Model: Falbala Fairey

Photographer: Emmylin Hastings

This time we had the challenge to create an winteroutfit inspired by our favorite designer and I know one designer I saw some pictures out of his collection who was perfect for what I had in mind. And that was not to do a casual outfit or something to simple. Well some maybe say I am simple because it is a pure white outfit BUT I love the pureness of the winter if the snow is on the ground and you hear that little sound when you step on it.

So I choosed for me an inspiration by the magnificent and my absolutely favorite designer: ALEXANDER MCQUEEN (R.I.P)

Until March we have to hike as many of the trails for our hiking group. Here's #1 Victor Reinstein Woods. At one point , all in one spot we saw a cardinal, many Chickadeesa nuthatch and a red-headed woodpecker. The wood pecker was the most elusive and I was unable to capture it. Cardinals are patient and mellow and sit still for long periods, as if they know they are handsome sights against the snowy background. "Yeah , I'm chubby and cute, I'll just sit here while you get your camera ready"

The nuthatch was very twittery and climbed up and down the tree. Clearly too busy for photos. The nuthatch and the chickadees are all way over cafeinated and move at a buzzy pace. All in all a pretty day for the first walk of the year. .:

Schwarzwald Winter Challenge 2019 - Durbach

Isn't she gorgeous? A 250 year old oak tree. Against the odds she has endured in this spot, an accident of place and time.

It was sapling in 1770. Europeans had hardly any footprint here. A few trappers and adventurers. For about 10,000 years the land was Native Americans who followed northward as the mile-thick ice sheets that blanketed this area retreated. At one point this area was under a Glacial lake, Lake Iroquois which ran from Rome NY to Lake Erie. Lake Erie's level fell and Lake Iroquois drained out exposing this area. As soon as the ice was clear people began settling.

In 1770 the people of this area had encountered Europeans and unfortunately this was rarely a happy occasion. The French and Indian Wars of the 1750s had not turned out well for the Native Americans and the looming showdown between Britain and the colonists was filtering westward forcing the keepers of this place to have to make difficult decisions on who to side with...with either at all. Neither were particularly concerned for Native interests...a through-line that endures to this day.

As hostilities opened in 1775 it nearly split the confederation of tribes that spanned NY State. In the book "Chainbreakers War" this is beautifully revealed when the Seneca Chief Chainbreaker and other chiefs believe their best option is to help the British. They seemed like the winning team. The colonists were scrappier and more resourceful than thought, and the French still harbored a grudge they yearned to return to the British and entered the war, completely turning it upside down. The French Navy was a real threat to British shipping and movement, and forced the British to move by land and become bottled up in New York City, Quebec and elsewhere.

When this tree was a sapling Sullivan's campaign embarked west to "neutralize" the Native Americans as allies to the British. This by all accounts was ugly and brutal business killing and destroying entire villages of men, women children, young and old.The survivors fled to Fort Niagara (still under British control) and the places where villages stood were burned patches buried with snow and lost to time. Many many unknown places like Beard's Creek Village near Geneseo were destroyed.

After the war soldiers from Britain Germany and the colonies flowed into the region looking for good farmland. In this particular place a farm was made...likely starting on a patch of area that had already been cleared by Native Americans. It was a farm throughout the 19th century and was bought to become a stone quarry in the early 1900s. The stone here was deemed too soft for use and the quarry plan was abandoned. It grew over again once again surrounding the oak tree with stands of its own kind again. The boardroom antics of investors caused by the stone being too soft had narrowly spared her from the axe again. By recently the trees around her were substantial and she was the old matron. Farming has long ceased to increase in the region and the fate of the site hang in the balance until it was acquired to be used as a nature trail. Iy was alread an unofficial hiking spot but this guaranteed it protection and longevity. So 250 years later she still stands (and a 150 year old cousin a snort ways away). Amazing.

Our last challenge in the winter 2022 hiking challenge. It's great to be outdoors normally, Between the pandemic and war and other unpleasantness these hikes have been a necessity to unwind and remind myself that the word us bigger than all the humans on it.

