A long ski

It was a tricky day with rain, snow, sleet, low clouds and darkness that folded us in to itself while we were still far from anywhere.
Michael picked up 20 gallons of veggie oil from three different restaurants to start things off. There has been so much snow down by Mill Creek that the trees are snapping off and breaking the power lines. There was a raft of PG&E trucks there... but at least their power is back up.

This is an aside. A few weeks ago in Cohasset, looking out to the valley. Friends helped me dig little cedars on their land for folks in Concow who are replanting after the fire.

This is the Mill Creek drainage.. with weather closing back in. We skied along from Morgan summit snowmobile park contouring along until we could drop down to Mineral, about eight miles. We had a wonderful dinner in the restaurant there.

My thoughts wander on these long trips and one thing I did was puzzle about Obama. He seems to have that "speaking truth to power" thing. His irony, humor and sincerity are still believable. The trouble is he has the power and everything he says doesn't link to what is true, or right, anyway... the other night in the State of the Union speech he just rolled through his energy plans for nuclear, off shore drilling and "clean" coal... as if these were honest options that should be in the mix. He is so glib he just slid through that content without comment and it was stunning in an alarming way... I don't know where it all goes next nor where to confront it.

It's good to get a break from worrying about the snow pack though. It is lovely out there and hardly anybody is around. There is more mountain winter flowing in from the Pacific so don't be too quick to start your spring if you didn't get up into the snow yet.

Rainy Meditation Deepening

The Complete Self Attunement Core Group just finished up our winter deepening. Usually the weather is sunny after a series of rainy days and I'm restless to pop my eyes open and get up and out. This year it just rained and rained so I just sank into the needed healing of four days of meditation. I do hope you'll check out our website www.csaprocess.com even if we aren't always very photogenic.

Michael let me take the VV and it was the first time I've stayed in it by myself. The rain pelted the skin of the camper a foot or so from my face all night long and it was strange but cosy. The place we were, the Sky Creek Dharma Center was surrounded by lovely old Valley Oak and at night Great Horned Owls would call to one another.

This is Donna the elf peering around a grandmother tree.

There was a lovely peaceful roon to meditate in with a large carved wood block of sensual serene perfect Buddha statute in the corner.

Outside the rain just soothed my soul more as I've been so worried about the snow pack, the reservoirs and our groundwater. I feel a little hopeful, for now.
It's good to be back home with Michael and good to enjoy my energetic richness and aliveness during the transition back into "the world."

Dr. King week-end

Friday we camped by the Yuba River so we could be in Nevada City early for the Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival. The very first films we saw were about restoring the Yuba watershed and about the Tsi-Akim Maidu. The photo above is the bark house and grinding stone honoring the Maidu whose land is now occupied.

Saturday night, after a full day of films we camped in the town then went up to Donner Summit to ski the PCT toward the Peter Grub hut. Again today we tried to make it at least to the ridge but the snow was intense, even as our skiis were sticking and my conditioning held us to a slow pace.

There is a huge concern about development on Donner Summit and if you google Save Donner Summit you can read more about the proposals--it is probably only the bad economy that has preserved the area.

The days were alivening and beautiful despite the wildness of the weather. I'm glad it plans to continue and that 10 feet is the snow pack that is being discussed. Stay safe though.

Meanwhile, the radio kept us up to date on the evolving tragedy in Haiti and KVMR 89.5 FM did a wonderful day of Dr. King speeches and memorial music today. Despite not making any of the memorials I feel good about being back on the road in the V.V. with Michael and Sasha.

New Year 2010

Well, the old year went out like a sad little dog on a stump in the rain. For us it was a late day ski in the Plumas-Eureka State Park where we saw this little being. The rain fell well above the 5000 foot level as first the full moon and then the rain and wind rocked and wailed around the VV where we were at the old ski hill.

The next day we skiied in a light rain at Sagehen Creek where there is a research center and then the next up at the meadow below Mt. Rose with views out to a sultry Lake Tahoe.

Of course, it is wonderful to be in the VV even when the temperatures fall to 14 degrees like they did last night in Hope Valley after a ski at Luther Pass.

I liked our afternoon ski today in Bear Valley on the way home. The New Year so far is filled with snow people and snow dogs. This snow dog was alert, watchful and faithful-- symbolic of the New Year.