Silver Knights
My first duty station, Muenster Kaserne. A post from the past inspired by a writing project in the future.
Here’s a post from the past, from my old blog.
In 2012, I traveled throughout Germany for several months to explore parts of the country that I hadn’t yet seen. During that extended visit, I made a point to visit Muenster Kaserne, my first duty station in my time as a US soldier in the Army.
I was reminded of this post as I was doing some writing earlier today. Even though I haven’t even finished and released The Stone Harvest, I’m already working on the next book and a short story, both with Karl Warren. The third book is a continuation of Warren’s adventures and takes place in his past … at Muenster Kaserne.
22 July, 2012
I didn’t join the Army out of patriotism. Nor did I sign up for the pay or benefits. My primary reasons for joining was my desire for adventure and travel. While I did get to travel quite a bit while over in Germany and I did have a few adventures but I’m not going to lie. The duty station was quite a disappointment.
Yes, I had fun at times. Yes, I made some life-long friends. Yes, I did meet the woman that would provide me with sons that are better than I could have ever hoped for. Let’s not ignore a few plain truths, though.
During my time there (1988-1991) we were using the same rounds that had been in the armory for years. As far as I knew, we never swapped them out other than when one of the heads fell off during our daily loading or unloading. We never test fired them and, thank goodness, we never actually had to fire them on-site.
When I was issued my anti-ballistic vest, it should already have been a museum piece. Thin, flexible and threadbare, it couldn’t have stopped harsh words let alone an AK round. When they started to stink from wear, more than one squad leader told me to machine wash it and I did that countless times before an inspection.
The unused, unwanted, soon-to-be decommissioned weapons we guarded weren’t in anyone’s load plan if the balloon went up. The one true “security incident” that we had ended up being two drunk German hunters popping off a couple of rounds in the 4-J. Had there ever been a true threat, we all know what 41st Field Artillery would have done to the poor schmucks on-site. They had our coordinates locked in and would have leveled the place regardless of who was on site.
So, the duty sucked. Period! But, like most other soldiers stationed there, I have a list of folks that, if they showed up in the middle of the night needing $1000 bucks and asking for my help to dig a hole no-questions-asked, I would. Living through such times does that.
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Though we had more than our share of duds, I had some spectacular leaders there, not the least of which were Capt Stramara (it was he that got us the label of Silver Knights) and 1SG Ahlensberg. They set the bar high early in my career and all others had to meet it. I also had many great non-commissioned officers above me. A few years later, when I finally started to mature, pulled my head out of my ass and got some stripes of my own, I had several great role models from my time in Münster.
Here is one bright spot. Someone bought the Motor Pool complex and did a fantastic job of restoring and improving it. The whole compound looks like a well-kept villa.
Though it would have been smart for me to save up more of my pay during my stay there, I came back to the states with not much at all. It’s not that I was a bad planner (OK, I am), it’s that I spent so much on train tickets and hotels and trips to so many towns in the area. Paris and Amsterdam and countless cities and small towns around Germany. I did my best to support the local economy. There was so much to see and do (and drink) in that land. The few, sad souls that stayed on the kaserne their whole time wasted a great opportunity. Their loss.
I do regret missing the final load out of all the weapons. I’ve heard a few stories of the craziness of that time and it seems like a fine piece of history to have been a part of. Mainly, though, I was just glad to be gone.
Today, the kaserne has a new name. It’s its own dorf. Not much of one, though. All of the old barracks and HQ buildings for 6th MP and 545th Ordnance have completely been let go. It looks like, at one point, some effort had been made to begin renovations on Bldg 4703 but those efforts were abandoned and the supplies are still rotting in place today.
6th MP HQ has not been touched since the last boot left it. It’s a true relic. It has not been used for anything since we left it. This is the view of the place form the road. You can only see part of the roof.
HQ of the 6th Military Police Company
My very first night in the kaserne, the unit had returned from the field, HQ was in chaos and my fellow newbie and I were put on hold in the foyer and told to wait for someone from our platoon to collect us. A hundred dirty faces streamed past us, going in and out of the offices or up and down the stairs. Coming back from the field is always a crazy time as all the gear needs to be accounted for and put back in its hole before anything else us attended to. Keeping track of spare PRC-77 batteries was far more important than finding racks for two new privates.
After three hours of watching this circus parade back and forth, the other newbie who got sent to a different platoon walks past us. Kindra Arthur is showered, dressed in civvies and is headed out the door (laughing at us, mind you) to Ludwig’s (our local Gasthaus) while Sneddon and I are sitting with our thumbs up our asses. WTF?!
