Category Archives: Family

Dogs, Family, Mountains, Shadow Mountain

Love Is Enough

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Lugnasa                                                                    Superior Wolf Moon

love is enough

The morning sun throws reddish highlights on Black Mountain to our west while our home remains in the early dawn. It’s cool here this morning at 41 degrees and a week of cool temperatures is in the forecast. The northern European residents of this home on Black Mountain Drive are pleased.

Jon’s getting ready for his one hour commute to Montview Elementary in Aurora. He has to be there by 7:15, his third day with students. This Labor Day to Memorial Day school year guy still shudders at the thought of hitting the desk in early August. Seems to violate some unwritten compact between students and schools.

Feeling much more engaged this morning. Writing about a problem often sneaks a mood change through as I consider what I’ve written. Took Kate out last night to the Twin Forks Restaurant on North Turkey Creek Canyon Road. This was to honor her steady work on the needlepoint project, Love is Enough. Three years, but now it’s done, ready to be cleaned, blocked and framed. She’s going to add a small metal plaque, Vega: 2008-2016. We clinked glasses for Vega, one of a kind.

 

 

 

 

Family, Feelings, Our Land and Home, Writing

Blunted

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Lugnasa                                                                                Superior Wolf Moon

Front, May 6th

A soft cotton buffer lies between me and the world right now. My edge, drive is blunted. Why? Don’t know. Might be attention to the emotional demands of the divorce. Could be too many projects in a row. Could be that THC I use at night. Could be I’m still not rejiggered from the move and prostate cancer. Could be that my circle of friends is in Minnesota and I’ve not made new friends here. Just not sure. It has been cool here the last week or so, so it might be that occasional fall melancholy sneaking in early, stimulated by the chill. Frustrating and I’m not sure what to do about it.

Life works best for me when I’m pressing into it, leaning in as Sheryl Sandberg said. Right now I’m leaning away or to the side or up against a wall. Not pushing forward, nor looking backward, sort of caught in stasis.

On the other hand I’m still exercising and the knee feels good. I’ve hit my mark on words per day on Superior Wolf. Kate and I are in a very good place, working together to help our little Colorado family as it careens through the dissolution of Jon and Jen’s marriage. The dogs are healthy.

The garage is much better organized. The garage, shed and decks have solid weather protection and the new green doors look great. The kitchen is officially finished with all the cabinets painted and Kate’s splash of green above the cabinets. Kate’s bathroom is set for a remodel that will make it safer and more beautiful. Jon’s very near finishing the loft. The walnut is planed and ready for staining. The art cart top is smooth and mostly dry.

Our finances are sound. We’re producing our own electricity and have our generator for emergencies.

Of course, there is Trump. Encouraging Second Amendment people to stop Hillary’s court picks. I. Mean. OMG!

 

 

 

Family, Health

Sloth-like

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Lugnasa                                                                                      Superior Wolf Moon

Quite an unproductive day so far. Ah, the golden years.

bailey libraryKate’s off to the Bailey Library for the Bailey Patchworkers. She’s working on a wonderful Bat Mitzvah present for Ruth, a quilt with the squares made from counted cross-stitches sewn by her other grandma, Barb Bandel. She has three years to finish it so I think she’ll make it.

I admit reading the online news about the election is sucking up more and more of my time. The Donald Trumpette is a political car crash from which I cannot look away. Hillary, while an old pol and a centrist, doesn’t have near the I gotta see this appeal. The Donald today said, “I’m not changing my strategy or my temperament.” Whew. As the Cream said, “I’m so glad.”

We’re in a lull here between court dates, remodelers and the beginning of fall. Feels a bit sloth-like.

My knee injection seems to have helped. Lisa Gidday, our internist, agreed with me yesterday when I said it’s gotten worse. “Yep, you’re going to be thinking joint replacement at some point.” Well, I haven’t had any surgery this year so far. So, why not? Not really so cavalier about it.

However. I’ve gotten to the point where my life does have some new restrictions and I don’t like them. An example. Going to the Denver County Fair last weekend. I wandered around on the concrete floors of the Stockshow Building, the site of the Fair, for a couple of hours with Ruth, Gabe and Jon. When I got back, my leg did not like having done that. Hiking is painful, too. Point is, replacing that arthritic knee will make sense. Oh, boy.

Gertie is napping right next to the computer. Dreaming, she’s wagging her tail. Very sweet.

 

 

Dogs, Family, Politics, Writing

You’re Weird, Grandpop

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Lugnasa                                                                             Superior Wolf Moon

Ruth and Kep, cliff loop trailRuth came up to the loft yesterday, sat in the leather chair and we talked while I worked. She’s such a sweet kid and very curious. Very bright. We talked about painted elephants, Hokusai and his famous print of the wave. Taking out a large book I have of Hokusai’s work, we paged through it and I explained the floating world of late 19th century Japan.

