This week our guest writer is a dear friend from Peachland, British Columbia, Canada. Judy is a retired elementary school teacher who can’t seem to stop her never-ending love of learning! She’s hugely interested in astronomy, current scientific discoveries, and new theories, anthropology, brain. psychology, cosmology, plant identification, and books of all genres. You get the idea?
She hikes with her two dogs almost every day, taking in the splendor of her natural environment, and this often catalyzes her thoughts and writing. |
Here's Judy!
I am a nature lover to the core. So cue my soundtrack like this...
There's a Swainson's thrush singing in the background, and Ella Fitzgerald is doing her thing with Give Me The Simple Life: I never was cut out to step and strut out Give me the simple life. My husband, son and I just returned from a four-day camping trip in Wells Gray Park in BC, five hours from home. It has some spectacular waterfalls and rapids. |
A chorus of apologies came from their campsite, and Jack was barking, paws on the trunk of a big fir tree. The cat clung to a high branch. I called out that I was sorry my dog got away from me, that I thought he was after a huge squirrel, which made them laugh. A huge young man lumbered over, stood under the tree, and casually told me the cat was fine, that it happens all the time.
Meanwhile, I was grabbing proud Jack who had treed his first cat. As I dragged my reluctant pooch back to the RV, Jack's tongue was happily lolling out and he looked decidedly victorious. I went back out and met James.
We had a great rambling chat that included summertime job opportunities. They were staying all summer in the campground. (Oh dear, the noise, and the unleashed pit bull!) James gave me his take on cat psychology. He uses his mind to communicate.
In the midst of this, Smokey moved onto a dead branch, fell about twelve feet to the ground, landed on four feet, and leaped back to their campsite. Problem solved.
Jason continued to tell me about Egyptians and their worship of cats and how they communicated mentally. We eventually parted ways, he returned to his music and loud friends and I returned to our sedate RV.
Now I felt differently about them. For me, that's what meeting and talking with someone can accomplish. People are fascinating. I meet someone, we find some commonality. Points of view are exchanged.
Through discussion and truly listening, I often experience a shift in attitude when I see things a bit better from the other's point of view. We may agree to disagree, but that is also fine because now I understand a bit more about the other. I told my family about our chat, and we felt differently about the noise from their direction. It was okay.
The Magic of Meet 'n Greet!
Bear scat! Say it ain’t so!
After a while I started to feel uneasy; this hike was taking longer than I thought it would. I had been observing the shadows, which point North at noon. I knew the trail circled the farm and Alice Lake, so I expected the shadows to go in a circle.
This was what I had been observing, but still, I felt uneasy. I scurried faster, working to keep up with my son who was galloping along at his normal pace. The bear scat piles seemed to be bigger than ever.
What started as a wide trail with views on both sides was now just a thin snake encroached with trees, bushes and ferns slapping me in the face, and mosquitoes! Angels, help! Yet there was still the serenading thrush, offering calmness.
Happily, before long we returned to the parking area. Safe! Just a few bug bites extra.
The Simple Life
Wishing you a wonderful week ahead everyone!
Vicki