Except for the first few days, I spent my whole time in the same room in the new barracks. Today, that building looks to be a place where new immigrants are housed or where one might go to hide out after a killing spree.
That was my home for two and a half years. Right there in the center. I had three roommates in my time: Gilmartin, Sneddon and Williamson. Good guys and we got along well ….. most of the time.
Are you ready to see what out HQ building looked like?
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I didn’t get the chance to go visit the dog kennels or out into the old site because everything was fenced off and secured. I’m assuming that there would be more of the same. Google satellite pictures show a lot of overgrowth out there so I don’t think that I missed anything.
Just like my original visit here, I’m glad that I got a chance to go, but I was happy to leave.
Silver Knights!
Court of the Patriarchs
Easily accessible but still rarely visited, the Court of the Patriarch is my new favorite place for a quick escape or an outdoor yoga session.
The Court of the Patriarchs has become my new favorite place to go for a bit of solace and quietude. Though easily found, it doesn't get much attention from the visitors ... for which I'm glad. There are plenty of other, cooler trails and spots for them. I'll keep this one for myself.
On more than one occasion, I've traipsed up here to do an outdoor yoga session and sometimes I come just to sit and enjoy the scenery. On my most recent visit, I brought my camera to shoot a few things that caught my eye on previous stays.
While in the meadow, you're almost completely surrounded by the cliff walls on three sides. What I noticed is that in more than any other area in the canyon, the cliff faces and peaks are more different than each other than in any other part of the canyon. Shift your gaze a few hundred feet to the left or right of any particular peak and you'll see something that looks like it was carved by a different artist. Yes, many of the colors are similar but because of the vagaries of shadows and sunlight direction, the shades of orange and red easily morph into something new and different based on the angle of the sun or shade.
You'd look dumb doing it, but if you're to stand in that meadow and turn in slow circles, I suspect that you'd have a different show with every rotation.
The Road to Zion
What a fantastic entry to the State of Utah. Just after crossing the border from Colorado, I let the drone slip away for a quick flight to capture the Martian landscape.
“To the complaint, 'There are no people in these photographs,' I respond, There are always two people: the photographer and the viewer.”
― Ansel Adams
If you're so inclined, check out the cool drone video I made. It gives an even better idea of the vast landscape of Utah.
Zion National Park - Day One
I arrived, checked in and immediately hit the trails! Even though my initial tour only lasted a couple hours and I barely scratched the surface of what could be seen, I can already tell that I'm going to have a blast hiking, seeing, capturing imagery and exploring this place.
My brief journey to me to the Temple of Shinawava, The Narrows, Weeping Rock, and Emerald Pool but those are just a few of the easiest to access trails and sites. If you want to learn more about the spots and all the cool things here, visit the NPS site for the park or for the Zion Lodge.
Zion National Park - https://goo.gl/LxkBKq
Zion Lodge - http://www.zionlodge.com/
Angel's Landing - GoPro
Angel's Landing is often rated as one of the very best hikes in America. I can see why!
This hike was rated as "Moderate" on most of the guides that I read, and "Hard" on a few others. I can see why. At points, you'll have to scramble up the stones like a mountain goat. Even without that, some parts are quite steep and you'll be feeling it the next day.
Despite the toughness of the route, the place was quite popular and crowded. I saw little kids and older folks all over the place. It was a tough hike but anyone in decent shape and with a desire to reach the top can make it.
My favorite part of the hike was watching the human stories unfold. Sorority sisters talked trash about their teachers, young sibling conspired to scare the bejesus out of their parents and the older folks determined to make it up "that damn hill".
The best of them all was the Korean family whose dad was trying to take pictures of his kids in a manner that made it look the kids were about to fall off the cliff. He was just using angles to make it look worse than it was and at no point were the kids in jeopardy but the mom was having none of it. She was so worried about the kids freaking out that she freaked them out by freaking out herself. It would have been a cool shot, something silly I would have taken with my boys but her fussing seemed to interrupted the shot. Still, it was entertaining to watch.
On ... and the views of the canyon were alright, too.
A Trip to Orrick, Mo - Part II
Sometimes pictures are easy to edit. Sometimes they're not and they take a bit longer. These pictures from my visit to Orrick, Mo took a bit longer because they deserved it.
