The road goes ever on and on, down from the door where it began.
Day 8 of this Amtrak Residency. Greetings from Big Sur where I am pausing at mile 4005 of this voyage. You can read previous entries about the journey thus far on this same site, or at the Amtrak blog here.
Up at 5 AM in this retreat on Big Sur, where I am holed up trying to finish a novel. I walked out on the back porch in the early morning light. An owl said, Whoo-whoo, whoo, whoo. I believe that’s a great horned owl, but I don’t know.
Made coffee and started writing. I was deep in it for quite a while. When I looked up it was lunchtime. A salad of local greens.
Always remember the helpful rhyme: "Snake any day, run far away." I saw this fella by the side of the road as I climbed up the mountain.
Then a hike up Big Sur, through the canyon filled with redwoods, some of them bearing the marks of a recent fire. Went up two and a half miles and looked out toward the sea, which was covered with thick fog, all of it below me. There I stood, in the hot sun, surrounded by
Oh deer. What can the matter be?
mountains and the smell of bay laurel and salt, with the clouds below.
Hiked down the mountain and went to the “clothing optional” part of the spa with my clothes on. So embarrassing.
Sat down on a hill and watched the sunset.
You are my flower, a-bloomin there for me
I hope to write the final scenes in my book tomorrow or Monday. I’m so close.
I’m posting half a dozen photos from today’s adventure. Hope they bring a smile to your face.
Inspiration, move me brightly. Light the song with sense and color, that holds away despair. More than this I will not ask, faced with mysteries dark and vast.
