I rest in the grace of the world...

When despair for the world grows in me

and I wake in the night at the least sound

in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,

I go and lie down where the wood drake

rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.

I come into the peace of wild things

who do not tax their lives with forethought

of grief.  I come into the presence of still water.

And I feel above me the day--blind stars

waiting with their light.  For a time

I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

Wendell Berry

Langley Main Street

Just beginning its second official year, Langley Main Street (site still under construction) takes off.  The Main Street Association is a nation-wide organization setup to assist local communities to revitalize their downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts.  In Langley it is working like a charm.

We are sponsoring a farmer's market; putting on a large centennial celebration; purchasing a shuttle for moving people around our small town; installing edible pocket gardens; and purchasing, hanging and watering summer flower baskets.  Plus we threw a New Year's Eve party and sponsored a sea float scramble.  Last summer we hired a summer intern for park maintenance and we'll be doing that again this year.  In a short time the beat of change and activity is being heard clearly about town.

Langley Second Street Market

Langley Shuttle

Langley New Year's Eve Party

Main Street volunteers, Bob, Ann, Bob, create historic life-size figures

This is the organization that is capturing my attention, enthusiasm and time.  I'm on the board, plus chairing both the ECON Committee and the Langley Market Steering Committee.   Never one to stay uninvolved, here I am back in the thick of Langley happenings and feeling challenged and rewarded for my involvement.

Tramping, Hiking, Trekking - 2012!

5000 miles in one year!  How can that be?  A year of hiking in the US, trekking in Nepal and tramping in New Zealand concludes the year with 5,000 miles.   An adventure both for Brad in-the-doing and his vicariously-traveling-by-his-side, mom.  

Christmas day we drove to SeaTac Airport to pick up our traveling guy of many names.  As there are different names for hiking in different parts of the country, Brad had different names as well.  Here at home he is Brad.  On the TeAraroa Trail in NZ he was db.  On the Pacific Crest Trail in the US he was Freestyle.  In China and Nepal he was dbBrad.

From SeaTac we drove to Seattle and enjoyed Christmas breakfast at the Sorrento Hotel's Hunt Club.   We then returned to Whidbey Island for our small family gift exchange and a lovely dinner.  A very calm, quiet and delightful Christmas Day!  Not to mention a massive jet lag and missing Yessi day for Brad.

dbbrad, Nepal

Now, for Brad, there have been three weeks of settling in and getting used to being off the trail.  A letdown, of huge proportion, along with the stiff reality of what's next in his life.  For now, a small cabin in the woods for writing, photo sorting, job application completion, resting, recovery, and planning life's next adventure.

For me, what will I blog about?  Brad's travels have dominated this blog for the past year and now I suddenly feel topic-less.  New subjects will unfold, of course, but I have had a steady stream of new photographs along with wild and crazy adventures; changing friends and places; wild weather and high elevations to keep the blog flowing, almost without effort.

Waking to Messages!

One of the greatest gifts a mom can receive is her e-mail inbox jammed full with messages from her traveling son, especially when he's been out of touch for many many, many days.  Since Brad began his Annapurna Circuit trek he's only been able to send messages home twice.  Here are a few of the glorious photos he's sent.  These photographs greet me first thing in the morning when I open my e-mail.  Not only do these communications let me know Brad and Yessi are safe, they show me, with their smiles, they are having a good time.  I also get to share vicariously a few of the spectacular sights they are seeing.  Brad returns home Christmas Day.  That's tomorrow!  What a wonderful Christmas Gift!

Yessi & Brad surrounded by the most majestic mountains in the world

Brad and the ubiquitous prayer flags

Brad on a cold, clear and beautiful, mountain-surrounded Nepalese trail

Stacked Stones

Yessi & Brad and the mother of all mountains

Nepalese Village at 3000 m.

Brad & Yessi and those wonderful mountains

Happy Holidays!

Somewhere in Nepal...

The last we heard from Yessi and Brad was December 7.  As they departed Kathmandu to trek the Annapurna Circuit, Brad said he doubted he'd have any way to contact me, and so far he's right.   I'm imagining he and Yessi having a wonderful time as they trek the circuit, noted for being "The Best Trek in the World".    Along the way it is reported they will see forests of rhododendron, mule caravans, charming villages and spectacular views, as well as experience friendly and kind people.

I'm hoping they will avoid snow.  Cold and snow would, of course, make the trek more difficult and hazardous.  October and November are the most popular months to do the trek, so December, hopefully, will be kind to them weather wise, while reducing the number of trekkers.

Map courtesy of Traildino

Doing the trek counter-clockwise is the typical choice because from the east there are many lodges allowing one to shorten each day's trek to allow for acclimatization to the altitude.  Although the circuit is not a technical climb it requires much stamina.  18 to 23 days is the projected time to complete the circuit. Yessi and Brad will need to keep moving which shouldn't be too much of a challenge for Brad with his year of high altitude thru-hiking.  Yessi, on the other hand, has less experience with both trekking and high altitudes.  In order to make connections to their flight back to Hong Kong they are a few days shy of 18. 

Sometimes

Sometimes things don't go, after all,
from bad to worse. Some years, muscadel
faces down frost; green thrives; the crops don't fail,
sometimes a man aims high, and all goes well.

A people sometimes step back from war;
elect an honest man; decide they care
enough, that they can't leave some stranger poor.
Some men become what they were born for.

Sometimes our best efforts do not go
amiss; sometimes we do as we meant to.
The sun will sometimes melt a field of sorrow
that seemed hard frozen: may it happen to you

~ Sheenagh Pugh ~