Sometimes, I can go through a few hundred images and easily find the best images and get them edited right away in a fit of energy and inspiration. Then again, sometimes, I find ones that require more time and effort to parse and find the best possible edits for. That;s the case with these images. I hope that you feel they're worth the extra time.
Just north of Big Muddy and about 30 minutes east of Kansas City sits a farm town named Orrick, Mo., named in honor of W. W. Orrick who had drawn up the plat. Despite the addition of railroads, a grain silo, and a modest downtown, I don't suspect too much has changed with the land since it was incorporated in 1873.
On my Youtube channel, you'll see an aerial view of the Orrick area filmed with the new drone. You'll also see more images from the trip in the first blog post about Orrick.
A Trip to Orrick, Mo
Just 30 minutes outside of Kansas City ... but a hundred years apart.
Just north of Big Muddy and about 30 minutes east of Kansas City sits a farm town named Orrick, Mo., named in honor of W. W. Orrick who had drawn up the plat. Despite the addition of railroads, a grain silo, and a modest downtown, I don't suspect too much has changed with the land since it was incorporated in 1873.
Very soon, on my Youtube channel, you'll see the video that I created with the drone and I'll also soon be releasing the architectural pictures ... but those will take a bit.
Street Art of San Jose
I love me some great street art. Not sh#tty vandalism but the real good stuff that has artistic quality and a social message. The dudes in San Jose have their game on point!
Street art is visual art created in public locations, usually unsanctioned artwork executed outside of the context of traditional art venues. Other terms for this type of art can be "urban art", "guerrilla art", "independent public art", "post-graffiti",
and "neo-graffiti".
That's all a very nice way to go and say "F*ck you!" to the man and be able to get away with it. Some cities, though, are forward thinking and progressive enough to dedicate some of its public spaces to just this type of art. That's the case in San Jose, Costa Rica. On government-controlled walls near the main judicial and legislative offices, you'll find loads of sanctioned art. Near the train station, underpasses and other urban spcaces in that area, it seems that the area has become a Mecca for public art.
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I think they're a litmus test of sorts. Do you see disrespect towards the system or to authority? Do you see just the art or just a distasteful message?
Y'all KNOW I dig the graffiti art in San Antonio but this stuff is amazing. Upon my return to town, I'll have to go to some of SA's other well-known street art collections and see what's what. Until then, and I'm proven wrong, I gotta say that San Jose, CR has got better game at this point.
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The Doors and Portals of San Jose, Costa Rica
Whether it's San Antonio, Texas or San Jose, Costa Rica, the best way to see a place is by getting out and walking. On this trip, I've been amazed at the diversity of entryways. Cool stuff!
As I walked the streets in and around downtown San Jose, Costa Rica, I was amazed at both the diversity and similarities of the various entryways and portals in the town. What is a common theme is that almost all of the homes feature an outer wall or gate almost directly along the sidewalk. That's often followed by a small courtyard, parking space or patio and then you get to the home. I love it.
It seems to be a fine way of making peace with living in a crowded city. As I've already mentioned, this set-up seems very European as I've seen similar structures in the big cities of Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands. All densely populated places but examples of where design makes that impact less.
Some of the doors that caught my eye were inside ones, portals that led to a patio or kitchen. The simplicity of their purpose didn't make them less striking. Others were the main door or gateway facing the street. What a way to announce your home to the world.
OK. It's not all doors and windows. Many of the outer walls are decorated with intricate masonry, detailed textures or, in the case of my favorite wall, these painted tiles. I'll do my best to find out more about this place and update this but for now, just look at the beauty and try to imagine the tale they're trying to tell.
Before my visit to Costa Rica, I looked at some of the guidebooks and websites to get an idea of the highlights. Yes, of course, the beaches and jungles are always winners but in my life, I've never had a traditional vacation where I sit and sip cocktails or tour museums. Nothing wrong with those pastimes but it's a truism that for me, there is no better way to see and feel a pace than by walking. Get away from the well-traveled paths, keep the guidebook in your pack, and get your feet on the street.
As is often the case, I see the differences in how things are done here versus back home but I see the similarities, too. Folks all around the world just want to work, support their families, live in a nice home, play the way they want to play, and live the way they want to live. Here, they just happen to live with awesome doorways, windows, textures and living spaces.
A safety disclaimer - As for following the paths less traveled, I'm also a tall and stout fella that still walks like a soldier. That certainly helps me make the choice to walk off the beaten path. Don't be dumb. Make good and safe chices.
The Things I Carry - A Bowling Pin
I was a soldier once, a good one, too, but before that, I was a scared kids a million miles from home.