Although lately I feel we are at a very dangerous place that I haven't thought about since the 1980s when it seemed pretty certain we were going to end in a nuclear Armageddon. Friends and I would talk about what it'd be like and we all decided it was better to be vaporized instantly. And here we are again, except whereas the Russians.... I always held in my heart,,,loved their children too, I am not so sure about Adolph Hitler II...I mean Putin. A cowardly aggrieved man with a little cock who is desperate to show he isn't such a pussy, and might lead us to nuclear war.

These forays into what remains of nature are reaffirming in that there is more important things in the world than us. Using my body and working to go up and down hills and feel the cold is what it is all about. I am also dealing with a sick parent and these challenges...which are certainly not like climbing Mt Everest of crossing the arctic on foot, but make me appreciate what my body can do and how much we waste away at the hands of convenience. A colleague of mine complained about having to go up and down the stairs at work and I reminded him that someone in a wheel chair might find it a blessing to be able to tire themselves going up and down the stairs. I'm as guilty as the next person of this but I try to be as conscious of the gifts I have. My dad has advanced dementia, a particularly cruel form of dementia called progressive aphasia. He is robbed of his abiltities to speak and express as well as loss of memory and autonomy. I know he would love to be able to hake even a little way and stretch his body and feel and appreciate the landscape.

Our last challenge in the winter 2022 hiking challenge. It's great to be outdoors normally, Between the pandemic and war and other unpleasantness these hikes have been a necessity to unwind and remind myself that the word us bigger than all the humans on it.

Although lately I feel we are at a very dangerous place that I haven't thought about since the 1980s when it seemed pretty certain we were going to end in a nuclear Armageddon. Friends and I would talk about what it'd be like and we all decided it was better to be vaporized instantly. And here we are again, except whereas the Russians.... I always held in my heart,,,loved their children too, I am not so sure about Adolph Hitler II...I mean Putin. A cowardly aggrieved man with a little cock who is desperate to show he isn't such a pussy, and might lead us to nuclear war.

These forays into what remains of nature are reaffirming in that there is more important things in the world than us. Using my body and working to go up and down hills and feel the cold is what it is all about. I am also dealing with a sick parent and these challenges...which are certainly not like climbing Mt Everest of crossing the arctic on foot, but make me appreciate what my body can do and how much we waste away at the hands of convenience. A colleague of mine complained about having to go up and down the stairs at work and I reminded him that someone in a wheel chair might find it a blessing to be able to tire themselves going up and down the stairs. I'm as guilty as the next person of this but I try to be as conscious of the gifts I have. My dad has advanced dementia, a particularly cruel form of dementia called progressive aphasia. He is robbed of his abiltities to speak and express as well as loss of memory and autonomy. I know he would love to be able to hake even a little way and stretch his body and feel and appreciate the landscape.

Our last challenge in the winter 2022 hiking challenge. It's great to be outdoors normally, Between the pandemic and war and other unpleasantness these hikes have been a necessity to unwind and remind myself that the word us bigger than all the humans on it.

Although lately I feel we are at a very dangerous place that I haven't thought about since the 1980s when it seemed pretty certain we were going to end in a nuclear Armageddon. Friends and I would talk about what it'd be like and we all decided it was better to be vaporized instantly. And here we are again, except whereas the Russians.... I always held in my heart,,,loved their children too, I am not so sure about Adolph Hitler II...I mean Putin. A cowardly aggrieved man with a little cock who is desperate to show he isn't such a pussy, and might lead us to nuclear war.

These forays into what remains of nature are reaffirming in that there is more important things in the world than us. Using my body and working to go up and down hills and feel the cold is what it is all about. I am also dealing with a sick parent and these challenges...which are certainly not like climbing Mt Everest of crossing the arctic on foot, but make me appreciate what my body can do and how much we waste away at the hands of convenience. A colleague of mine complained about having to go up and down the stairs at work and I reminded him that someone in a wheel chair might find it a blessing to be able to tire themselves going up and down the stairs. I'm as guilty as the next person of this but I try to be as conscious of the gifts I have. My dad has advanced dementia, a particularly cruel form of dementia called progressive aphasia. He is robbed of his abiltities to speak and express as well as loss of memory and autonomy. I know he would love to be able to hake even a little way and stretch his body and feel and appreciate the landscape.

