Sticky Peaches

A hike out to Argentina Peak in Ruidoso.

Vuyo resting

View from 'Sunset Point'

The hike out Sunday morning, crossing a stream.

This past weekend I went down to Ruidoso in southern New Mexico for a backpacking trip. All the pictures from the trip were taken by my friend Jim.

Fuzzy Alligators

Camp saturday night

View from what some called

'Sunset Point'

Vuyo and me relaxing while others search for a campsite.

What to do When you First Buy a 4x4 Vehicle :)

My 2000 Toyota 4Runner on my first trip off-roading.

The hill I am about to drive it down.

And my first 4x4 scratch. Can you see it?

I just wrote about being a therapist and update on South Africa and direction in life at the moment, but lost it with the click of a button of course. Unfortunately I must move on to other things in my day. I am hoping to get some pictures of the backpacking trip this past weekend and then I will try to recapture my thoughts.

Pictures are so much more interesting than Words

Vuyo and Breckenridge behind him on a hike in the Sandia Mountains (the snow is starting to fall)

Backpacking trip to Mora Flats in the Pecos. This is the spot I stopped to read for a moment.

Part of the bridal party at the wedding in Colorado Springs.

A view of the red rocks from the bed & breakfast in Colorado Springs.

Palmary Contributions

I can't find my USB cord for my camera, so pictures will have to wait. :)

I have been traveling a lot on the weekends and am in town now for three weekends and getting itchy. Started thinking tonight of calling a couple friends to go backpacking this weekend. I have a trip planned in another week, but feels like I can't wait. :)



After my backpacking trip in Colorado the beginning of September, I went back to Colorado two weeks later for a friend's wedding. I was one of the bridesmaids and it was a wonderful wedding. The wedding was in Colorado Springs at a bed and breakfast where I also stayed. The ceremony was outdoors and small and quite relaxing and fun.



The next weekend I went back to the San Juan mountains for a search and rescue retreat. Spent the weekend working with Vuyo on his searching. Vuyo thinks it is tons of fun. He is doing well in short problems (less than 20 seconds of looking). Now I am going to start adding his recall/refind and alert parts. Basically Vuyo coming back to me (recall), telling me he found someone (alert) and then taking me to the person (refind).



This past weekend my sister-in-law was in town from North Carolina for a baby shower. I am going to become an aunt in January! I also hosted my monthly dinner. I am attempting to organize a dinner party once a month and the theme for this month was pumpkins. So every dish that was served included pumpkins, but no pumpkin pie (that is too easy). Lamb Dhansak, pumpkin soup, mashed potatoes and pumpkins and pumpkin ice cream.



Thursday and Friday this week I have been volunteered by my dog trainer to be a steward for the Bouvier Des Flanders Nationals; I will help with setting up obedience stuff.

Euphony

Shelter by Sarah Mclachlan

They’re crowded into the smallest spaces

While outside all of nature cries

It’s known to be cruel and unfair

But there is no place to hide

Oh I’ve seen a part of people that I never really want to share

Oh I’ve seen a part of people that I never knew was there

Chorus

Shelter - give them shelter from the coming storm

Shelter - give them shelter from the coming storm

I can’t sleep haunted by their faces

The sadness in their eyes

It hurts so much to see them helpless

It makes me want to cry

But still there is so much left unanswered

For so many innocent lives

They close the doors and are letting nobody in

And only the strong will survive

Chorus

I’ve seen the anger and I’ve seen all the dreams
And I’ve watched an existence torn apart by the seams

And though I may seem helpless

I will do all that I can do

Oh I’ve seen a part of people that I never really want to share

Oh I’ve seen a part of people that I never knew was there

Chorus

blunders, misprisions, accidents

Me just after taking a swim in the stream. So it wasn't very deep, but I did get my head under the water.
Vuyo (and I) in the tent, hiding from the rain.

Vuyo is being trained for search and rescue! Need to get out there and put some time into his learning.

I went backpacking in the South San Juan wilderness in Colorado for Labor Day weekend. It was supposed to be a 3-day hike, but it started raining super early Sunday morning and so we stayed in camp instead of packing up wet tents. It rained solidly until about 4 am Monday morning. Whew! What craziness, everyone in the group keeps a good attitude mostly so it still remains enjoyable enough amidst the sogginess.

I have been spending a lot of time this year contemplating contentment: with stuff and life situations; what does it mean to be content and how is contentment different from complacency? The learning and exploring continues as I experience discontentment. Albuquerque can be difficult for me sometimes because I tend to feel stagnant and confined, I am not putting roots down here (despite having lived here most of my life). :) So discontentment makes me feel like something needs to change, but what will restore that harmony? Is it a perspective issue or situational?

Kathleen Norris has a book being released in a little over a week about acedia: described as a slothful, soul-weary indifference ; "the noonday demon" that attacks the hungry, weary soul, making us run from God's love in the middle of our days.

A friend recently wrote me saying that while I am looking at life from an issue of contentment, her view through the kaleidoscope's lens is one of faith and trust.