A Vote for WY

by | Aug 21, 2018 | Friends, Laramie, Musings, Vote, Wyoming

Listening to the wind…

The fire rages again.
The earth isn’t happy, she’s on fire after all.

I see the fires burning in my friends.
Wanting to help blow the prevailing winds another way.
” How can we help?”
The masses cry:
“What can we do?”
“Stop,” I say. “Be still. Listen.”

Stop.

Listen to the wind.
Stay strong, upright.

I am stronger because of you.
Wind clears my head and spirit. A big, dust out of the closets sorta thing.

Finding my path clear.
My journey.

Together.
Feel the fire.
Embrace the wind.
Be the light at the end of the tunnel. The god damn tunnel.

Breathe deeply.
Hold your head high.
Fly in the wind.
Enjoy the dance, like a kite in an ocean breeze.

In Stereo

by | Aug 17, 2018 | Chocolate, Friends, Laramie, Musings, Old and new, Wyoming

I never took chemistry.

My locker during a of year of high school was right across from Rogers room.

We became hallway friends, and later, bonded over chocolate and The Grateful Dead.

As it turns out, he was also friends with my husband, through different means.

For our wedding, he gifted us a 3-D view of life and living.

I like to think he and my dad are enjoying great conversations together, wherever they are…

Environmental Art

by | Aug 6, 2018 | Environment, Environmental Art, Oceans, Old and new, Recycling, Rivers

Orbis

Sculpture by Aurora Robson

2011, 24″  24″ x 24″, plastic debris (PET), aluminum rivets, tinted polycrylic + mica powder

When I first ran across this sculpture, I immediately tracked down her website to see more of her artwork. I love that she too uses recycled materials in her work. This series reminds me of the water, waves, rivers, and oceans of my dreams. Thank you for that Aurora, I hope our paths cross in person someday.

Bonding on Blue Boats

by | Aug 3, 2018 | Camping, Desolation Canyon, Friends, Musings, River Trips, Rivers, travel, Water

When leaving Laramie for my 2nd Desolation River trip, I had no clue it would turn out to be one of my favorite trips of all time. It had nothing to do with the actual river. That part of each trip is usually my favorite. This trip was different from the word go. Small talk flew out the truck window within minutes of starting out. We had amazing conversations all the way across the states we traveled. These continued on the raft as we marveled at our surroundings, wondering which came first, the chicken or the rock. We laughed until we cried. I had just lost my father, so other times I just cried. I couldn’t have asked for better friends on this trip if I had tried.

Everything but the Kitchen Sink.

by | Jul 27, 2018 | Camping, Friends, Grand Canyon, Musings, River Trips, Rivers, travel, Water

Organization is key on a long trip in the desert. I love it when everything is color coded and has a specific spot on each raft. Atmosphere Mountainworks always plays a big part in my trips. They have the best bags and have fixed my tent zipper more than once. I also have one of their bags that I have dedicated to just art supplies for my rafting trips.

Rivers and Tides – Ode to Andy Goldworthy

by | Jul 23, 2018 | Grand Canyon, Musings, Rivers, travel, Water

Andy Goldworthy has long been my favorite landscape artist. I have watched his award-winning documentary, “Rivers and Tides” numerous times. I love that it is a quiet film…letting his powerful artwork speak for itself. I had recently watched this again right before my last trip down the Grand Canyon, inspiring my own ephemeral artwork in a side canyon. I’ve often wondered if anyone else saw this, added to it or took their own pictures.

Won’t you be my neighbor? Oh wait, you are!

by | Jul 19, 2018 | Laramie, Rivers, travel, Water, Wyoming

This is Jenn.

Jenn is Rad.

She is patient, kind and encourages everyone she meets to be a better version of themselves.

Jenn smiles and laughs more than anyone I know.

On this day, we took her boat and put it in as many different bodies of water as possible.

Dressed as barmaids.

In July.

Just because.

I am so lucky to have a great friend who lives next door.