WORKING DIGNITY

WORKING MAN'S JACKET AT REST

KENTUCKY TO VANCOUVER -- 2500 MILES -- DONE

I have finally reached my destination in tact. After twenty-five hundred miles of driving with my ninety pound dog, Sal, by my side and a U-Haul hooked behind my small truck -- I made it!

I have had some detours in my trip's planning -- this resulting in the whole moving plan being slowed down a bit. Initially I was moving to a lovely cabin in Utah but the closing on my house took extra long and the Utah cabin owner decided he did not want to wait out the closing so rented it to someone else. 

Had to do some scrambling but my son said come and stay in Vancouver, Washington where he lives. So I have done so and here I am living on the edge of the big city of Vancouver, amazed at its beauty and realizing there is a lot to explore. How life can change in a short period of time. 

My inclination is to be rather nomadic, so I will be discovering all that is possible here just in case the travel bug pops up in my head 
again.

NATURE, JUNG, FABRE, BEAR MOUNTIAN

Toad in my garden

Living on Bear Mountain  for six years has enlightened me six-fold about the world of nature. My mountainous woods and textured fields are packed with life in all forms that provide amazement beyond my expectations. I hope the next owner of this property respects Bear Mountain's natural world.

Pregnant Wolf spider in my garden

Two books have greatly influenced me while I have lived here.  One is the book, The Insect World of J. Henri Fabre, who was a brilliant researcher of nature especially of insects and spiders.

Nectar frenzy

Henry Fabre, would have loved my place. His influence on me was to develop an interest in insect and spider behavior. I found that webs of spiders are like pieces of art, no two seemingly alike,which provides beauty to our environment as well as catching traps for spiders. 

Bumble bee flying through wildflowers

Another of  my favorite nature related books is The Earth Has A Soul edited by Meredith Sabini. It is filled with the thoughts of Carl G. Jung, a man that believes that observations lead to discoveries in natural life connections. He was a Swiss scientist working in many fields -- especially studied Eastern and Western philosophies.  Let Jung speak to you directly from his book: 

". . . there is so much that fills me: plants, animals, clouds, day and night . . . the more uncertain I have felt about myself,  the more there has grown up in me a feeling of kinship with all things."

Orb garden spider waiting for its catch

Jung uses soul, psyche, and spirit as one and the same. He believes that technology has brought us further from our mythic past -- that we have lost its cosmological meaning. -- that technology does not always bring advances.

Blue tail dragonfly resting on my garden boardwalk 

In the waning days of living here I thought I would post these nature shots  from Bear Mountain. Hope you enjoy.

Praying Mantis -- terrorist to other insects.