Credits first: thanks to Chris Cowan for this photo from yesterday – struggling (um – hiking) up Mount Elgood. Good thing I’m still smiling.

Today – a rest at-home day before going out tomorrow with Tammy and Cecilia to tackle the ridges above Whitewater.

It’s been a day of small chores. It’s been a restful day. I would even call it a lazy day.

Funny, these are the days I anticipate writing about some of my deep thoughts but when I sit here, especially when the sun shines through the skylight and warms me I begin to feel like a cat: utterly soporific. Thoughts flee – I am a blank page and have no urge to have it filled.

I’ve been keeping up with news both good and bad and have been largely successful at maintaining my equilibrium.

As I step back and look out, the world seems more and more ludicrous. The things we take for granted in our society seem mad – we are all in a funhouse filled with distorting mirrors and can’t see that what is reflected back is not reality – not even close. And yet we keep behaving as though the warped images are true.

More and more, I want to retreat. I have a vision of a little nest where I can hide, coming out only to go up into the mountains – to test myself – to stretch my abilities and, mostly, to become as one with nature as it is possible to get.

The beauty of the mountains feeds my soul. And I want to eat nothing but soul food.