As always I look forward to your annual trip with Kelly and how your writing reflects something different every time. The joy you feel is palpable. Thank you for sharing.
what a nice column. I imagine just being there with your son ranks high up in the best things about being there too... it's great that you & Kelly do this every year. Sports - whatever... ok, Burrow is phenomenal, he makes an average team a super bowl contender. Another year of blah for the Reds. I'm glad everyone feels good about the Olympics - and I have a bad feeling about my Cleveland Browns this year - but I guess nothing unusual about that. Do you think the Bengals would ever trade Joe B.?.. we'll give you a pick of five of our players. Hah!
Thanks again - and you're right - give thanks for the good stuff, whether it's sitting on a mountain top with your son, or simply that no one is seriously ill, or the a.c. works - I played 9 holes this morning and I'm on the couch with the dog, enough money to do what I want - and if you're like me - you're retired and healthy enough to enjoy the freedom. It's all good!
I nooticed the Be Here Now cafe pic had a sign for contradancing on Tuesdays posted on top of all the signs in the window. Figgers, Hooray! My peeps!
Used to do the Black Mountain music/dance festivals in the mid '80s. They were at Black Mountain College. Some amazing roots music, such as The Sea Coast Island Singers, Sparky Rucker, and Malcolm Daglish/Grey Lawson, who were originally from Cincy. One year had Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys featured.
There were crafts, mountain culture storytellers, dancing to lots of great old time music bands, and, well, just about anything wholesome and down home. Fond memories. Buckminster Fuller once taught at the college there for a bit.
Sounds like a nice retreat. Mindfulness is easy in quiet places. Keeping it going in today's modern American cities is a whole other story.
Great insights Doc. I am inspired each year reading about your trip. Enjoyed the article except for the Pirates tee! :=) One of my favorite song writers, John Gorka, said it best...Pittsburg has the Pirates, and the Steelers, and the thieves.
I was fortunate to be the child of parents who made me think for myself at an early age. Not as freedom to be silly or facetious but rather a mindset that recognized the realities of life and how to contemplate them throughout my maturation. It wasn’t until I was about fifteen that I recognized the discipline they were teaching me and understood that it would lead to a happier and ultimately more successful existence.
Whenever I am in the woods by myself for work or fun, nature leads to contemplation for me. It might be a farm issue we need to address or a real-world problem that has to dealt with at some point, but the important thing is that time away from society leads to a clearer mind to trigger this disciplined thinking. It forced me to realize that I was wrong at times and needed to change my opinion or outlook on important questions. It also solidified my decisions at other times to give me assurance I was on the right path. But nature by its very robust and stimulating self was the key to better decision making.
Your essay was quite thought provoking, Doc. So many people live life without an open mind that can lead to better outcomes and that is tragic. There’s help in loving places on Sunday morning as well but you have to reach out to get it and that is a mouthful.
What a gorgeous photo! I see seashells in the cloud formations. It looks soooo peaceful. If I was there, I would be walking the creek looking for fossils....however, I'd probably have to take a night or two just to catch my breath after the climb....if I could even make it.
I'm so happy you two have that father son connection. What a perfect way to come into each others lives each year with nature as your guide to your innermost feelings and spirit. I wasn't able to pull up the song. Some kind of computer glitch in Microsoft, I believe.
Be Here Now was/is a wonderful read. I read it shortly after it came out in the early 70's during my divorce. I really needed it then, for sure and it really helped me, along with Illusions, a favorite book to this day. Peace my friend. Enjoy....
You are an insightful writer with the talent of sharing worthwhile thoughts and sentiments. I’m glad to be a subscriber. The rest is hocus pocus junk.
As always I look forward to your annual trip with Kelly and how your writing reflects something different every time. The joy you feel is palpable. Thank you for sharing.
I love everything about this, and then some!
I always look forward to this piece, Doc. Thank you. Here's to a few more trips up the mountain.
Be Here Now. Could be my new life mantra. No! Be Here Now, and enjoy it with good wine. That will be my mantra.
