NYC Trip & Update

Well, I don't have much to report right now. Things are rather unexciting. Since getting back from my adventures out west I've been spending almost all my time at my parents' place, trying to keep myself entertained. Although I did take a trip out to NYC to visit Rabbit and Wolf, and that was quite wonderful! It was very good to see both of them again, it had been too long. Mostly we wandered about town, loafed around at Rabbit's cute little hobbit hole in Brooklyn, hanging out, being silly and eating cheap, delicious delivery (wonderful thing about the city!) We did take a trip out to Coney Island one afternoon, which was quite nice. The weather was beautiful and the beach was not very crowded. We talked about life and dreams and enjoyed being in the sun. Sadly we were not able to get out for a hike like we had wanted, but, maybe another time. Like I was expecting, the city was too crazy for me, interesting, but just too many people and too much concrete. Where Rabbit lives is not too bad. I did enjoy being able to just walk down the street for groceries or whatever. But still not a place I'd like to live. Very interesting though, to see how so many other people live. Overall it was a good trip and I am very glad we all got to hang out again!

It has been good to see my family again. My nephew is growing fast! He is quite adorable and almost makes me like babies ;-) I have been here long enough though and am ready to get on the road again. Thankfully I'll be headed back to Montana next week. I am quite excited! It sounds like folks at the campaign are looking forward to having me back, and that's a warm, fuzzy feeling :-D I think I am almost ready. I splurged and bought myself a fancy new pack so I will be at least more mobile in my future travels, and so I can go backpacking, duh! I've gotten together mostly everything I think I will take, and it didn't even fill the bag! I was almost shocked, I have learned how to pack light! What a novel concept! Although, knowing me I will probably fill it in the end, hehe.

Tomorrow should be interesting. Owl is coming by to pick up some things he left when he moved (oh yeah, did I mention he has moved back to the mainland?) and I'm not sure if I am ready to see him again. I have come to the point where I just don't feel like I want him in my life anymore, but I don't know if I will be able to tell him that. Honestly I have enjoyed not communicating with him, it's not even something I think about. Although now that I am actually going to see him, I know I should stand up for myself and tell him all the things I have been feeling about our relationship and all that happened. But a part of me feels like it's just not worth it. Does he deserve even that? Would it make me feel any different? I just don't know. Sigh. I am so tired of this.

I don't want to end on that note, so here's something exciting! Yesterday I learned a couple of new hooping tricks! WOOT! Just a simple jump through trick, and a behind the back pass. When I'm trying to learn new tricks from videos I always really wish someone was actually there to show me in person. I think I'd probably pick things up a lot quicker that way. Although, mostly what I've learned I've gotten from videos online, so it obviously hasn't been that difficult ;-) It felt good to work on new things again! Huzzah for hooping!

Wolf's bday present and nonexcitingness

Wolf called me last night to thank me for the bag I made for his birthday. I am so glad he likes it! I'm also pretty happy that it didn't get lost in the mail. It was nice to talk with him, I don't get to talk with him and Rabbit much so it's always a treat. I've started to miss all his stupid jokes he makes about me so it's good to get a little dose of that now and again.

Last night I watched Match Point. Lame. It pretty much sucked until the end. I don't recommend it unless you like bad acting.

I now have to wear a really dorky shirt when I work the coffeeshop kiosk at the hospital, yay. I guess at least now I don't have to put as much thought into my outfits when I get up at 5 am. Ya gotta find the positives in things right?

Lately I haven't been very exciting. I'm becoming quite the hermit.

BM and Wolf's bday

I watched Children of Men last night. It was quite depressing and I ended up writing about depressing things for an hour afterwards. I was afraid I'd have nightmares so I burned lavender and sage and danced before I went to bed. It worked.

The employment options are piling up. I'll just say I'm keeping busy.

