Wednesday morning, I took Mabel for a quickie hike around 7:45, wanting to get back home and run some errands. I made a loop down to dirty creek on the south side of the valley and looped back toward the levy, thinking Mabel would shed some of the mud and dry off a bit before we made it back to the car.
Halfway across the valley, I cocked my head. That sounded like water.
A few more steps and I heard it again. The creek has been a dust bowl since March, the result of too little rain this past winter. There it is again!
I looked to Mabel who is usually well aware of the comings and goings of water in our creek. If there is one last mud puddle in hidden around a bend, Mabel will find it. She showed no signs of recognition.
But now, I hear the high notes! There's water! Girl, the heat must be getting to your brain. There's NO WAY there's water in JUNE!!
Certain last week's 110 + days have fried my brain, I kept looking at Mabel. She did not hear what I heard. I'm going crazy! It's a mirage. It's just a mirage.
Mabel was a good 20 feet ahead of me and at the end of the levy. If there were water, she'd be dashing down the hill. She was chasing a lizard but the thunder of LOTS of water was constant in my head.
As I rounded the levy, I repeated my mantra. It's a mirage. It's just a mirage. Don't be disappointed. It's only in your head.
And there, just 20 feet down the hill beyond my oblivious water-loving dog, was the creek, back in all her glory; in fact, she was virtually flooded. The upper creek had water!
I let out a guttural scream and went racing down the hill. Mabel ran after, still not seeing the water. She thought there was something wrong with me. We were mere feet from the water before she saw where I was running... and why. I reached the water's edge and didn't even pause. We both dashed right in to the upper creek. There was splashing and squealing and barking as we two Piscean girls delighted in our creek.
My emotions are immediately torn: Gratitude for the water and needing to stay and play and explore or leave and go tell all my fellow hiker buddies the big news. Stay & play won out; No one would believe me anyway.
We walked up stream and checked in on the homeless guy we know. He told us the water was there for a film shoot upstream. We walked on upstream, both of us frolicking in the edge of the water. When I ran out of shallow water, Mabel kept going and disappeared around a bend. I scooped up the water and cooled my thighs, arms, face and neck and then found a shady spot where I could still keep my feet in the water.
Mabel returned and off we went downstream, neither of us wanted to leave our precious shoreline. Miss M suddenly realized she couldn't get across the racing water to her favorite stomping grounds and simply turned around and left me for shallower (safer to cross) waters. I continued down to my favorite circle of boulders, climbed on top of one and enjoyed the (much cooler than last week) morning sun and that magic sound rushing by me.
When we finally left, two satiated souls, I was reminded of the last lines of the poem by Pamela Redmond Satran called "What Every Woman Should Have*."
What Every Woman Should Know... Where to go...be it to her best friend's kitchen table...or a charming inn in the woods...when her soul needs soothing...
I know what soothes my soul. I know where to go. I just wish the damn dam operator would get with the program and find a way to let the water flow year-round.
And my "quickie" walk: 2 hours, 15 minutes. Never did get to those errands because ... we went back last night to get more tangible proof than my wet, lightly-"breaded"-with-sand socks and tennis shoes could provide.
*This poem is often miscredited to Maya Angelou. She did not write it.
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Thursday, June 26, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
I Guess the Gas Prices Are Getting To Me...
...because tonight, as I was backing out of the driveway to meet our hiking pack at the creek, I heard that annoying beep. The one that tells me the little gas light is on...meaning I need to buy some gas pretty soon.
Completely unselfconsciously, I realize I was flipping off my car! Yes, I gave her the middle finger salute as if to say, "HOW could you be out of gas, again?!!!???"
Like it's her fault instead of the one who drives her. Maybe it was the car who drove all the way to LAX yesterday on a whim because her childhood friends had a long layover. And she just had to drive them on down to Redondo Beach because the guy was born there but moved to Mississippi when he was six months old and she thought it would be neat for him to see his birthplace. Yeah, she deserves the bird for all that.
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Completely unselfconsciously, I realize I was flipping off my car! Yes, I gave her the middle finger salute as if to say, "HOW could you be out of gas, again?!!!???"
Like it's her fault instead of the one who drives her. Maybe it was the car who drove all the way to LAX yesterday on a whim because her childhood friends had a long layover. And she just had to drive them on down to Redondo Beach because the guy was born there but moved to Mississippi when he was six months old and she thought it would be neat for him to see his birthplace. Yeah, she deserves the bird for all that.
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Sunday, June 22, 2008
Hillbilly Dishwasher
These could have gone with the previous post but they didn't really fit my theme...
