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February 23, 2004 ~ Sun-Soaked Grass
Monday.
This weekend, I had my heart broken by wolves. Over and over again. I wrestled wolves, played with wolves, fed wolves, and bonded with wolves. And they call this volunteer "work."
But I'm not going to write about that yet, or post the pictures yet. I want to remember this, as well.
We had unseasonably warm weather at the end of last week and all weekend. On Thursday, I intended to hike for three or four straight hours, up and down Jones Mountain, down the river, the Dam Pasture Trail loop, then back up the river and over to Jones.
I did not make it that far, though. After I came down off the mountain, I found myself in a field full of tall golden grass, warm from the sun. My steps slowed, and I gave in, collapsing in the grass, drowsiness seeping in with the heady sun-on-grass smell. Lying down on my back, face to the sun, I closed my eyes. And watched patters of light move across my eyelids.
As a child I was always fascinated by those patterns. Where do they come from? What are these things that my eyes see when they are closed? Do blind people see those patterns?
They looked like stars and bursts of light. After a while they settled into an aqua-marine colored pattern with wavy lines shifting and shimmering across, like light reflections and refractions in water in a swimming pool.
Slowly, I drifted off to sleep, warm and content in my grass bed cat-napping, the sun on my face. I woke up as the sun started to fall and the breeze started to pick up, with a mild sunburn, feeling completely at peace.
On Saturday, I brought Morgan back to the same place, after a short hike, and we laid together, holding one another, he, resting his head on my stomach, talking and laughing and occasionally falling into peaceable, contented silence. At one point, he said, "Do you have your eyes closed? Do you see that?"
"What?"
"Aqua-marine, it looks like shimmering water."
I smiled, eyes still closed. "Yes. Yes, I do."
Voting for the Diarist Awards has opened, and I was pretty surprised to learn that I'm a Finalist in three categories. A Site Finalist for "Best Design" and two Entry Finalists for "Best Romantic Entry" (What I Would Miss) and "Best Rant" (Easy Habits).
Just, thank you. And good luck everyone. I've got some very worthy opponents (including a friend!), so do go check them out, too.
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