I bought my ticket for Burning Man on Friday. They started selling them on Wednesday and by the time I got around to it they had already sold over 20,000 tickets. Craziness! This morning I've spent some time looking at pictures of peoples' creative costumes. Also craziness. I've started thinking more about what I might like to wear when I go. I'm going to give myself a very modest amount of money to spend on wardrobe, so I'm not going to get too wild, but I'm hoping to come up with some good outfits. Woot!

I talked with Wolf yesterday. His 40th birthday was the 18th! I finally finished up his present last night and I'm hoping to get it in the mail this week. It was great talking with him. I miss the dude. I'm so looking forward to seeing him and Rabbit again this summer. We talked some about what we've read about the Appalachian Trail. It seems I'm looking stuff up at least several times a week. I'm going to be super prepared for this adventure...I've been thinking of ways I can physically prepare for such a long hike, like taking shorter hikes and gradually increasing the length of the hike and the weight I carry. Of course there is the Katy trail that goes to St. Louis, but it's mostly flat and the AT is definitely not all that flat. Then last night I remembered the Ozark Trail. So, something else to research. Woot!

Ole Wolfie

I just got back from Wolf's going away party, and I'm feeling pretty bummed. It was fun, I enjoyed hanging out with everyone, but it just made it so real! He's actually leaving!

Wolf is a pretty special guy, and I've really come to love and appreciate him this past year. My circumstances coming here were a little weird and my new home was almost totally ruined for me after Owl and I split. The only people I knew in town besides him were Rabbit and Wolf. I really feel that if it wasn't for the two of them, I wouldn't have stayed here. They made it feel more like home! It took me a little while to really warm up to them, especially considering their connection to Owl, but it didn't take me long to realize that we all had a special connection. It seems we come from the same tribe, and it feels really good to find your people! It also didn't take long for me to start considering Wolf the big brother I always wanted and never had. He said to Rabbit that I was like the little sister he could pick on. He's lucky I'm so forgiving! hehe! I am deeply grateful to have such a friend as Wolf. After the night when I kept him up late talking with Rabbit, then called him on my way home to ask him to help me push my car out of the street (he was there in five minutes!) even though he had to be up super early AND Rabbit was moving the very next morning, it really hit me what a great friend I've got. Not that I didn't already know of course, but some moments just really remind you of what you've got. Under that wild man look (hehe!), he's got a very good heart that really cares. He's a good, warm soul. I will miss him terribly!! Wolf and Rabbit: I've never had friends before who felt like my real family. You two are definitely the family of my heart. I love you!!

Exploring Rocky Fork and Friend Time

The past few days have been absolutely beautiful, so I have been making sure to take advantage! I want to enjoy this weather as much as I can before winter comes. So on Saturday, I had a wild hair to get out and explore some. A good friend of mine had told me how cool it is out at Rocky Fork, which is where Rabbit, Wolf, Owl and I would always go swimming in the summer. I had only been as far as the swimming hole, so I wanted to wander farther and see what I found. It was so nice! I didn't get out there until 3 or so, but it was a good time. The light was perfect, the sun kept me warm and I still had plenty of time for exploring. I found all sorts of great little nooks and peaceful spots. It was so nice to just be able to wander about wherever I fancied to go, mostly off the road. I took so many photos, so I'll just let those do most of the talking. I really enjoyed the time alone, although I do love going hiking with friends.

Yesterday evening I went walking on the Bear Creek Trail with Rabbit. While she ran, I wandered about listening to and watching the birds, picking a lovely autumn bouquet and just enjoying the crisp evening. We walked together some and had some good girl time. I don't think either one of us has totally realized that Rabbit is leaving so soon! I'm trying to get in as much time with my beloved Rabbit as I can. I won't be able to see her again until next summer, which seems entirely too long! I'm already looking forward to visiting her and Wolf though, we've already made plans ;-) After our walk, we went back to her house and hung out with Wolf all evening. We played a game of Outburst, us girls against Wolf, and we won, despite the fact that I wasn't even paying attention half the time because I was a little out of it...ha. I love those guys!

