Life
| 1–10 of 45 | ‹ | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | next |
Summer is wonderful
Hello lovelies!Montana is glorious and it finally feels like summer! The flowers are blooming, the morels are growing like crazy and the buffalo are finally being left alone. I have yet to feel ridiculous heat, it's nice and dry here in the mountains. The nights are cold and wonderful, perfect for taking moonlit walks by the lake. The garden is growing and there's always something to be kept busy with if one desires it. Ahh I love summer! More folks have left, so there are very few of us now to hold down the fort, but it's nice to get some peace. I've been cooking a lot more, I had forgotten how much I love cooking for community! Methinks next season I'll try being an official cook for the BFC...
I've been out in Yellowstone twice now talking with park visitors about the bison issue and it's gone well. We've had a few jerks bother us, those who came to the table assuming we were anti this or that, a few of whom proceeded to yell at us and tell us we were the problem (HA!) and not actually listen to the facts, but...that's expected. Most folks are rather receptive, which is great. I was a little unsure about the whole tabling thing, I didn't think I'd be to comfortable talking with random strangers, but it's actually turned out alright. The more I do it the better I am at communicating the issue, and I'm actually getting comfortable doing it. There are less blank stares now, ha. Also the more I talk about it the more angry I get. It's really a completely ridiculous thing that's happening out here...a federally mandated and funded slaughter of a wildlife species, WTF!?!? These bison are descended from the last wild bison that remained after the slaughter of the 1800s (there were only 23 left!) and yet we are continuing to slaughter them for no good reason (because the livestock industry says so). It's really fucked up.
So, I'm angry, but happy too. It's really beautiful out here and I am very delighted to be in such a wild place hanging out with some really cool people. I've found a good place, and I like it so much I want to come back next season. Can you imagine me living through a Montana winter?? ACK! ;-)
Let buffalo roam!!
Buffalove from Montana
Things are still good here. The season is coming to an end, so there isn't much activity (maybe they'll finally leave those poor harassed buffalo alone for a while) and many of the hippies are headed off for their summer adventures. Soon I'll be going into the park with several other volunteers to start tabling. It'll be good to help spread the word about the buffalo and what's happening. I'll get a good amount of free time to hike around and explore. Maybe I'll finally see a grizzly.The DOL used a helicopter to haze a large group of buffalo last week. It was horrid.
We had a big janky fire in the front yard a few nights ago, woot! We slept out under the stars and it was glorious. I've decided I must do that more.
I hope everyone is well and wonderful, I miss all my lovely MO buddies!
buffalo...
Le sigh. I am so happy to be here! The sun is shining, I've gotten some good work done, there's a fabulous giant hoop to play with and fuck...I'm in the mountains! It snowed the past couple of days, so I've learned, like in Missouri, the spring weather is rather fickle. I've been out on patrol a few times, seen lots of buffalo and other wildlife (moose, bald eagles, ospreys, sandhill cranes, pelicans...)A few days ago I watched several horsemen and other agents (Forest Service, Dept of Livestock) haze two separate groups of buffalo back into Yellowstone as per their bison management plan, at a time when the bison are stressed and tired after a long, hard winter. At a time when they need to save their energy and eat, at a time when there is less food for them inside the park. At a time when their newborn calves need to eat and not be hazed. It's so shitty. So there's this great place I'm at, but there's also this awful thing that's happening to the buffalo, so it's kinda odd.
Til next time!
buffalofieldcampaign.org/
Montana
Arrived safe and sound yesterday afternoon. Now I'm hanging out in the mountains (so beautiful!) with hippies and buffalo, woot!
Love
My awesome friend Pet sensed a need and sent this to me. I liked it so much I wanted to share...When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden.
For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you.
Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.
Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.
He threshes you to make you naked.
He sifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant;
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God's sacred feast.
All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart.
But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,
Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor,
Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.
Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.
Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love.
When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, "I am in the heart of God."
And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.
Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.
But if you love and must need have desires, let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.
~ Kahlil Gibran
Appalachian Trail
So...we're doing the Appalachian Trail next year. WOOOO!!! I am very excited! I've been doing a lot of research and tonight I've just been looking at photos. Wow. It makes me want to just go do it right now....sigh. It will be awesome.I found the photo here:
www.flickr.com/photos/hen...chian_trail
"NYC in Spring Colors"
Because Nike is more worthy of protection than we are, apparently.www.dylantmcmanus.com/fashion02.html
Inspiration
I was doing some research on the Appalachian Trail and came across this story...."In the summer of 1927, Lillian Alling, a young Russian immigrant, homesick and compelled to perform menial tasks for a living in New York, made up her mind to go back to her homeland in Europe. Because she had no money for transportation, she decided to hike back to her native country. She tramped to Chicago, to Minneapolis, to Winnipeg, refusing all invitations to ride.
She was next seen on the Yukon Telegraph Trail in the northern part of British Columbia, Canada, a small pack on her back and a length of iron pipe in her hand for protection, heading towards Alaska. The provincial police at Hazelton prevented her from making a winter journey through the Canadian wilds, but they were able to detain her only until spring.
Starting out again, she hiked along the Telegraph Trail, over the wild mountain passes, finally reaching Dawson. There she worked as a cook, purchased and repaired an old boat, and in the spring of 1929, launched it into the waters of the Yukon River right behind the outgoing ice and reached a point east of the Seward Peninsula. There she abandoned the boat for overland travel, reaching Nome and later Bering Strait. She was last heard bartering with the Eskimos for boat passage across the Strait to Asia."
(from The New Way of the Wilderness by Calvin Rutstrum)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lillian_Alling
outdoors-magazine.com/spip.php
What a woman!
| 1–10 of 45 | ‹ | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | next |