• Tag Archives Denver
  • In Denver

    Winter                          New Moon (cold moon)

    4 am came surprisingly early.  A bit bleary eyed I walked down the driveway, too steep apparently for the super shuttle.  As the next hour and a half passed, the driver treated me to a dark and winding tour of the northern and northwestern suburbs as we picked up two other early fliers.  I got to be first!

    Checking in and security were fine, almost like days of yore, back when I enjoyed flying.  Over the last few years, especially in airports, I have had occasion to use my anthropological training.  The dark suited male with colorful tie and dress shirt has the tendency to act out dominance behavior.  These latter day masters of the universe strut and fret and have their day upon the stage and then blessedly fade away.

    When I worked for the church, I used to fly a lot and I remember the sense of self-importance the whole airport, travel to different cities, meetings with folks in hotel conference rooms gave me.  It was an illusion of course, but like most illusions almost impossible to stumble onto when you’re in the midst of it.

    When I got to the hotel, I discovered I was at the wrong one, so I had to drive a bit further.  Geez.  This  is the second time I’ve screwed up hotel reservations here.

    Anyhow a nice desk clerk, a woman from spain, got me into a room right away, around 11:00-11:30 so I could take a nap.  Which I needed.]

    Got up and have spent an hour so writing on the new novel.  Jen just called, so I’m going over there soon.

    The Stock Show folks are every where with livestock trailers, fifth wheelers, cowboy hats and at least one pair of lizard skin cowboy boots.  Leather accessories with silver decor also seem popular.


  • With Thoughts of Green, Growing Things Dancing in My Head

    Winter                                Waxing Moon of Long Nights

    We’ve warmed up to 0.  Midmorning’s brittle sunshine diffuses in the hazy, partly cloudy sky.  The whippets go outside, pee, turn around and come right back inside.  Rigel, unphased, continues to hunt around the machine shed, staying on the hunt for hours at a time.  Sometimes she comes in after midnight, too.  Vega prefers the comforts of home, a couch, a bone, heated air.

    A subtle change has occurred in my inner world.  I have begun to wonder where the seed catalogs are.  I have one in hand but I didn’t like their seeds so I’m waiting for others.  This year’s garden will benefit from last year’s mistakes.  In particular I’m going to make a real effort with leeks, have a better onion crop (sets), plant fewer greens and harvest more regularly (in general), beets, beans, one squash, not many tomatoes since we stocked up this year.  I’ll plant potatoes again, too, but this time I will store them in the basement rather than outside in the garage stairwell.

    It is  time, too, to get back to work on legislative matters for the Sierra Club.  I got a call last night from Josh Davis about a meeting of the Club’s political committee next week.  No tours for the time being, just fine with me.  After Sin and Salvation followed by the Louvre, I can use a rest.

    In the middle of January I head out to Denver for a week to take in the Stock Show with Jon and Jen and  Ruth and Gabe.  This is a premier event of the western US.  I’m going just to see what it’s like.