I am a river rat. Most river rats look with eagerness to what's coming around the next bend in the river. This eagerness transfers into anticipating what may come along next in life's journey too. What has come around this particular bend in life feels to me like
a lucky reward.
I'm not sure if it was the fortune of a loving, stable childhood but something has made me lean toward an optimistic nature. This innate belief in the positive may be the cause of my good luck or it may just color my perspective but it is with utmost gratitude that I've landed at a beautiful, remote ranch in the San Juan Mountains of the Rockies in the southern part of Colorado. To top that off, there is a river with its own bends running through the valley...the Rio Grande River has its beginnings here.
I have come to be here in the West again only 6 months after Joyce and I came through on a cross-country road trip. Through a matter of stars lining up in the right place, I am ranch sitting for the author Pam Houston during her semester of teaching creative writing at UC Davis. With an assortment of farm animals that are truly an extension of the family, my main job is caretaker of horses, donkeys, sheep (with some new lambs), a couple of big Irish Wolfhounds and a kitty to round out the lot. All of this in the vast space of over a hundred acres with spectacular panoramic mountain views....it is quite the paradise for a big sky lover like myself.
I'm going to be on my own for much of this six week stint but I plan on filling my spare time with writing, photography and some hiking. I hope to do regular blog postings so my family and friends can keep tabs on me and see through my writing and camera's lens some of the natural beauty that surrounds me. I hope I can do it justice and even more, I hope to hear from everyone. I'm on my own out here so getting comments here on the blog from my loved ones will be greatly appreciated.
Stay tuned....
Photos coming tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful beginning. I've rafted just enough to be able to hear the water moving over the rocks...just by looking at the images here. When I close my eyes....well, you know - sweet sound. I am SO looking forward to regularly *taking the tour* as you do your rounds. Ciao!
ReplyDeleteThanks Gigi for commenting! I have gotten a bit of news today that has me realizing it's not all river dreams and animal play. I heard from the hardware store guy that a mountain lion was spotted less than a mile from the ranch in broad daylight. That means I take William for his daily walk in the big cat's territory. Mmmm....that's a bit sobering but also exciting all the same. I'm heading out in a few minutes with William now and my camera (with the long lens for sure).
ReplyDeleteLong lens good.
ReplyDeleteJoyce and I were just exploring on one of the mountain back roads near the ranch and saw a coyote. He heard our little truck and took off running away. They are so hard to see due to blending in so well with the color of the ground, plants and sage. I think it's safe to say they are pretty skittish out here around humans. Some coyotes that are in more populated areas are less fearful of people but here I think they have respect and keep a distance. I like that.
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