Change of Scenery

Every day as I move through my daily routine, I am treated to some of the most beautiful scenery imaginable. Besides waking to Guy’s fabulous smile, I get to watch the sunrise on the mountains and the sun setting behind them. On weekends, we usually glide through a winter wonderland up in Summit County.

Most people don’t understand why we might want a change of scenery… but we decided to gather some friends and make a trip to ski in Utah. My brother caught wind of the trip and signed on to search for fresh powder with us.

The group delegated duties for researching lift ticket prices, booking the condo, arranging a rental vehicle, planning and preparing meals, etc. We ended up with a Condo at the Canyons about half way between Salt Lake City and Park City Utah, a large SUV, and of course an excess of food. The condo had a hot tub on the main floor, 3 bedrooms, and a well stocked kitchen. It was also in a great location as a base for skiing many areas.

The first day we went to Alta. Alta is up one of the Cottonwood Canyons. It is known for being steep, rocky, and having deep powder. It is also known for having long traverses to get to the good runs. It was here that Kevin began to earn his nickname, Traverse. He was our guide and would spend the weekend taking us around the mountain to all the best runs. He was terrific at checking in to be sure everyone was getting what they needed without spending too much time over their heads. I appreciated it because I am probably the weakest of the lot in terms of skiing skill and fearlessness. With a little psyching up, I can overcome most of that weakness.

Alta lived up to its reputation. We had nearly white-out conditions all day which meant fresh snow all day long. What we lacked in visibility we made up for by skiing by braille. We got one real break in the vis and immediately Traverse took us through a bowl that was deep with creamy powder. Most of the rest of the time we spent hugging the trees since vis was best in those areas. We even did one steep run that required dropping over a small rock ledge. It tested my courage to get over those rocks… not sure what it is about rocks that are so intimidating.

The second day was Snowbird. Snowbird also boasts steep and deep. Much of it seems less rocky but it has some spectacular cliff bands, glorious trees, and cornices to ramp up the adrenaline. Once again, traverses are part of the terrain negotiation and we did several to get to the good stashes. I had a frustrating morning, feeling ½ a bubble off but by mid-day was back on track. We ran a couple particularly steep runs that really ramped up the fun. And at the end of the day was a cornice drop into a steep run just below the Tram. Being a featherless chicken, I did find a notch to drop though instead of taking the cornice and trying to dodge the rocks below. “Do one thing every day that scares you” is easy when skiing in Utah. And somehow it gets easier as you do.

The last day of skiing we stayed close to the Condo and went to the Canyons. This area ranges pretty far and wide with slightly less steepness but generally ample powder. We toured the area checking out various interesting runs that the patrollers said might have good stashes. Some of them were rich. The patrol said that on a busy day they get about ¼ of the skiiers that a busy Summit County resort gets. As with the other two days, there were essentially no lift lines.

We had scheduled to leave the ski area by 4 at the latest and targeted a 3 p.m. return to the car. At about 2:45 as we rode up one more lift, at about the halfway point we suddenly say lightening which was followed by a long, low-rumbling thunderclap. Yikes! Here we are dangling at treetop height in a metal chair holding metal poles and it’s lightening. Of course, the ski area has to shut down the lifts. So when we reached the top, they made a feeble attempt to direct us to the bottom. The trouble was, it was now snowing and was nearly a white-out . We missed the turn with 99% of the rest of the skiiers and ended up back at the same lift. This area has no way out except to take another lift. Unfortunately, it was nearly ½ hour before the lifts came back online.

On our way again, we enjoyed one last run in the 3 inches of fresh that had fallen in the last hour. We crammed gear into the car, planning to pack at the airport once the snow had melted off, and headed out. Shortly after we hit the highway, we came to a dead stop. We sat on the highway for about 1 hr 40 min as it was shut down about 2 miles ahead. Our time was slipping away fast. We finally got to the airport at 6:24 for our 7 p.m. flight. As the rental car agent did the return we stuffed our bags. Guy was first off the starting line and into the terminal. I followed a few minutes later just as he called to say he was checked in. I ran carrying my bags and skis to the baggage drop off while phoning the others and telling them to run. We cut the security line and peeled off shoes, jackets, etc. for security. On the other side, we grabbed them and ran for the gate without even stopping to put on shoes . When we got to the gate, we took off our ski pants and extra clothing for more comfort on the flight. In the end, our whole crew made it to the flight. It was a wild end to a fabulous trip.

