The Grandma camp thing sounds awesome. We did that with my mom one year and the kids had so much fun.

Unknown said...

I pictured your wagon driver looking like Clint Eastwood... Now that would be very cool!

Glad to hear you're well and that summer is off to a good start.

Danielle said...

Glad to see you are back posting. I know you vacation a lot so was hoping that was the case and nothing else. I think you need to post the u/s picture...I like seeing "baby" pictures early!

Rich said...

That was great reading about all your vacation experiences. I liked Gandma camp ... got to keep that in mind for when I reach that stage!