Infinite Memories

Where to begin?  Gone are the days of swamp coolers and grey water; much change has come our way.  As Jules mentioned, we moved out of our little solar powered trailer/ homestead in June and into our neighbor's solar powered ranch house for the summer. They headed north for the summer and needed someone to tend their chickens and keep an eye on things.  It is really the perfect place for aestivation- summer hibernation.

Since moving into the ranch life has been very interesting, weaved with ups and downs. We lost a chicken day one.  No, it was not a mt. lion or a coyote who took her life. It is was good ole Miles.  Probably one of the best days of his existence, huge white feathered bird in his mouth, so proud of what he'd done. I had to force myself to yell at him as he dropped it right at my feet. Speaking of Miles, we lost him too. While we were in Washington (near Mt. Rainier National Park) we got the call.  He was hit by a car on Main and Sossaman. A storm blew Stevie D's gate open and he and Bones had one last adventure together.  I hope he was smiling and chasing something, and that it was a fast death.  Eric, Stevie D, and Kliff put him to bed on our land. Damn, I am lucky to have such good friends to do that for me. They even gave him a granite headstone and a funeral. It's not easy to dig in the rocky desert.

One thing I am slowly realizing is that we are gaining great stories, lots of them.  Mad coyotes, daring javelina, bobcats, bright red cardinals, baby hawks in saguaros, thunder that rattles your brain, snakes that rattle your pulse, rivers and small waterfalls in the middle of the desert, cow intrusions, fixing fence, Bonesy's bloody ears, the list is almost infinite.

I suppose that no matter what you do with your life, it is the memories that will stick with you.  No matter who or what you gain or lose, it is now part of your present and your future in one way or another.  It's really a beautiful thing to realize.  The trail we think we "choose" really chooses us.  Experience is everything; memories are immortal.

Adam

Miles- no doubt the best dog I'll ever have