Cure for a bad day - Endorfin Rush

Mango Curry Stir Fry

3 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks lemongrass, sliced
2 t sesame oil
2 t olive oil
2 T yellow curry paste
¼ c thai basil leaves
3 habanero peppers sliced (optional)
1 can coconut milk
1 can Jumex mango nectar
1 mango, diced

Saute Garlic and lemongrass in oil. Add basil, curry, and peppers. Saute 1 minute more. Add coconut milk and mango juice. Reduce by half. Add diced mango. Let simmer while preparing stir fry.

Serve with any combination of vegetables, chicken, shrimp. Once they are stir fried, stir with sauce.
Serve with rice.

If you are really feeling masochistic and needing to use up things in the fridge… here’s a weird pairing for you.

I served this veggie stir fry tonight with seared tuna stead. Along side that was grilled asparagus and habanero poppers. Recipe to follow… think I wanted an endorfun rush?

Habanero or Jalepeno poppers

Cut the stem end off the pepper
Carve out the pith and seeds while keeping the pepper intact
Mix cream cheese and grated cheddar with just enough hot sauce to moisten
Stuff the peppers
Wrap ½ slice of bacon over the pepper to cover the stuffed end
Skewer them together
Grill over medium high heat until bacon is crispy

This too shall pass

It is ironic that trying to call the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) and sitting on hold for ½ hour listening to muzac made me want to pop a bunch of pills. When my cell phone prematurely disconnected the call my thoughts turned more toward jumping off a cliff. In the end, I discovered I can’t do what I needed to do and what I had to do needed to be done through their website…

Next I called to update my National Provider something-or-other number. Another 20 minutes on hold only to find out I can’t make that update either… and what I can do needs to be done online. I love online stuff but when it won’t do what you need, what can you do?

Four updates to the same page of my credentialling application for Poudre Valley Hospital. Three calls to the resort property company to get a live person so I can book an airport shuttle. Two times printing my CME information because in the disorganization of the move I lost it. And a F*cking Partridge in a Pear Tree!

Close to a complete melt down, I took a 20 minute nap and then had an iced decaf mocha. I know that jumping off cliffs isn’t good for my health… so I opted for the next least healthy option.

Tonight I’m going to cook mango coconut curry with habanero peppers and loads of fresh veggies. ON the side will be a tuna steak seared lightly. And then there will be the habanero poppers … the only thing missing will be my Harley to eat the crispy bacon off the outside of the peppers. No doubt Guy can chop it into a breakfast burrito tomorrow morning.

That and cleaning the inside of my car (where it seems I now live), painting my toenails “Dominant Jeans” blue, and organizing my sock drawer has made my day complete.

Ever have a hero?

Someone once asked me who my hero was. I didn’t have an answer… or at least, not a good one. I’m not sure I have a better answer now but I have met a lot of people who are heroes of a sort. Perhaps it is that I don’t really understand what a hero is. If it is someone that represents something special, exceptional, and is bigger than life then I know a bunch of heroes. In fact, most of the people I know could qualify.

Let me tell you about a very young, very special hero I saw this week. I know this guy fairly well after taking care of him and his family for a couple years. This hero is seven years old. He and his little sister were having physicals this week and she needed shots. He told everyone he wanted a shot. If she was going to have one, he would too. Not that any boy wants a shot but he wanted her to think a shot was nothing or was something to be desired so she wouldn’t be worried.

Turns out, he needed his last chicken pox vaccine. She, unfortunately, needed 3 vaccines to complete her course. When I came back into the room, he was sitting beside her with his shirt off and his undershirt sleeve rolled up. I told him he was getting his wish, a shot. Then I squirted him with water from a syringe and gave it to him to play later.

His sister was stricken. She hid behind her dad. So I squirted him with her shot and gave the giggling girl her syringe. Dad informed them that they could use them like water guns but that he gets to use the super soaker in response. The spell of fear was broken.

When the assistants gave the kids their shots, they were very brave. After his shot, brother told her it was ok, it didn’t hurt. She tried to be tough but it does hurt. So, after the first one, he insisted that she only needed two and begged them not to give her the third. She relaxed a little and the next two didn’t hurt so badly. Maybe partly because Noemi is good at giving shots or maybe because her heroes were in the room with her.

2/12/08

Again

How many times have we started over. I am starting over again... I only wish there were cosmos in the yard instead of dirty remnants of snow drifts that refuse to melt. Despite the cold, I am starting again and I will get there!