Thank you for another lovely essay about your 'trip of a lifetime' with Kelly. I enjoy them every year.
what a nice column. I imagine just being there with your son ranks high up in the best things about being there too... it's great that you & Kelly do this every year. Sports - whatever... ok, Burrow is phenomenal, he makes an average team a super bowl contender. Another year of blah for the Reds. I'm glad everyone feels good about the Olympics - and I have a bad feeling about my Cleveland Browns this year - but I guess nothing unusual about that. Do you think the Bengals would ever trade Joe B.?.. we'll give you a pick of five of our players. Hah!
Thanks again - and you're right - give thanks for the good stuff, whether it's sitting on a mountain top with your son, or simply that no one is seriously ill, or the a.c. works - I played 9 holes this morning and I'm on the couch with the dog, enough money to do what I want - and if you're like me - you're retired and healthy enough to enjoy the freedom. It's all good!
I nooticed the Be Here Now cafe pic had a sign for contradancing on Tuesdays posted on top of all the signs in the window. Figgers, Hooray! My peeps!
Used to do the Black Mountain music/dance festivals in the mid '80s. They were at Black Mountain College. Some amazing roots music, such as The Sea Coast Island Singers, Sparky Rucker, and Malcolm Daglish/Grey Lawson, who were originally from Cincy. One year had Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys featured.
There were crafts, mountain culture storytellers, dancing to lots of great old time music bands, and, well, just about anything wholesome and down home. Fond memories. Buckminster Fuller once taught at the college there for a bit.
Sounds like a nice retreat. Mindfulness is easy in quiet places. Keeping it going in today's modern American cities is a whole other story.
Great insights Doc. I am inspired each year reading about your trip. Enjoyed the article except for the Pirates tee! :=) One of my favorite song writers, John Gorka, said it best...Pittsburg has the Pirates, and the Steelers, and the thieves.
One of my favorite pieces every year. Beautiful tradition. Hope to have similar with my kid someday.
Please never stop nakedly self indulging.
Be Here Now has served me well and it's nice to have the reminder.
I was fortunate to be the child of parents who made me think for myself at an early age. Not as freedom to be silly or facetious but rather a mindset that recognized the realities of life and how to contemplate them throughout my maturation. It wasn’t until I was about fifteen that I recognized the discipline they were teaching me and understood that it would lead to a happier and ultimately more successful existence.
Whenever I am in the woods by myself for work or fun, nature leads to contemplation for me. It might be a farm issue we need to address or a real-world problem that has to dealt with at some point, but the important thing is that time away from society leads to a clearer mind to trigger this disciplined thinking. It forced me to realize that I was wrong at times and needed to change my opinion or outlook on important questions. It also solidified my decisions at other times to give me assurance I was on the right path. But nature by its very robust and stimulating self was the key to better decision making.
Your essay was quite thought provoking, Doc. So many people live life without an open mind that can lead to better outcomes and that is tragic. There’s help in loving places on Sunday morning as well but you have to reach out to get it and that is a mouthful.
I still can’t get the song and I’d really like to hear it. Worst case…tell me what it is and I’ll bring it up for a listen.
I hope that the two of you both age at the pace that reading your trip reflections does. It would put you on pace to live about five hundred years.
What a gorgeous photo! I see seashells in the cloud formations. It looks soooo peaceful. If I was there, I would be walking the creek looking for fossils....however, I'd probably have to take a night or two just to catch my breath after the climb....if I could even make it.
I'm so happy you two have that father son connection. What a perfect way to come into each others lives each year with nature as your guide to your innermost feelings and spirit. I wasn't able to pull up the song. Some kind of computer glitch in Microsoft, I believe.
Be Here Now was/is a wonderful read. I read it shortly after it came out in the early 70's during my divorce. I really needed it then, for sure and it really helped me, along with Illusions, a favorite book to this day. Peace my friend. Enjoy....
LOVE this every year. Thank you
Excellent and thank you ….