17 May 2002
Friday, May 17th, 2002
Overnighting under the Valley Oak above the tracks after a class hike. This vast tree, so old with such new and vigorous sprouts. A jet below the crescent moon makes a brilliant vapor trail in the colorless sky, a cloud of gnats dancing in front of me not interested in blood. The afterglow from class, students ranged at many distances talking quietly, writing, staring.
Tomorrow I meet with someone from RMI to strategize about having her consult with Cal Poly to promote sustainability. At night a party at my house for Writerspeak visiting novelist, before that an opening of Andy’s show at the gallery and on Saturday a reception for the student volunteer of the year and her mentor, me.
The darkening evening is damp and cool, the sound of the distant freeway drowned out by the train just below this hidden garden. Crickets join the meadowlarks. The vapor trail pales and the crescent moon brightens.
My tired feet aching to get out of boots. Comfy in sleeping bag on Thermarest chair. Dark grey fog, like smoke coalescing in the west.
Where is the wildlife? I haven’t moved in an hour. Two planets flank the moon. The stars are pleasure points. The fog gone and so are the gnats. Pink and blue on the horizon.
I take pictures almost daily. How will I manage them? Does preserving the past make it stale? I prefer that to losing it.
Good night Jan.