Our last challenge in the winter 2022 hiking challenge. It's great to be outdoors normally, Between the pandemic and war and other unpleasantness these hikes have been a necessity to unwind and remind myself that the word us bigger than all the humans on it.

Although lately I feel we are at a very dangerous place that I haven't thought about since the 1980s when it seemed pretty certain we were going to end in a nuclear Armageddon. Friends and I would talk about what it'd be like and we all decided it was better to be vaporized instantly. And here we are again, except whereas the Russians.... I always held in my heart,,,loved their children too, I am not so sure about Adolph Hitler II...I mean Putin. A cowardly aggrieved man with a little cock who is desperate to show he isn't such a pussy, and might lead us to nuclear war.

These forays into what remains of nature are reaffirming in that there is more important things in the world than us. Using my body and working to go up and down hills and feel the cold is what it is all about. I am also dealing with a sick parent and these challenges...which are certainly not like climbing Mt Everest of crossing the arctic on foot, but make me appreciate what my body can do and how much we waste away at the hands of convenience. A colleague of mine complained about having to go up and down the stairs at work and I reminded him that someone in a wheel chair might find it a blessing to be able to tire themselves going up and down the stairs. I'm as guilty as the next person of this but I try to be as conscious of the gifts I have. My dad has advanced dementia, a particularly cruel form of dementia called progressive aphasia. He is robbed of his abiltities to speak and express as well as loss of memory and autonomy. I know he would love to be able to hake even a little way and stretch his body and feel and appreciate the landscape.

Our last challenge in the winter 2022 hiking challenge. It's great to be outdoors normally, Between the pandemic and war and other unpleasantness these hikes have been a necessity to unwind and remind myself that the word us bigger than all the humans on it.

Although lately I feel we are at a very dangerous place that I haven't thought about since the 1980s when it seemed pretty certain we were going to end in a nuclear Armageddon. Friends and I would talk about what it'd be like and we all decided it was better to be vaporized instantly. And here we are again, except whereas the Russians.... I always held in my heart,,,loved their children too, I am not so sure about Adolph Hitler II...I mean Putin. A cowardly aggrieved man with a little cock who is desperate to show he isn't such a pussy, and might lead us to nuclear war.

These forays into what remains of nature are reaffirming in that there is more important things in the world than us. Using my body and working to go up and down hills and feel the cold is what it is all about. I am also dealing with a sick parent and these challenges...which are certainly not like climbing Mt Everest of crossing the arctic on foot, but make me appreciate what my body can do and how much we waste away at the hands of convenience. A colleague of mine complained about having to go up and down the stairs at work and I reminded him that someone in a wheel chair might find it a blessing to be able to tire themselves going up and down the stairs. I'm as guilty as the next person of this but I try to be as conscious of the gifts I have. My dad has advanced dementia, a particularly cruel form of dementia called progressive aphasia. He is robbed of his abiltities to speak and express as well as loss of memory and autonomy. I know he would love to be able to hake even a little way and stretch his body and feel and appreciate the landscape.

Our last challenge in the winter 2022 hiking challenge. It's great to be outdoors normally, Between the pandemic and war and other unpleasantness these hikes have been a necessity to unwind and remind myself that the word us bigger than all the humans on it.

Although lately I feel we are at a very dangerous place that I haven't thought about since the 1980s when it seemed pretty certain we were going to end in a nuclear Armageddon. Friends and I would talk about what it'd be like and we all decided it was better to be vaporized instantly. And here we are again, except whereas the Russians.... I always held in my heart,,,loved their children too, I am not so sure about Adolph Hitler II...I mean Putin. A cowardly aggrieved man with a little cock who is desperate to show he isn't such a pussy, and might lead us to nuclear war.

These forays into what remains of nature are reaffirming in that there is more important things in the world than us. Using my body and working to go up and down hills and feel the cold is what it is all about. I am also dealing with a sick parent and these challenges...which are certainly not like climbing Mt Everest of crossing the arctic on foot, but make me appreciate what my body can do and how much we waste away at the hands of convenience. A colleague of mine complained about having to go up and down the stairs at work and I reminded him that someone in a wheel chair might find it a blessing to be able to tire themselves going up and down the stairs. I'm as guilty as the next person of this but I try to be as conscious of the gifts I have. My dad has advanced dementia, a particularly cruel form of dementia called progressive aphasia. He is robbed of his abiltities to speak and express as well as loss of memory and autonomy. I know he would love to be able to hake even a little way and stretch his body and feel and appreciate the landscape.