Also, yesterday I finally got to catch up with my dearest Willow (a.k.a. Alpaca Son). It was so nice! I am so grateful for her, and so happy that we understand each other so well. Relationships like that are the stuff of a good life. It's such a huge part of being human!

At Home in the Woods

Oh camping is so much fun! My most recent trip was this past Sunday afternoon through Monday morning, which was much too short but was all the time we had. Since beloved Rabbit is moving far away very soon (in exactly one week!), we all very much wanted to get in one last camping excursion and trip before she left and this was the last chance we had. So, as early as we could on Sunday, Rabbit, Wolf and I headed out to a previously found campsite about a half hour east of town. It was perfect! Free camping, absolutely no neighbors, peaceful and very good energy, what more could we ask? Well, less horse poo would have been nice, but all in all it was a great spot. We set up camp, explored, gathered and organized firewood and prepared for our trip while we waited for Pine to arrive. Once he got there, Pine and I set up our sleeping quarters (see photo) and then...off we went!

It was a good trip. All of us went on a little excursion together before the light died to a dried up creekbed. That's when we are the quietest, entry. So we sat and soaked everything up in the dying twilight, us beginning to peak. The beautiful, subdued fall colors were beginning to pop, and combined with the blacks and grays of the bare trees and the myriad of textures and patterns created in that dusky light, created magic for the eyes. It was a bit rough for me though, but thankfully that doesn't last too long. We lost Wolf for a while, so it was just Rabbit, Pine and I wandering back closer to camp. We found a nice clearing where we could lay down and watch the clouds pass over the moon. It was like a dance. The dusky, smoky purple and gray clouds were fringed with deep oranges and yellows and they would occasionally break to tease you with the slightest glimpse of the amazingly bright moon, waxing past half. Wolf came back soon enough, barefoot and barechested, ready to start spinning his stick. It was mindblowing this time! Such speed and accuracy! It looked pretty awesome too. It's always fun to watch Wolf spin his stick, it's very magical.

Soon we headed back to camp where Pine and I spent some time together while Rabbit and Wolf went off again somewhere to play (it actually worried me later that I couldn't find them! I was like a little lost wolf pup wandering about barefoot along the dirt road howling, listening for a response, wandering, yipping). I, of course, had to have my alone time to commune with the Earth amongst the trees and mosses on the forest floor. It's like worshipping really, paying my deep respects to the greater whole that we are all a part of. So, I had to occasionally wander off alone, I even had to stop Pine from following me once because I needed to be just me. Every time I came wandering out of the forest I was either growling and yipping or calling his name, ha. It really brings out the animal in me.

The two of us were very unsuccessful at starting a fire when we had decided we wanted one, we even totally demolished the prearranged teepee made out of kindling and paper that Wolf had prepared. When they got back from their excursion, Wolf set out to start the fire (after gently berating us with a slight smile on his face and that little gleam in his eye) and to all our delights he furnished us with a warm, roaring fire, the glowing coals of which drew us all in for the rest of the night. Then Wolf brought out his flute (no tears this time!) which did not fail to bring out in me deep feelings and a strong sense of a brother/sister connection. I feel very strongly that Wolf is the big brother I never had. Pine decided to entertain us with his awesome fire eating skills and Wolf accompanied him for a while, which was lots of fun! The rest of the evening we just watched the fire, talked, watched the stars and moon after the clouds all cleared up and just enjoyed the night and each other. Pine and I stayed up for a while after Rabbit and Wolf went to bed and then eventually headed that way ourselves.

Rabbit had to get back to the real world for work in the morning, so her and Wolf left fairly early. Pine and I stayed around a bit, doing some exploring and breaking down camp. I would have liked to stay longer as I really did not want to go back, but it was getting quite chilly. So we decided to head back to town for lunch and a rest before Pine had to head home. I had a hard time coming back, it seems to get harder every time! Work was almost painful the next day, even though I'd had plenty of rest. Dealing with our reality, this "real" world, can be incredibly frustrating, especially after such a trip.

So, despite the fact that it was entirely too short, our camping trip was great. Quite refreshing and very needed.