Years ago, I was a soldier. A pretty good one, too, but this isn't a story about any exploits I might have had. This is a story about being a young person far from home and without a network.
In December of 1988, after finishing my training at Ft. McClellan and spending a few days at home for Thanksgiving, I was away on my adventure; my first permanent duty station in the US Army. Wearing my Class A uniform and still with my too-short haircut, I walked into what seemed like a screaming madhouse as my new unit had just arrived an hour before me from a field training exercise and were dragging all their filthy gear from the vehicles to the cleaning areas and on to storage. They were all loud and dirty and frankly, I was scared shitless as to what I may have gotten into.
All that madness ended soon enough and I got in-processed into the unit and was assigned to where I needed to be. Though I was the new guy and the folks that were already there seemed much older than me (they weren't) the fact is that we were all a bunch of scared kids so making friends wasn't hard. After a couple months, I got a new roommate, Joe Gilmartin. He was all of two years older than me and had been in the service for about three years at this point. Though he didn't act it, to me he seemed like the coolest, most calm dude possible. I won't pretend that he was a great soldier but he was a great roommate.
Our base was a small one and it had a recently defunct bowling alley in it. On one of Joe's nights out, he ... well, I don't know all the details but he came back home with a few bowling pins, one of which soon became among my favorite possessions. Over my time there, I had many friends sign it or make their mark upon it. Signatures were scribbled over drawings and quotes covered names. It's frankly a mess but I wouldn't have it any other way.
Since that time, I lived in South Carolina, Alaska, California (twice), Kansas City (twice), Idaho, Spokane, and now San Antonio. That stupid bowling pin has come with me every single time and has always been displayed proudly. I'm not the flag-waving type but I am glad that I served in the US Army. Those years provided me with countless memories and experiences that could never have been found elsewhere. And, I got a bowling pin out of it!
MiraFlores, hidden in plain sight
Hidden in plain sight, this historic gem harkens us back to the best moments of our cultural history!
THIS is why I love walking! More times than I can count, I've stumbled across artistic, architectural, or historic gems like this; MiraFlores.
I've walked and run around Brackenridge Park enough times that you'd think I'd have seen this by now. Nope! Never. It was only when I decided to extend my run a bit by trying a new path that I found this. It's not exactly hidden and the gates to the place are rich, ornate, and smack dab along the side of a busy street.
I literally stopped in my tracks as I passed the main gate and finally noticed this gem. Where had it been hiding these past months? There were no signs in front so I didn't yet know what I was looking at.
Most importantly, as there seemed to be no unlocked portal to the street, how do I get in?
It didn't take me too long to figure out that its only open entrance was from inside Brackenridge Park.
The amount of coolness near that entrance is another story altogether. Once inside, I didn't see the placard explaining things until I had already explored most of the place.
I wandered around ignorant of the true beginnings of this place and its artifacts and my mind reeled at the potential origins of these incredible artifacts.
Statues and towers and benches and tiles and fountains. A treasure trove!
After finally finding the sign explaining things a bit more, I was determined to go home and do more research into the place and make an in-depth blog post about it. Not surprisingly, a bit of surfing led me to an incredibly well-written article in The Rivard Report about Mira Flores.
On a small piece of land near the headwaters of the San Antonio River sits a sizeable stone marker, upon which are inscribed the words: “1716 Aqui se celebró la primera misa” – the first mass was celebrated here. This proclamation sits quietly in Miraflores, a former property of Dr. Aureliano Urrutia, an accomplished physician who came to San Antonio from Mexico in 1914.
I encourage you all to click over HERE to read the complete article. As it's written by descendants of the good Doctor, they have a love for the place that shines through in the writing.
Go for a walk. Then, walk some more and never stop exploring. See things, travel, read! The world is a massive place filled with thousands of colors and flavors, countless languages and dialects, and enough artifacts like these to remind us that we're all specks of dust!
The Clouds of San Antonio
If you know me, I have a tendency to look upwards. So far, I've been stunningly impressed with what I've seen in the skies down in Texas.
I spend a lot of time looking at and admiring the clouds. My elder son gives me a funny look when I mention if a particular one looks cool or when I show excitement at an ominous-looking ridge moving in the sky. He's used to it by now, I suppose.
I'm in a new state now and the clouds are noticeably different than the ones in the Inland Northwest but they're still quite majestic. The flatness of the earth, and the lack of mountains give the wind and moisture far fewer impediments and allows the vapor to pool together in massive and monstrous forms.