Our last challenge in the winter 2022 hiking challenge. It's great to be outdoors normally, Between the pandemic and war and other unpleasantness these hikes have been a necessity to unwind and remind myself that the word us bigger than all the humans on it.

Although lately I feel we are at a very dangerous place that I haven't thought about since the 1980s when it seemed pretty certain we were going to end in a nuclear Armageddon. Friends and I would talk about what it'd be like and we all decided it was better to be vaporized instantly. And here we are again, except whereas the Russians.... I always held in my heart,,,loved their children too, I am not so sure about Adolph Hitler II...I mean Putin. A cowardly aggrieved man with a little cock who is desperate to show he isn't such a pussy, and might lead us to nuclear war.

These forays into what remains of nature are reaffirming in that there is more important things in the world than us. Using my body and working to go up and down hills and feel the cold is what it is all about. I am also dealing with a sick parent and these challenges...which are certainly not like climbing Mt Everest of crossing the arctic on foot, but make me appreciate what my body can do and how much we waste away at the hands of convenience. A colleague of mine complained about having to go up and down the stairs at work and I reminded him that someone in a wheel chair might find it a blessing to be able to tire themselves going up and down the stairs. I'm as guilty as the next person of this but I try to be as conscious of the gifts I have. My dad has advanced dementia, a particularly cruel form of dementia called progressive aphasia. He is robbed of his abiltities to speak and express as well as loss of memory and autonomy. I know he would love to be able to hake even a little way and stretch his body and feel and appreciate the landscape.

Our last challenge in the winter 2022 hiking challenge. It's great to be outdoors normally, Between the pandemic and war and other unpleasantness these hikes have been a necessity to unwind and remind myself that the word us bigger than all the humans on it.

Although lately I feel we are at a very dangerous place that I haven't thought about since the 1980s when it seemed pretty certain we were going to end in a nuclear Armageddon. Friends and I would talk about what it'd be like and we all decided it was better to be vaporized instantly. And here we are again, except whereas the Russians.... I always held in my heart,,,loved their children too, I am not so sure about Adolph Hitler II...I mean Putin. A cowardly aggrieved man with a little cock who is desperate to show he isn't such a pussy, and might lead us to nuclear war.

These forays into what remains of nature are reaffirming in that there is more important things in the world than us. Using my body and working to go up and down hills and feel the cold is what it is all about. I am also dealing with a sick parent and these challenges...which are certainly not like climbing Mt Everest of crossing the arctic on foot, but make me appreciate what my body can do and how much we waste away at the hands of convenience. A colleague of mine complained about having to go up and down the stairs at work and I reminded him that someone in a wheel chair might find it a blessing to be able to tire themselves going up and down the stairs. I'm as guilty as the next person of this but I try to be as conscious of the gifts I have. My dad has advanced dementia, a particularly cruel form of dementia called progressive aphasia. He is robbed of his abiltities to speak and express as well as loss of memory and autonomy. I know he would love to be able to hake even a little way and stretch his body and feel and appreciate the landscape.

This was my entry to the 2011 Lego Winter building challenge. It won, it was one of the 50 finalists to receive the free 10222 Winter Village Post Office.

Our last challenge in the winter 2022 hiking challenge. It's great to be outdoors normally, Between the pandemic and war and other unpleasantness these hikes have been a necessity to unwind and remind myself that the word us bigger than all the humans on it.

Although lately I feel we are at a very dangerous place that I haven't thought about since the 1980s when it seemed pretty certain we were going to end in a nuclear Armageddon. Friends and I would talk about what it'd be like and we all decided it was better to be vaporized instantly. And here we are again, except whereas the Russians.... I always held in my heart,,,loved their children too, I am not so sure about Adolph Hitler II...I mean Putin. A cowardly aggrieved man with a little cock who is desperate to show he isn't such a pussy, and might lead us to nuclear war.

