Voyaging to Mts.

Michael had to process the veggie oil in the rain under a tarp but we were able to get away for four days. Up at Bunny Flat on Mt. Shasta it was snowing hard and I had a scary experience with not being able to warm my hands and then getting short of breath almost like a panic attack--even after I turned back after about a quarter mile past this sign. It was one of those facing mortality experiences and very unpleasant as I always think death is still quite aways away but maybe it isn't.

The next day we went up to Mt. Ashland and skied and even though where we were at Shasta was 7,000 ft. and this was about 6,600 ft. I was fine. We skied into the Grouse Hut (Sasha waiting for her share of my lunch here,) and the day was filled with gorgeous clouds and Michael got to try out new ski boots and it was almost as if the day at Shasta hadn't happened. It was a relief to be in harmony again with the grand display of beauty around me.

Camping in the cold in the V.V. was also good to remind me of the many things I liked about being snug and the things that are a tad difficult before we do a reading/slide show at Lyon Books Thursday night (7pm.) I don't want to make it sound just too blissful when there is always a balance to be in these amazing places.

The other thing to mention is that the book sales in Redding, Mt. Shasta and Ashland went horribly. I'm in love with book stores and being rejected by the book buyers is kind of like your mother telling you she doesn't like you... even though you get a thick skin on the outside it sort of hurts. You SHOULD LOVE me your baby brain wants to whine. Anyway... it's getting harder for me to put that foot forward so I hope it goes well at Lyon to boost that part of my brain that identifies too much with book sales. Loved the journey, loved the country, felt the need to write the book, appreciated Steve Tchudi for basically putting the writing and photos into physical form, paid the money, got the boxes and boxes of books. Then?

I look at this last photo and remember Kenneth Pachen's immortal words afresh-- "It's only the thinking of clouds that keeps the world on its untroubled course."