All photos, Copyright 2008 Creekhiker
That should put an end to ya'll ever wantin' to come eat at my house!
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All photos, Copyright 2008 Creekhiker
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Friday, June 20, 2008
Do Ya See a Theme Here?
Mabel and her Granny...
All photos: copyright 2008 Creekhiker
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All photos: copyright 2008 Creekhiker
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Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Why Mabel Loves Her Granny
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Sunday, June 15, 2008
Interesting Google Search
I frequently check what people are googling to come into my various websites. Of special interest to me is my bead site, mainly because, in true Creekhiker form, I named it on a whim. No research, no forethought. Holly's Folly - because glass is certainly a folly for me.
As it turns out, Holly Folly is a gay holiday festival. Uh that would not be gay as in just plain old fun. You can see where people searching for the well-established festival might be a tad disappointed stumbling into my humble little jewelry site.
But tonight I noticed what someone had googled which had led them to these beads in particular:
Oh Sweetie! I do apologize! And if you ever find it and it tastes good, please let me know!
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As it turns out, Holly Folly is a gay holiday festival. Uh that would not be gay as in just plain old fun. You can see where people searching for the well-established festival might be a tad disappointed stumbling into my humble little jewelry site.
But tonight I noticed what someone had googled which had led them to these beads in particular:
"A Box of Chocolates" ~Beads by Holly Dare
The person in England had searched for "non-fattening chocolate". And found glass!Oh Sweetie! I do apologize! And if you ever find it and it tastes good, please let me know!
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Thursday, June 12, 2008
Breakfast Buddy
My best friend and her hubby live further up the mountain and frequently see more critters than I do (at home).
The other day, she was standing at her sink when she saw something come in the living room door (She keeps her door wide open quite often.) She looked and found the crippled female peahen from our local flock strutting into the kitchen.
She spoke to her kindly and softly, "Hello Sweetie, are you looking for breakfast? O.K. hang on."
She opened her cabinet where she had a bowl of sunflower seed and she placed them on the floor. Then she gingerly walked to the fridge and chopped up some melon and berries. The peahen allowed her to add them to the bowl.
My friend then quietly left the kitchen and grabbed her camera.
Copyright 2008 HorsepowerGolf.com
Mrs. Peahen ate everything in the bowl and then went right back out the front door (not the kitchen door in the photo) and proceeded to eat the ripe strawberries in the front garden along with some greens. Then she curled up in the dirt and rested a bit before going back up the mountain.
My friend reports the peahen was a very gracious breakfast guest.
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The other day, she was standing at her sink when she saw something come in the living room door (She keeps her door wide open quite often.) She looked and found the crippled female peahen from our local flock strutting into the kitchen.
She spoke to her kindly and softly, "Hello Sweetie, are you looking for breakfast? O.K. hang on."
She opened her cabinet where she had a bowl of sunflower seed and she placed them on the floor. Then she gingerly walked to the fridge and chopped up some melon and berries. The peahen allowed her to add them to the bowl.
My friend then quietly left the kitchen and grabbed her camera.
Copyright 2008 HorsepowerGolf.comMy friend reports the peahen was a very gracious breakfast guest.
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Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Off Her Game
Mabel and I made our first trek to the creek in six whole days! We were near the golf course, spying for ground squirrels when Mabel suddenly looked over her shoulder at the hill near the course and in a split second, decided to give chase.
Mabel can cover about 30 yards in three seconds flat, but today as she bolted, she overlooked the chain link fence between her and the object of her desire! She didn't even make a face as she slammed her head into it. She simply backed up, ducked under the fence and took off again.
I'm certain this pup who is so consummately aware of the landscape of our creek is simply off her game from being away for the week. Hopefully, we'll both be back in the swing shortly.
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Mabel can cover about 30 yards in three seconds flat, but today as she bolted, she overlooked the chain link fence between her and the object of her desire! She didn't even make a face as she slammed her head into it. She simply backed up, ducked under the fence and took off again.
I'm certain this pup who is so consummately aware of the landscape of our creek is simply off her game from being away for the week. Hopefully, we'll both be back in the swing shortly.
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Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Outta Here...
I'm off to Bead and Button 08. For you Mabel Lou fans, she is being taken care of by her granny.
In case any of my beady friends are stopping by, here's my schedule:
And...since I'm out of town, your comments won't appear until I'm back next week. ;-)
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In case any of my beady friends are stopping by, here's my schedule:
Wednesday:
Saturday:
Sunday:
I'll be flying home after class.
And...since I'm out of town, your comments won't appear until I'm back next week. ;-)
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