When I used chopsticks to eat beans and wieners for lunch, she said, “You’re weird, Grandpop.” I said, “Thanks. I take that as a compliment. Don’t you?” She nodded shyly.

Right now I’m trying to tell the story of the primordial Greek gods and the wars that occurred among the gods that followed them, the Titans and the Olympians. Tough to do without getting didactic, deadly to the flow of the narrative. Realized last night that I just have to get it down right now. This is a rough draft, not even a first draft.

Brother Mark asked about the dogs the other day. Gertie has recovered from the most recent rending of her flesh by Kepler. She bounces around, her right arthritic leg slightly splayed, not holding her back very much. Rigel continues on in her healthy, happy way. She has first rights on the couch now that Vega is dead. Kepler has gone from the still puppy like dog that he was when we got him two years ago to a mature dog with a distinct personality. He loves his life, getting excited, opening and closing his mouth, lifting himself slightly off the ground by hopping whenever food or something else that pleases him happens.

And then there’s Trump. Aaaccch. But, thank the powers of the universe for offering him to us when another candidate would have given Hillary a much more difficult time.

 

Aging, Family, Jefferson County, Our Land and Home, Third Phase

Shadow Mountain Journal August 5th

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Lugnasa                                                                Superior Wolf Moon

fire ban cropped

County officials lifted the fire ban, a level II, which bans all fires in Jefferson County, at midnight last night. We’ve had a few cool, wet days in a row. As August continues, the fire danger tends to decrease, though doesn’t fade until sometime in September.

Jon’s back in his art room, getting ready for his students. The grandkids come up today for the day. The divorce continues to rake its nails across all our lives. How to be gracious is a challenge. But, a good one.

Kate and I went over to Bear Creek Designs in Evergreen yesterday. We made an appointment for Monday to pick out materials for the bathroom remodel. “Oh, aging in place renovation?” Molly asked, “Getting out ahead of it, eh?” Yes, the work over the next few years will take into account the fact that after February we’ll both be in our 70’s. Just part of the third phase.

 

 

Commentary on the news, Family, Politics

The Politics of the Crips and the Bloods

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Lugnasa                                                                     Superior Wolf Moon

Not sure if it’s wishful thinking on my part, but it appears that Trump has begun, finally, to self destruct. A normal politician, no matter how he felt about the Khan’s, would recognize that his approach to this Gold Star family is destructive to his own chances to win the election. At that point some face saving (read hypocritical) story would be concocted, trotted out at a press conference or two, then the issue would be ignored. But, not candidate Trump.

Nope, he bullies right along, his thin skin rent, his dignity in tatters because (in his opinion) of the nasty Muslims who attacked his honor. This is the politics of the Crips and the Bloods where being dissed is rationale for a drive-by shooting, in Trump’s case a drive-by mouthing.

Jon’s back to work today, going over to Centennial for breakfast at his principal’s house, then out to visit a few students in their homes.

Kate’s meeting Penny Bond, her long time friend and financial advisor, for lunch. Penny comes to Denver once a year to see an old Stanford friend.

 

 

 

Dogs, Family, Our Land and Home, Photography

Love is Enough

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Lugnasa                                                                           Superior Wolf (new) Moon

love is enough
love is enough

A gray morning on Shadow Mountain. Cooled down yesterday, feels good. The painting and staining are done. Next up is the downstairs bathroom. Zero entry shower. Some quiet here right now.

Kate finished a project begun after my 2013 trip to the Pre-Raphaelite show at the National Gallery in Washington, D.C. This needlepoint came from the museum shop for the Pre-Raph show. When we get it framed, it will have a small plaque that reads, Vega.

Jon starts back to his work tomorrow. He’s the art teacher at Montview Elementary in Aurora, an eastern suburb of Denver. It’s been a summer of lawyers and courts, frustrations and doubts for him. He’s looking forward to getting back to work with his students. The commute from here to his school, we’re some distance west from the west edge of Denver and Aurora’s on the eastern edge, is substantial, but common for folks who live in the Conifer area.

While at the Denver County Fair, I got this photograph of three young Latinas dressed up to party.

Latinas at the Denver County Fair

 

 

Family, Latin, Our Land and Home, Translating Metamorphoses, Writing

Journal July 30, 2016

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Last Day of Summer                                                           Park County Fair Moon

chiefhosa300We’re glad to be doing this, having Jon here, seeing the grandkids more often as they come to be with him. It’s important, as important as anything we could be doing right now. It does remind me, however, that we’re used to a somewhat more, ok a lot more, sedate style of daily life. The change is good for us though, keeping us engaged. And, a bit tired.

Yesterday we hit 90+ here. Even with the lower humidity it was downright unpleasant. Ruth was sick, Gabe, too, so we didn’t go to the Denver County Fair. This morning instead.

