Huckle Barry

Today is Thursday, July 30. I can't remember what I did yesterday. Today, Beth and I hiked our usual neighborhood trail. At the top of the hill, we noticed an ingenious method a neighbor employed to keep rodents off their fruit trees.

Climb that mother f'er!

As we made out way into the Inverness Watershed ridge trail above town, I found lots of ripe huckleberries. I had heard of huckleberries before moving to Inverness, but had never seen one. They are small and delicious, growing on small bushes similar to blueberries.

We meditated at our meditation bench, which I customized with a foot rest.

As we walked, I realized that we are still in a transition with the pandemic. We still don't know much. We live in fear of getting sick.  No one knows how long we'll have to endure the reasonable restrictions on activity.  Transitions are difficult. We have not reached a new norm yet. The social and economic turmoil we experience every day is stressful. We try to "normalize" but are unable. This is the most difficult time in our lives, so far. One long indefinite transition.

Somehow, I am pretty happy right now. I am exploring why. Larry Brown gave me a CD (yes they still exist) of Dillard and Clark. Great music. Music makes me happy. I also picked up a few work assignments (depositions). Surprisingly, that picked up my spirits as well. I had been getting bored.

Additionally, last night, I awoke from sleeping at about 2 a.m. I started to read. I noticed that I was concerned about some minor navigational and pump issues on my boat. I am unable to fix them myself and I feared the expense, hassle and delay involved in getting someone to do the work. I said to myself, "those are just thoughts, let them go". After that, I slept well. I'll get it all done. It does no good to worry.

We continued on our walk. I noticed a majestic Madrone tree with bright red bark.

On the way back down the hill, Beth stopped at a "library" and found a couple of good books.

Back down in Inverness, I found some ripe blackberries. I stopped to eat some. Beth was tired of waiting for my photos and berry picking. Sometimes in life you have to stop and pick the blackberries. Life is short.

We sat out in the backyard and had hors deouvres and a glass of wine before dinner - under a Madrone.

Under the watchful gaze of a quail, sitting on the back porch rail.

the bear