cause i'll often stop in mid-stride and bow to a tree, whose form and liveliness catches my eye. the same for a tangle of roots reaching down the creekside to drink, or the grasses drying out in the sun. (california green in winter, brown in summer).
i figure if i enjoy, honor, and do my bit to protect nature, nature will protect me. so far so good.
and sometimes i'll freeze and stare at the sky, the sweep of the clouds a thrill, the reason i like flatland or mountaintops. as the writer tom robbins said, 'before sitting down to write, look at the sky, read beautiful language, and get a hard-on, even if you're a woman.' that's the best creative advice i've ever run across.
all this started when i was a little brat and difficult child. at five i ran through the woods, built igloos, and crawled into holes. and still, nothing relaxes me like a walk on an ocean beach.
and i try not to forget to pause and look behind me - advice often given to photographers. yes, the best pictures catch us by surprise, startling from a different angle.
drawbacks to this, of course. i could easily be killed in the middle of the street or more likely looking at a beautiful woman as i'm turning a corner in my truck. on the other hand, as a firelookout it's paid off. i use the zen approach, daydreaming while perusing the landscape. if there's a smoke, it usually will reveal itself to me. my adrenalin jumps, i'm at the firefinder and on the radio before thinking. afterwards, i knock on wood and thank the flames for talking to me first. 48 fire-seasons and counting.
nature's paid my way my whole life and i try not to forget it.
new pics of the county fair being set-up: www.pbase.com/wwp/get
and don't miss the pictures of the artist peter jodaitis in his studio. watching him work, i witnessed the life-force: www.pbase.com/wwp/peter
