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I am weary. My back complains when I yank the pull-cord of the gasoline engine and the lumbering machine sputters to life. I pull and latch the lever to engage the clutch and reach for the shovel as the blades of the mortar mixer begin to churn the water. After twenty-three and a half shovelfuls …

Going the Extra Mile

July 4, 2017. Here I am in Richland, Washington to visit my mom and attend my niece’s wedding. Whenever I descend to elevations near sea level (or anywhere below 4000 feet above sea level), I sometimes think I can clock a better-than-normal time in a 5K foot race. Today I have this thought, and I …

The Bats of Rio Frio

A swarm of cave swallows churns the air in random circles outside the mouth of their namesake. We stand with a dozen other spectators and peer into the dark opening of the cave that extends a half mile into the limestone hill. Anticipation fills the small crowd as the sun approaches the western horizon of …

An Alien World

Certain corners of our world are alien zones to me. Looking out this tinted window suspended a couple hundred feet above the actual terra firma, I scan the horizon for a glimpse of the recognizable world. But I see it not; only concrete, steel, and glass. I look down and see human beings (and the vehicles they …

Torreys Peak

The change of speed causes me to wake from a brief jostling nap as we exit I-70W at Bakersville, just east of the Continental Divide. I move my head off the cold window as we pull into the adjacent parking lot a few minutes before 5:00 AM. Just before Austin turns off the Toyota Forerunner, …

Chocolate Milk and Tumbling Culverts

This is a flashback to an anxious morning we experienced over three years ago. The date was Thursday, September 12, 2013. At 5:13 AM, the familiar yet unwelcome chime of the alarm clock wakes me from sound sleep and soon-forgotten dreams. I roll over to see that Renee has already started her day.  Her sleeping …

The Radish

Let me tell you about the radish. . . .One of my favorite garden vegetables is the radish. This is not so much about the crisp, spicy taste, but more about the memories the little red globes conjure. One of my earliest memories is working in the garden with my dad. As a very young …

Morning Point Counts

(Island Hopping in a Sea of Sage) As an undergraduate biology student at Western State Colorado University, my oldest son, Marcel, has had the unique opportunity to design his own research project and apply for (and receive) funding. Under the guidance of Professor Patrick Magee, Marcel designed a project to study the effect of Douglas Fir …

Falco

Falco died 10 years ago on July 13, 2006. There is still a hole in my heart. It has healed around the edges, but the void is still there. This is the message I sent to the volunteer search and rescue group (Front Range Rescue Dogs - FRRD) that we had worked with at the …

A Long Day on Longs Peak

(An excerpt from my essay, “Nigh Unto the Mountain”) The crusty black lichen clings to the pores in the granite just inches from my face. Pale etchings in the stone form interesting patterns, but soon they begin to swirl. I close my eyes, inhale, exhale, and adjust my grip on the tiny handhold beneath two …

Walking in the Dark

(An excerpt from my essay, “On the Personal Acquisition of Meat”)  I had no idea how far I had walked that day in pursuit of the wary antelope herds. When focused on a task, I do not monitor miles or minutes. By now, the sun was approaching the western hills, and it was clearly time …

Story Telling

An excerpt from my essay, "On the Personal Acquisition of Meat" The rustic Maddox cabin reminds me of the original home of Jed Clampett.  The main room has a large table in the middle with a kitchen sink in one corner, a row of chairs on one side, and a wood stove in the other …