The moisture comes up from a variety of sources and climbs up to join the flying sea. The science of temperature, air pressure, the wind, and gravity combine to create the shapes and colors we see above. The sun and its rays paint light on the great number of surfaces that can catch and hold the reflection. Within moments, white turns to blue, which turns to gray, then, as if by magic, the collection of water shifts a tiny bit and the mass bursts into orange as it captures and reflects light from the sun.
The clouds seem to be a bit different in every region in which I visit or live. Sometimes only slightly so but there are always unique shapes and sizes. I don't know the meteorological science behind them very well but that doesn't stop me from looking up to view and admire them.
I wouldn't call myself a daydreamer. That label has an air of unproductivity to it and I'm certainly not that. I like looking at them. They're an excuse to escape the stresses of the day and they give me a reminder that I'm living in the present moment. Their vastness reminds me that we're all just specks of dirt on the earth's surface and the knowledge of the great distances they travel and reminds me of the wider world.
Don't forget to look up!
Wallace by iPhone
As many times as I've been here, I never get tired of exploring what Wallace has to offer!
From the Wallace Chamber of Commerce:
Danger, intrigue, passion, great wealth, heroics and comedy are set against the breathtaking backdrop of northern Idaho’s Bitterroot mountains. Those are the elements of the 12 decade story of Wallace. The entire town of Wallace, Idaho is on the national Historic Register.
I think that you all know me well enough by now that I'm not one to take pictures of the traditionally photographed parts of a town .... even one as pretty as Wallace. I'm funny that way. Wallace has hundreds of buildings that date from the town's early silver-minig daysand most of them are still in use. The downtown area is quite lively and hosts a great many restauarnts, pubs and shopping opportunities for visitors but it managaes to NOT feel like a hokey tourist spot. Locals and tourists sit side-by-side in most places.
I always swing by the place after I finish a hike to Stevens Lake and I'm never disappointed. The place that I normally stop at, The Silver Corner, was undergoing renovations so I wasn't able to get their greasy burger that hits the spot after a hike so I had to go without this time. Thus, I had some extra time to walk about and find things that drew my eyes.
Wallace may be slightly behind the times but that's to be expected for small Idaho towns and, in some ways, that can be quite a benefit. They don't have a Starbucks or fast food joint on every corner. Walmart is not gonna move in, either. There's room for improvement or upgrading in some areas but the lack of development has allowed so many of the great pieces of its history to stay in place and for them to be revered and allowed to be a part of the present and future. Everywhere you look in this town you'll find countless angles and colors and reminders of its colorful past. This was my first time really taking time to photograph some of these things and had I more time, I could have spent many hours poking around.
I'll be back again just after the first snows to hike to the lakes again and I'm certain that I'll be coming back to Wallace again. This time, I'll make certain to create extra time to take it in properly.
2016 Lilac City ComiCon
Come for the comics. Stay for the information on eCommerce, order fulfillment and drop shipping!
My disclaimer ... I am not a fan of comics. I like the superhero movies and I used to collect the books when I was younger but I lack the fervor for them that the attendees of the 2016 Lilac City Comicon have. I come to these (and it's only my 2nd such 'con) because I'm a fan of devotees, artists and entrepreneurs that put so much effort and vigor into making this culture fun and vibrant!
Rebecca Cook was here to chat up the super cool web-series of which she's a part. Music of the Spheres, a live-action Virtual Reality series.
Several of my friends and acquaintances either had booths here or participated in the various discussion events. It's always cool to see friends engaged in the furthering of their art and passion!
Karl Schafer, the top guy from Z Nation made a fun announcement during the discussion. He said that in addition to the show still being filmed in Spokane, Season 3 will actually show the characters in Spokane in the show.
Shaun Springer leads a discussion with folks from Z Nation. Russell Hodgkinson (Doc), Karl Schafer (Z Nation Show Runner) and Kevin Cook (Z Nation Gaffer)
My dear friend, Jeremy Whittington, was here showing off both his cool originals and the Fan Art that has his distinct look and feel. Additionally, as he's the creator of all the season artwork for The Modern Theater's 2016-17 Season, he had all those posters displayed and he did a fine job of telling folks about all the upcoming shows.
Jeremy works on a piece of commissioned art for a Comicon patron.
In addition to the artists that I already knew and follow, I found a few new ones that I really liked.