These forays into what remains of nature are reaffirming in that there is more important things in the world than us. Using my body and working to go up and down hills and feel the cold is what it is all about. I am also dealing with a sick parent and these challenges...which are certainly not like climbing Mt Everest of crossing the arctic on foot, but make me appreciate what my body can do and how much we waste away at the hands of convenience. A colleague of mine complained about having to go up and down the stairs at work and I reminded him that someone in a wheel chair might find it a blessing to be able to tire themselves going up and down the stairs. I'm as guilty as the next person of this but I try to be as conscious of the gifts I have. My dad has advanced dementia, a particularly cruel form of dementia called progressive aphasia. He is robbed of his abiltities to speak and express as well as loss of memory and autonomy. I know he would love to be able to hake even a little way and stretch his body and feel and appreciate the landscape.

Our last challenge in the winter 2022 hiking challenge. It's great to be outdoors normally, Between the pandemic and war and other unpleasantness these hikes have been a necessity to unwind and remind myself that the word us bigger than all the humans on it.

Although lately I feel we are at a very dangerous place that I haven't thought about since the 1980s when it seemed pretty certain we were going to end in a nuclear Armageddon. Friends and I would talk about what it'd be like and we all decided it was better to be vaporized instantly. And here we are again, except whereas the Russians.... I always held in my heart,,,loved their children too, I am not so sure about Adolph Hitler II...I mean Putin. A cowardly aggrieved man with a little cock who is desperate to show he isn't such a pussy, and might lead us to nuclear war.

These forays into what remains of nature are reaffirming in that there is more important things in the world than us. Using my body and working to go up and down hills and feel the cold is what it is all about. I am also dealing with a sick parent and these challenges...which are certainly not like climbing Mt Everest of crossing the arctic on foot, but make me appreciate what my body can do and how much we waste away at the hands of convenience. A colleague of mine complained about having to go up and down the stairs at work and I reminded him that someone in a wheel chair might find it a blessing to be able to tire themselves going up and down the stairs. I'm as guilty as the next person of this but I try to be as conscious of the gifts I have. My dad has advanced dementia, a particularly cruel form of dementia called progressive aphasia. He is robbed of his abiltities to speak and express as well as loss of memory and autonomy. I know he would love to be able to hake even a little way and stretch his body and feel and appreciate the landscape.

Our last challenge in the winter 2022 hiking challenge. It's great to be outdoors normally, Between the pandemic and war and other unpleasantness these hikes have been a necessity to unwind and remind myself that the word us bigger than all the humans on it.

Although lately I feel we are at a very dangerous place that I haven't thought about since the 1980s when it seemed pretty certain we were going to end in a nuclear Armageddon. Friends and I would talk about what it'd be like and we all decided it was better to be vaporized instantly. And here we are again, except whereas the Russians.... I always held in my heart,,,loved their children too, I am not so sure about Adolph Hitler II...I mean Putin. A cowardly aggrieved man with a little cock who is desperate to show he isn't such a pussy, and might lead us to nuclear war.

These forays into what remains of nature are reaffirming in that there is more important things in the world than us. Using my body and working to go up and down hills and feel the cold is what it is all about. I am also dealing with a sick parent and these challenges...which are certainly not like climbing Mt Everest of crossing the arctic on foot, but make me appreciate what my body can do and how much we waste away at the hands of convenience. A colleague of mine complained about having to go up and down the stairs at work and I reminded him that someone in a wheel chair might find it a blessing to be able to tire themselves going up and down the stairs. I'm as guilty as the next person of this but I try to be as conscious of the gifts I have. My dad has advanced dementia, a particularly cruel form of dementia called progressive aphasia. He is robbed of his abiltities to speak and express as well as loss of memory and autonomy. I know he would love to be able to hake even a little way and stretch his body and feel and appreciate the landscape.

Our last challenge in the winter 2022 hiking challenge. It's great to be outdoors normally, Between the pandemic and war and other unpleasantness these hikes have been a necessity to unwind and remind myself that the word us bigger than all the humans on it.

Although lately I feel we are at a very dangerous place that I haven't thought about since the 1980s when it seemed pretty certain we were going to end in a nuclear Armageddon. Friends and I would talk about what it'd be like and we all decided it was better to be vaporized instantly. And here we are again, except whereas the Russians.... I always held in my heart,,,loved their children too, I am not so sure about Adolph Hitler II...I mean Putin. A cowardly aggrieved man with a little cock who is desperate to show he isn't such a pussy, and might lead us to nuclear war.