It would be easy
to slumber until the sun is well risen
and all the pink has drained from the mountains
into the Cosmos in the back yard
To drink coffee there, among the flowers
To appease my limbs and dog with three miles
and call it adequate

But I have hitched a ride
with a friend who inspires me
and have set foot on this, my favorite trail
My eyes trained on the fool’s gold of sunrise
spreading across the smooth surface of the water
And on the strength of the mountain standing watch
And on the false nearness of the dam
All pulling me forward

My feet grind in the gravel
my quads groan softly in protest
with every up
and every down
My chest heaves as I gulp ten thousand foot air
And my belly clenches at the chafe of a pack heavy with water

My friend’s baby has learned to pull himself to standing
He wobbles there for upwards of minutes
before sinking back to the embrace of gravity
He can walk a lap around the room, giggling, if you hold his hands
He is getting in shape for the first time
instead of the thirtieth.
I wonder if his body inherently knows the reward
my body now craves
The reward that moves me from my bed
onto this trail

With every step I become stronger
I find ease and flow
And now and then I find his laughter in my mouth
wanting to throw my arms into the air at the top
as I rollercoaster over the hills

With every step I take shape
Like the fireweed that has lost its pink flowers
leaves turning yellow
that soon will orange and red into flames
that lick the forest floor but do not burn
Or the trees that reach out with wet kisses

It would be so easy
to have missed this morning
to not see the day or myself taking shape
tasting life
waking up
It is so easy
putting one foot in front of the other
if we remember that simply this is reason enough to giggle

LB
9/3/05

Another oldie

I wrote this for a friend. A dear friend who questioned his place and mission on the Colorado mountaintops. Enjoy.

The Why of it.

You ask why you are here.
Is this not the question
we would all ask?
But for today,you are here
because this place has called you -
to walk in different gardens -
to walk in that which is frozen in this place –
to walk in the bright glare of nightfall.

You are here
to kneel at the grave of your grief
in tribute.
To complete the circle;
trying to catch your shadow
and dance on the edge of darkness;
running from
and to
the waiting arms of life.

You are here to soak your feet
in the cold runoff of melting mercy.
To climb from the depths
and reach for the stars.
And to descend to the love
that is waiting.

When you find yourself
in the raven’s blackness,
between a hardrock
and the soft underbelly
of pain and exhaustion;
when you are up against your limits;
when you have run
until the pyre has burned itself out,
You will find the healing hand
of the mountains.

And the Why
of being here
will no longer be important.

7/10/05

An Old one for Alexis

"First you have to get over yourself, then you can practice medicine."
Scot Sickbert

I measure you,
milligram by milligram,
and parse out your day
in therapeutic doses.

You are tied fast
by the sinews of old age.
Held down by the luggage of old memories
and caged by the call light,
and bed alarm

You,
who once danced,
who once suckled babies,
and drank in the scent of summer rain.
You,
who grew daisies,
who perfected lofty biscuits
and hummed to big band.

Your days slip by
like paper boats;
propelled by the trickle
of rainwater running in the street.
And no matter what I do,
this life
runs
out.

7/15/03

Smiles

The back of a dirty stepvan that says "XOXOX"
Warm buttered muffins special delivery from the Pacific Northwest
A radio comentator who actually said our road infrastructure was failing because "it was built when Elvis was a star."
Cocoa nibs dipped in 62% dark chocolate
The sun shining in the window
Hot latte
3 rooms done
A bottle of wine in the mailbox with a note from a 6 month old saying his butt feels better (don't ask ;-)
Virtual Friday
A new issue of Geezerjock even if they don't call it that any more
A fabulous issue of Cooks Illustrated with soups and stews
Forecasted for temps in the upper 40s tomorrow when I'm cleaning the garage and shed
Good friends

Belly of the Buddha

I've always heard that if you rub the belly of the Buddha it brings you luck. I have a friend, a very wise, very young friend. He believes in rubbing the belly of the Dolphin. Berg, who has a mountain of a heart, loves big people, kayaks, alligators, and dolphins. Berg lives in this moment.

As an adult, I tend to live in the future and in the past. The present seems to be a vehicle to get me from the past to the present. This is not good. For all the things I read on mindfulness and being present, you'd think I'd get it. But no. Mindfulness takes effort for grown ups and is natural for children.

My goal this week was to be mindful of my needs; to be gentle with myself. Despite the fact that I have a list of things to accomplish that would boggle the mind of Stephen Hawking, I needed a break. I begged for a 36 hour day... just one or two. But I have had to accomplish a lot in a short time. And then there is the need and desire for sleep.

So the week went by. I forgave myself for the lack of workouts. I grabbed the healthiest thing off the deli at Whole Paycheck last night at 9 p.m. after work. I slept at least 6 hours a night.

And now, the bulk of things are done. The brainless work is left. And I will be able to spend a couple days in the glorious softness of snow and in the arms of the most wonderful person I know.

maybe I haven't been so gentle, maybe I haven't really been mindful or given myself a break. But somehow I have rubbed the belly of the buddha enough to cross a bunch of stuff off my to do list!