back to reality

It's all about the A - (nimal Crackers that is)

Yes, I''ll admit it. I'm addicted. Only those closest to me know - but now I guess the cat's out of the bag . Animal crackers are up there with - popcorn, strawberries, jelly candy, tomatoes and peas in the all time best and most favorite foods. if you can't appreciate them to their fullest, we may not get along. Today, arriving home after my weekly field study in the forest - anticipating my afternoon ride, i was greeted by the above 2 plastic containers overflowing with bears, and elephants. (THANK YOU SLACKASS! YOU ROCK!). I immediately dove in (note right container) and filled a baggy for the afternoon's adventure. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.

And then they were purple

The war zone that is my shins and upper calves has taken an interesting twist. As the healing is progressing to the point I can almost sleep comfortably, and the swelling is just about null, the color is now developing to the point where I get comments on my bike. While one may think this suggests general "bad-assed-ness" (a word in the great slackass dictionary of words we think should exist) to me, it suggests inability to handle my rig. ugh. then again - lack of handling skills is my current forte so maybe it's time to accept my strengths in life and move on.

I was preparing for class thursday - an all day 8 hours worth of fun in the burg lead by yours truly, and contemplating if I could get away with wearing a skirt. Professionalism is key when students are paying 400 dollars a piece to listen to you for the day. Sadly enough, being a girl who contemplates color and design on a daily basis, i found myself contemplating what shoes and outfits best complemented, hid and highlighted the wounds. We have the chunky platform sandles, the wrap up espinadas, spiky high healed boots...

yea, i wore slacks.

The day was long - given the driving and bumper to bumper traffic in and around the city - but the end result - rewarding. Nearly half of the class thanked me at the end of the day with complements about my teaching style, patience (it was a beginner class) and presentation clarity. A few asked me if i had formal training or if I would teach in the future.

I can add another forte to my list - bad handling skills and GOOD teaching. If there's one thing I know I can do in this world, it's teach.

Life on the Ridge

My dear friend Pamela and I traversed the ridge w/dogs & sweet lil Luisa - who's eyes are still the most amazing shade of blue (just like moms!). I figured i'd earned a half day friday after my 430am-9pm work day on thursday. (waking up friday was harsh). It was nice to catch up as it had been a while AND also nice to enjoy the forest with good company.

The sad part about the ridge is there's no way to hike it in a loop without time on the road. The amazing part about the ridge is it never fails to amaze. The burned areas are particularly striking - I can remember when the fire came through just a few years ago. The understory is a thicket of blueberry (a great place to snack in the late summer) and a healthy population of pioneering striped maple (A. pennsylvanicum). it grows fast and is opportunistically claiming its turf on the ridge.

GAS

Get your head out of the toilet! we're talking natural folks (actually i'm not sure what we're talking but it's a grand scale, ultra-destructive project). Dominion is hiring by the way in case you're up for some weekend trench digging. I've been closely monitoring the gas line work for 2 months now. The most impressive vantage points are without a doubt the bottom of treaster-kettle looking to the LEFT if you're descending towards Colyer. AND - if you want a real experience - go to the top of Kettle Rd via Coopers Gap and look down - on either side. DAMN.

A tremendous amount of money is obviously invested in this project with full-force weekend activity.


The degree to which they've clear cut / dug up and destroyed a good chunk of the forest is clearly illustrated above.


To be continued...