These forays into what remains of nature are reaffirming in that there is more important things in the world than us. Using my body and working to go up and down hills and feel the cold is what it is all about. I am also dealing with a sick parent and these challenges...which are certainly not like climbing Mt Everest of crossing the arctic on foot, but make me appreciate what my body can do and how much we waste away at the hands of convenience. A colleague of mine complained about having to go up and down the stairs at work and I reminded him that someone in a wheel chair might find it a blessing to be able to tire themselves going up and down the stairs. I'm as guilty as the next person of this but I try to be as conscious of the gifts I have. My dad has advanced dementia, a particularly cruel form of dementia called progressive aphasia. He is robbed of his abiltities to speak and express as well as loss of memory and autonomy. I know he would love to be able to hake even a little way and stretch his body and feel and appreciate the landscape.

Our last challenge in the winter 2022 hiking challenge. It's great to be outdoors normally, Between the pandemic and war and other unpleasantness these hikes have been a necessity to unwind and remind myself that the word us bigger than all the humans on it.

Although lately I feel we are at a very dangerous place that I haven't thought about since the 1980s when it seemed pretty certain we were going to end in a nuclear Armageddon. Friends and I would talk about what it'd be like and we all decided it was better to be vaporized instantly. And here we are again, except whereas the Russians.... I always held in my heart,,,loved their children too, I am not so sure about Adolph Hitler II...I mean Putin. A cowardly aggrieved man with a little cock who is desperate to show he isn't such a pussy, and might lead us to nuclear war.

These forays into what remains of nature are reaffirming in that there is more important things in the world than us. Using my body and working to go up and down hills and feel the cold is what it is all about. I am also dealing with a sick parent and these challenges...which are certainly not like climbing Mt Everest of crossing the arctic on foot, but make me appreciate what my body can do and how much we waste away at the hands of convenience. A colleague of mine complained about having to go up and down the stairs at work and I reminded him that someone in a wheel chair might find it a blessing to be able to tire themselves going up and down the stairs. I'm as guilty as the next person of this but I try to be as conscious of the gifts I have. My dad has advanced dementia, a particularly cruel form of dementia called progressive aphasia. He is robbed of his abiltities to speak and express as well as loss of memory and autonomy. I know he would love to be able to hake even a little way and stretch his body and feel and appreciate the landscape.

Our last challenge in the winter 2022 hiking challenge. It's great to be outdoors normally, Between the pandemic and war and other unpleasantness these hikes have been a necessity to unwind and remind myself that the word us bigger than all the humans on it.

Although lately I feel we are at a very dangerous place that I haven't thought about since the 1980s when it seemed pretty certain we were going to end in a nuclear Armageddon. Friends and I would talk about what it'd be like and we all decided it was better to be vaporized instantly. And here we are again, except whereas the Russians.... I always held in my heart,,,loved their children too, I am not so sure about Adolph Hitler II...I mean Putin. A cowardly aggrieved man with a little cock who is desperate to show he isn't such a pussy, and might lead us to nuclear war.

These forays into what remains of nature are reaffirming in that there is more important things in the world than us. Using my body and working to go up and down hills and feel the cold is what it is all about. I am also dealing with a sick parent and these challenges...which are certainly not like climbing Mt Everest of crossing the arctic on foot, but make me appreciate what my body can do and how much we waste away at the hands of convenience. A colleague of mine complained about having to go up and down the stairs at work and I reminded him that someone in a wheel chair might find it a blessing to be able to tire themselves going up and down the stairs. I'm as guilty as the next person of this but I try to be as conscious of the gifts I have. My dad has advanced dementia, a particularly cruel form of dementia called progressive aphasia. He is robbed of his abiltities to speak and express as well as loss of memory and autonomy. I know he would love to be able to hake even a little way and stretch his body and feel and appreciate the landscape.

Our last challenge in the winter 2022 hiking challenge. It's great to be outdoors normally, Between the pandemic and war and other unpleasantness these hikes have been a necessity to unwind and remind myself that the word us bigger than all the humans on it.

