The Furious Spinner

I've been driving to Vancouver several days a week. The sky has been pale blue, the mountains rugged white triangles growing out of the horizon. Well, maybe not exactly triangles. Loo Wit has had the top of her triangle sliced off. It's difficult to imagine the mountains only have 30% of the snow they usually have at this time. Unless they get more snow soon, we'll be in a drought. That means water rationing and a vicious fire season. I don't look forward to either of those.

However, for now, the days have been sunny. Yesterday as I drove home from a day spent driving from library branch to library branch, the moon hung from the afternoon sky like a communion wafer. This is my body.... Or an unblinking glaucous eye, just to the left of a gleaming Mount St. Helens.

Earlier in the day, I went to the refuge in Ridgefield for lunch. I ate my tofu sandwich, then walked down to the wetlands. The swans oooh-oohed in the lake. Overhead a red-tailed hawk flew. I walked to the giant old oak tree and spent some time talking with it, my hand pressed against its rough black bark. Then I drove to the other side of the refuge and saw probably 500 swans or more, several red-tailed hawks, a merlin, ducks galore, many coots, several great blue herons, and two egrets. I often think of anorexics when I look at the great blue herons—they are the ascetics of the bird world, aren’t they? (Wasn't it Barry Lopez who called them river monks?) The egrets have them beat, I think. The gorgeous white birds are so thin I was certain a breeze would knock them over—or at least cause them to take flight.

As I was leaving, some kind of small raptor (merlin or kite) dove straight into the ground. He was up in the sky flapping his wings one second, then the dive and BOOM! he went, into the earth! (OK, there was no boom.) Why had he done that? Was his prey so slow and stupid that it had remained still while he aimed himself at it like a giant mosquito? Or was he trying to impress the ladies? I was impressed. If I were a female raptor, I'd have his babies. Yep.

No cranes today. They must have already migrated.

Tonight is full moon. We're getting ready to take a walk. To make a wish. Two of our close friends are suffering so much. Chemo. Sometimes you just have to breathe and hope for...the next breath?

One step at a time. One breath at a time.

I love you, I love you, I love you.

I remember once saying to a Buddhist therapist that I wished I could take away people's pain. And she said, "What right do you have to do that? It's their pain." Interesting question. Still, if they asked and I had the ability, I'd do it in a snap. Hell, I'd take away my own suffering. Who wouldn't?

OM TARA TUTARE TURE SOHA.

If you want to see some amazing time-lapse movies of plants (remember those from elementary school movies?), go here. Click on Morning Glory twining (to the left on their screen). It's so amazing. Here are some cool photos of Saturn. Don't forget to check the Loo Wit link on the right. She's been rumbling lately. (Thanks for the links, Mar.) And one last photo from Ma Nature. Here's Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii. That link is from my bud in Hawaii, Kevin.

All right, darlin's. Off to go get communion—from the Moon. I owe lots of letters to friends and readers, I know. Once work settles down, I'll be back to writing. Gotta make a living.

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All photographs and written material copyright © 2003-2008 by Kim Antieau unless otherwise indicated. May not be used without permission.