Travis Bundy from Creator's Edge
Antonio J.B. Dela Cruz
Noah Kroese
These guys and their art leapt out at me. In a sea of great comic art and design, their work had a simpleness and cleanliness to it that I found appealing, Noah's especially. I was only able to chat with them for a few minutes but it's cool to see folks get animated when they talk about what they love doing.
Plus, Adam the Woo was there. That was unexpected! He has such cool videos and is a super successful YouTuber!
My inner nerd did make an appearance, after all. It wasn't for all the cosplay girls or cool costumes or characters. It was, oddly enough, in finding out all the different ways that artists are monetizing their work. All of them sold items at the convention. That's expected. What impressed me, though, was all the various ways that they sold their goods online. There are many different ways to do it ... and some of the folks seem to do it quite poorly, but others had their stuff together.
I found a few with sites that handled all the ordering, printing and shipping. All the artists had to do was set up the initial printing and sales parameters and all the rest was handled by a third party. I admit that that's a silly thing to geek out about but it's a topic that near and dear to me because of the changing landscape of photography and how to succeed in that world. A very illuminating day!
Anyways ... I'm a dork! Thank you very much to Nathan OBrien, the Founder of the event, for being such a cool host.
Orlando by iPhone
A family visit run amok. By "amok", I mean exactly as I wanted!
Orlando is not a place I ever saw myself visiting. Despite its obvious popularity as a vacation destination and as a town with a huge and happy population, I just never saw me as a good fit for the area. I'm much more of a mountains and rivers kinda guy. Not gonna lie, though. The idea of mucking around through swamps HAS always sounded cool ... for short periods of time.
Well, no swamp mucking for me. No hunting for feral anaconda and boas in the Everglades. Maybe another time I'll get to go with my friend Tammilee on one of her cool, Florida adventures. This trip was purely personal, a family visit. But me being me, I made it a point to look around and see the things that aren't normally seem.
In the above gallery, the image of the egrets and alligators has become my absolute favorite. It's "Just a stupid iPhone pic" (you know who you are - shakes fist!) but it's a capture and creation that I'm quite proud of. Taken at Gatorland in Orlando, it was a matter of timing and then, a lot of editing to get the colors and composition the way I wanted. All of the images are meaningful to me; looking up from the swamps, a visit to probably the coolest lighthouse I've visited, and, of course, the stork (pretty much a F'n dinosaur) captured with a selfie-stick while he was on (literally) a hot tin roof!
Perhaps it's a character flaw of mine. When I visit places, I do my very best to enjoy the moment and enjoy the company I'm with but I can't help but to see scenes and how they might play out in 1/200th of a second or after some artistic editing. I enjoy walking through a place and having a vision of both how it IS and how it could be.
Allow me to finish this post with an image of an egret riding an alligator. I guarantee you that, although you may be cool, you'll never be "egret riding an alligator" cool!
The Clouds of Sprague
Every view is different; different colors, different shapes. If you're feeling small and lonely, there's no better place to be than underneath such an expansive blanket of sky
I've been in poor spirits of late. A combination of unpleasant life changes and just general shittiness. Nothing that time, yoga and meditation won't take care of but I felt that I needed a bit of a boost. So, I did what I often do when I need a lift.
Road Trip!
Montana has the well-deserved nickname of "Big Sky Country". With their wide expanses of heavens and prairie, their horizons stretch out far, often a 360-degree vista. Kind of like .... Eastern Washington. While this isn't The Palouse, this part of the Inland Northwest has, in my humble opinion, the absolute best views of the skies and clouds to be found.
I drove Southwest out of Spokane on I-90 and again visited the small town of Sprague. The place is quite a rusty gem with many vestigial remains of its former farming and transportation history. As I drove under the blanket above, I didn't so much feel my mood lifted. More like my weight was being acknowledged. The longer that I drove, the more time I had to let the thoughts roll around ... and the longer they rolled around, the less weight they had.
All of these images are available as prints HERE or for use as stock photos HERE!
Eventually, as is always the case, the time spent in the natural beauty and the effort needed to make pretty landscape pictures did their magic. I read a while back about how the Earth's natural vibrational frequency is much lower than the frequencies found in any urbanized area. Makes sense. All of our electrical utilities and power sources, the waves and signal we send ... they add up to create a field of energy that is against our bodies' best interests.
When in doubt of your feelings of worth, when your thoughts are sour and your mind monkeys are flinging poo, go spend some time in nature. Road trips will do you wonders ... especially if you find a blanket of Eastern Washington clouds.
All of these images are available as prints HERE or for use as stock photos HERE!