Although lately I feel we are at a very dangerous place that I haven't thought about since the 1980s when it seemed pretty certain we were going to end in a nuclear Armageddon. Friends and I would talk about what it'd be like and we all decided it was better to be vaporized instantly. And here we are again, except whereas the Russians.... I always held in my heart,,,loved their children too, I am not so sure about Adolph Hitler II...I mean Putin. A cowardly aggrieved man with a little cock who is desperate to show he isn't such a pussy, and might lead us to nuclear war.

These forays into what remains of nature are reaffirming in that there is more important things in the world than us. Using my body and working to go up and down hills and feel the cold is what it is all about. I am also dealing with a sick parent and these challenges...which are certainly not like climbing Mt Everest of crossing the arctic on foot, but make me appreciate what my body can do and how much we waste away at the hands of convenience. A colleague of mine complained about having to go up and down the stairs at work and I reminded him that someone in a wheel chair might find it a blessing to be able to tire themselves going up and down the stairs. I'm as guilty as the next person of this but I try to be as conscious of the gifts I have. My dad has advanced dementia, a particularly cruel form of dementia called progressive aphasia. He is robbed of his abiltities to speak and express as well as loss of memory and autonomy. I know he would love to be able to hake even a little way and stretch his body and feel and appreciate the landscape.

Our last challenge in the winter 2022 hiking challenge. It's great to be outdoors normally, Between the pandemic and war and other unpleasantness these hikes have been a necessity to unwind and remind myself that the word us bigger than all the humans on it.

Although lately I feel we are at a very dangerous place that I haven't thought about since the 1980s when it seemed pretty certain we were going to end in a nuclear Armageddon. Friends and I would talk about what it'd be like and we all decided it was better to be vaporized instantly. And here we are again, except whereas the Russians.... I always held in my heart,,,loved their children too, I am not so sure about Adolph Hitler II...I mean Putin. A cowardly aggrieved man with a little cock who is desperate to show he isn't such a pussy, and might lead us to nuclear war.

These forays into what remains of nature are reaffirming in that there is more important things in the world than us. Using my body and working to go up and down hills and feel the cold is what it is all about. I am also dealing with a sick parent and these challenges...which are certainly not like climbing Mt Everest of crossing the arctic on foot, but make me appreciate what my body can do and how much we waste away at the hands of convenience. A colleague of mine complained about having to go up and down the stairs at work and I reminded him that someone in a wheel chair might find it a blessing to be able to tire themselves going up and down the stairs. I'm as guilty as the next person of this but I try to be as conscious of the gifts I have. My dad has advanced dementia, a particularly cruel form of dementia called progressive aphasia. He is robbed of his abiltities to speak and express as well as loss of memory and autonomy. I know he would love to be able to hake even a little way and stretch his body and feel and appreciate the landscape.

Our last challenge in the winter 2022 hiking challenge. It's great to be outdoors normally, Between the pandemic and war and other unpleasantness these hikes have been a necessity to unwind and remind myself that the word us bigger than all the humans on it.

Although lately I feel we are at a very dangerous place that I haven't thought about since the 1980s when it seemed pretty certain we were going to end in a nuclear Armageddon. Friends and I would talk about what it'd be like and we all decided it was better to be vaporized instantly. And here we are again, except whereas the Russians.... I always held in my heart,,,loved their children too, I am not so sure about Adolph Hitler II...I mean Putin. A cowardly aggrieved man with a little cock who is desperate to show he isn't such a pussy, and might lead us to nuclear war.

These forays into what remains of nature are reaffirming in that there is more important things in the world than us. Using my body and working to go up and down hills and feel the cold is what it is all about. I am also dealing with a sick parent and these challenges...which are certainly not like climbing Mt Everest of crossing the arctic on foot, but make me appreciate what my body can do and how much we waste away at the hands of convenience. A colleague of mine complained about having to go up and down the stairs at work and I reminded him that someone in a wheel chair might find it a blessing to be able to tire themselves going up and down the stairs. I'm as guilty as the next person of this but I try to be as conscious of the gifts I have. My dad has advanced dementia, a particularly cruel form of dementia called progressive aphasia. He is robbed of his abiltities to speak and express as well as loss of memory and autonomy. I know he would love to be able to hake even a little way and stretch his body and feel and appreciate the landscape.