My First Island Storm

Trip 2: Cape Lookout, North Caroline, June 2014 My First Island Storm Last night we dug into the sand and fell asleep beside the sputtering fire.   I awoke this morning, on the beach, to my sister saying "we should go" she pointed at a long blue cloud gathering water and momentum as it rolled …

Cape Lookout

Trip 2. Cape Lookout, North Carolina. June 2014. We left our homes in Missouri and drove through the mountains of North Carolina, heading for the ocean, that great blue beyond.   I was nervous, as my swimming skills were nil, but excited for the adventure of camping on the edge of land and water.   …

Grand Canyon Awe

The Grand Canyon is aptly named, it stretches farther than the limits of sight, layers and layers of color and stone.   The rock walls are etched with the passage of centuries, multi-colored mosaics of orange and red, the distant spears of rocks rise up into the sky, blue and magical, lit by the golden …

Ancient Canyon Wind

Trip 1: Grand Canyon, North Rim. May 2013 The Ancient Canyon Wind the stone-cold wind screams out of the canyon depths my eyes tear up, it pushes me back, rocks and gravel fly and I find that it has taken my breath.   the cold canyon wind speaking a thousand lost tongues, tells of an …

Driving through the Desert

Trip 1: Grand Canyon, May 2013   Out of the car window I watch the land roll by. waves of rocks, crashing in shades of red, purple, and pink.   Tiny star-like flowers grow on dusty green plants that cling with tiny roots to the dry desert soil, gathering up and storing water in their …

Travel Wishes

01/17/2013 21yrs old I can't wait to go to the Grand Canyon. I want to see different types of places then the ones I've been seeing so far. Red rocks and lizards, different smells and different sounds. And then I'll come back and I'll be glad to see my places, the river and the green …

Gaping Chasms in my Mind

Grand Canyon Trip. May 2013.   the desert. so still and calm.   the horizon stretches forever in a flat streak. but there are secrets. hills and canyons, gaping chasms with long mouths wide open, twist and wind hundreds of feet deep, hidden until you are close enough to wonder what those strange rocks are.   the …

Camping – Trail of Tears State Park, Hikin’ Shepperd’s Point Trail

Saturday, March the 31st, 2018. We camped at Trail of Tears State Park, Mississippi River campground. It had several electric sites, many with RVs. 6 or 7 basic sites were there but the only tent was ours. Like its name suggests, it's by the river, though it's separated by a fence and active train tracks. …

Trail of Tears poem

On these grounds, over this earth, a cruel trail was wrought. The trail of tears. Of cold and loss. Suffering. The trail of death. And now, they've planted daffodils along the park roads, blooming yellow, and innocent. as if we, as a whole, don't still drive out others from their homes.

Christmas Blues (It’s that Time of Year Again)

It's that time of year again Christmas lights and colorful sights, happily repetitive songs, and to-do lists two-feet long   it's that time of year again, the holiday season, be of good cheer! eat, drink, and be merry, you know the drill! oh, there's soooo many expectations to meet this year.   the stores are …