Jon worked on the walnut top shelf for the three lower sections of shelving in the loft. With the staining process he’s chosen, the walnut will show off its dark, close to black color and create a strong contrast with the birch bookshelving that now lines the loft. He’s also preparing the final coat on the art cart’s distressed oak table top, the oak that came from the bed of a junked tractor-trailer. Once both of these are done, I plan to spend a good bit of time rearranging my library, putting up or placing art, getting this wonderful space Kate found for me into its final (for now) configuration.

I am back at work on Superior Wolf. After I reimagined the story, taking it back to its deep origins in the primordial gods and goddesses of ancient Greece, things seemed to fall into place. I have two novels that I’ve been using as models, the sort of big thing I’d like to produce: The Historian and Jonathan Strange and Dr. Morrel. They both took a quirky, but deeply researched approach to, on the hand, vampirism, and on the other, black magic. They were original within an often cliched genre, surprising in their treatment. That’s what I want for Superior Wolf and Jennie’s Dead.

Still nothing on the Latin. I won’t leave all those years of work on the side, I know it, but I’m finding the discipline difficult right now.

 

Colorado, Family, Great Wheel, Holidays, Reimagine. Reconstruct. Reenchant., Third Phase, US History, World History

The Harvest Season Is Nigh

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Summer                                                                    Park County Fair Moon

Jon, Ruth, GabeInto Denver for the Denver County Fair today with Jon and the grandkids. Our county and state fairs, stocked with canned goods and quilts and wholesome teenagers with Guernseys and prize boars, are in the Lughnasa spirit. Lughnasa, starting on August 1st, is a Celtic holiday of first fruits. Also called Lammas in the Catholic tradition, villagers brought bread baked from the first wheat to mass.

Each of the cross quarter days in the Celtic calendar: Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasa and Samhain were the occasion for weeklong market fairs. Goods were sold, contracts for marriage and work made and broken, dancing happened around bonfires, general merriment abounded as individuals tied to the grinding daily labor of subsistence agriculture found themselves with time free for fun.

In our hearts we are a rural country still and there is something deeply satisfying about seeing sheep, cows, chickens, rabbits in competition for some mysterious (to city dwellers, now the dominant fair goer type) prize. Yes the number of family farms is at its lowest point in the nation’s history, but we have a communal memory of the time when most of us lived on the small farms that used to dot the land. In fact that small farming culture was often subsistence farming, very similar to the sort of rural life in the Celtic countries of Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Breton, and Cornwall.

It is this underlying sensibility of lives lived close to the land that seems so absent from our political discourse in this election. We are a people of the plow, the barn, the hay rick. We masquerade as global sophisticates, but in truth the itch to grow tomatoes or to have a small herb garden is as American as, well, apple pie, which we will see on display at the Denver County Fair, I have no doubt.

Lughnasa begins the harvest season which continues through the feast of Mabon at the autumnal equinox and ends on Samhain, or Summer’s End. It is one of my favorite times of the year, only the dead of winter is better for my soul.

 

Aging, Family, Great Wheel, Jefferson County, Memories, Minnesota, Mountains, Shadow Mountain, Weather +Climate

Sinking Behind Black Mountain

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Summer                                                                      Park County Fair Moon

The sun is on its way down, sinking behind Black Mountain. I don’t often write in the evenings anymore because I’m usually downstairs in the house. Tonight I came up after a sweatshirt. It gets cool reliably around 7 pm or so.

It also gets quieter here in the evening. The motorcyclists have made it to wherever they were headed. The cars loaded with camping gear have found a spot for the night. The Denver tourists headed to Upper Maxwell Falls trailhead have returned to the city. No bicyclists. No one walking their dog. A few people are still arriving home from work, probably having driven from downtown Denver.

This has been a hard week. Jon’s most recent encounter with the courts got at least part of the divorce mess sorted out. Kate drove home from Jackson Hole. The last of the painting project is almost wrapped up. Kate and I went to the grocery store today, a task that proves physically difficult with our mutual arthritic thises and thatses. The days have been warmer than I prefer, though definitely more tolerable than Denver proper.

A possible arc upward does seem hidden in the detritus. Jon has more predictability now in his life. The long work of staining and painting has all but ended which means no more extra cars and people around during the day. BJ’s injury is healing, headed toward what her surgeon believes will be a good recovery. He says she should be playing again in a couple of months.

Lugnasa lies just ahead, two days. That means the peak heat of the summer has begun to wane. The nights will get cooler, the days shorter. Welcome changes.  Summer is my least favorite season and was so even during our intensive gardening days in Andover. I don’t like the heat, even the more modest heat that we get here. The vegetables and fruits and bees needed it, we welcomed its results, but not its presence.  I’ll be glad to move into August, even more so September.