Cool Movie of Nevada Flatland near Rye Patch

Headed out of Idaho for cool Nevada summits

dueling tractors in Idaho pasture before entering Nevada mountains

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pinnacles over Jarbridge canyon

eatin' dust

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dusty roads and blue blue skies

I saw a movie recently: "The Last of the Dogmen". It reminded me of how I should be out there again, in the wilds. I even got some ideas about some art work. And took some incredible photos. But they are on film so I will be posting them but it will take a few days. But these of my travels through Jarbridge, Nevada (Google it... it's amazing)... definitely the long way around to Elko.

Some Folks

happy lab: wet from swimming and has a brand new beef bone

home on the road

Aren't you sleepy yet?

I have to use ear plugs to sleep.... no kidding. Here I am in the beautiful outdoors, or practically, given that the walls of my cabin have more holes than planks, and the noise is .... deafening at times. You're thinking sheep? Yes, they are noisy and needy and wake me up every morning at 4 am to eat (?! didn't I already go through this stage with the kids?).... but it's not them that are keeping me awake. It JETS. Private jets. Taking off and landing at the nearby Hailey airport. They are supposed to stop at 10:30 pm but I think they got special permission to extend to later times. And my thought is: This country, and the world, may be in the worst depression in history, but some folks are doing just fine thank you.  At any given time there are 20 - 30 LARGE private jets parked at the airport here, which is also the airport that serves Sun Valley, so the rich are expected to play here.  These people fly in FOR THE WEEKEND. Can you imagine? "Honey, let's go to Sun Valley for dinner, whadya say? James, bring the G5 around to the front, will you?" Awesome. Anyway, I trolled for a billionaire around Ketchum a few days back, but the planets didn't line up. So last night I decided to go camping, far away from the jet engines. I heard Sandhill Cranes and larks,  other little twittery birds that I don't know what they were but they were darned cute. On my wood campfire at Hayspur Hatchery on Silver Creek I grilled half a steak, a hot Italian sausage, some leftover risotto (shrimp and trevisana), a few glasses, thanks to Joanie, of a great Cab Sav, and sat by the fire watching the sunset. This is one of the wonders of our beautiful USA: a free campground, in one of the most beautiful settings in the world. Equipped with outhouses, fire rings, beautiful old growth trees for shade and surrounded with gorgeous wildlife. Silver Creek is one of the prime fly-fishing rivers in the world. And accessible to all, unlike many fishing rivers that are closed off to the public unless you want to float it from one of the few accesses upriver. I climbed in the back of my Toyota truck where I've built a "Summer Pergola" to sleep under. Jasper slept in his crate, watching over my dreams and I slept, after looking up from my cosy bed at the .... (quiet) stars.

The Fineries of Language

Fields of Green

Fields of Gold

Water

just look at them thar hills

horse heaven

cricket heaven

the road back home

is there a possibility of any more food?

my view at night... almost

dog tired

At this moment everything is poignant, which I believe is different from a poignant moment.

That is to say there are moments in which the light is fine, golden even, the crickets and kildeer are in tune, the wind has died to a soft breeze, and plants are in that heavenly moment in the middle of summer where they are still green and growing and not bowing to the effects of inevitable decline. The apples are ripening, the baby birds have flown the nest to attempt their own dips and rises in the hot thermal currents, the last of the monarchs are looking for a possible mate in a thinning population, most of whom have started to head south. I had forgotten how dry the air is here; I feel as if I should be wearing a babushka so my hair won't turn into straw and break off of my head, leaving me bald in the scorching sun. A Russian grandmother, not attractive in her dress, but wise in her attire. But I'm Californian, through and through, and plow on in my T-shirt, cargo pants, and small hiking backpack, up and down the hills of Idaho, coming upon a moment of poignancy in the early evening sundown with a great dog, Jasper, by my side looking up to me with trusting brown eyes asking me when is the next jump in a lake. Pics tomorrow. I've run out of wine and I'm dog tired, back at the cabin.  Good night.

Joanie and Critters

A River Runs Through It

Joanie's house

J

The Barns

Another view of my cabin

My View

My humble abode with Jasper's bed next to me (I inherited him... pics coming)

My favorite roomate

My Home with my roomates

The Road coming into the Ranch with Apple Trees

The Entrance to Joanie's Ranch in Idaho

Here's Lizzy: a mini Border Collie

Joanie after her knee surgery

Stunning Idaho

As I drive through Nevada, and stay in my favorite campground on the Humboldt River (yes, Nevada!) named Rye Patch, I feel my heart expanding with the open sky, the endless vistas of greygreen sage and the smell of the desert. On my way to southern Idaho, I cross over the parched land and soon arrive in Twin Falls, and WATER. The fields of alfalfa are showered in cascades of water, endlessly sprayed with enormous sprinklers, creating shining rainbows. Afternoon monsoon thunderstorms, lightning bolts, and pelting raindrops that raise puffs of dust from the parched roads, giving respite to some of the driest air in the world. I've arrived at my friend Joanie's house, south of Bellevue on Glendale Road, where I will settle in for a couple of weeks to help her recover from knee surgery and take care of all of the critters she has on her beautiful property....