THIS LAND

I love living on this desert. You know I do. But, there’s a couple of other ‘places’ that sing siren songs to me.


One is the mountains. And I don’t mean our desert mountains…special, though they are. I mean the big, way up high Rocky Mountains of Colorado.

I lived for several childhood years in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I was, even at a tender age, living in a constant ‘Rocky Mountain high.” Even then, I was consciously grateful that I lived in such a place. It was truly magical to me.

My grandparents' home in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Many a Sunday drive took us winding through massive canyons along tumbling creeks and rivers. I am sitting here shaking my head at the memory of drinking that pure, sweet water straight from those streams…without fear of getting sick.

Check out my Shirley Temple pose!

My Dad always thought a picture was better if he was pointing at 'something'...even if it was nothing!

Magnificent waterfalls appeared around many bends in the road.

My most special aunt and me.

 And the road was often barely more than a dirt track…and if you should happen to meet an approaching car, one of you would have to back up…most carefully…till room was found to pull to the side while the other car passed. Scant inches to spare, I tell you! Scary! Exciting!

This next picture was taken in mid-June-in the mid-50's.

The other place which pulls me…as I think it does most people…is the ocean. I will never forget my first glimpse of the Pacific. We had driven from Colorado Springs to Los Angeles for vacation one year. The extent of my traveling, to that point, was from Colorado to Southeastern New Mexico and West Texas. Although I eventually learned to have an appreciation for a certain kind of beauty in those New Mexico and West Texas landscapes, I distinctly remember wondering, as a child, how on earth anyone could live in such a barren, UGLY place!

When I saw the ocean, I was stunned. It was simply unimaginable! I still feel that way whenever I am fortunate enough to find myself on a beach.

One trip, when I was traveling with my husband cross-country in his 18 wheeler, is unforgettable. Within a two week period, I was on beaches in Southern California, Oregon, Massachusetts (Cape Cod), South Carolina, Florida and Texas (Galveston).

We spent one night, right on the beach camp ground at Point Dana, in Southern California.

 There was a very high surf at the time. I will never forget, standing barefoot on the sand..yards away from the waters’ edge…and in the dark of night. Whenever one of those gigantic waves would hit the beach, the vibration went from the bottom of my feet through my entire body. I get shivers just thinking about that.

This is not a good picture, but it sure is a good memory. You can't see it...it's such a tiny dark spot, but there is a whale in that water off the Oregon coast! It's that miniscule dark spot just to the left of the center trees.

Unbeleivably, when we were on Cape Cod it was one of the warmest January days on record.  We really lucked out!

“From the mountains, to the prairies, to the oceans white with foam………..”
This country of ours is awesomely beautiful. I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to …or at least through…all but 5 of the contiguous states.

If I were given the opportunity to travel anywhere on this planet, I guarantee you it would be America. The sheer variety of geology is amazing. The natural history is incredible. The human history is both heart-breaking and heart-healing. I could easily spend the rest of my life traveling within its’ borders. And be this happy doing so.

I love this country.

I am GRATEFUL for this land.