our beds could have been the soft earth

 

in summer sun

maybe I was ten

the soft soles of my feet

floated over river rocks

like hot coals

a rite of passage

a display of bravery

while water the color

of hot tea

cinched around our waists

 

those days we

welcomed the night

tacky in the crooks

of our arms

we folded

scabbed knees

in circles around

a lowlight fire

 

our youth was

smooth like glass

 

and our beds

could have been

the soft earth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can you see me!?

“Mountain attire”.

Poconos Livin’

Writing and karate-choppin’ bugs.

A Little Hello From the Mountaintop

Not our exact view, but the internet on my phone decided to opt out of this trip.

I may not be able to breathe through my nose, but I’ll forgive the weather’s temperature and continue to enjoy myself. While a friend, her (almost) 2-year-old and I lounge inside trying to adjust the old-school antenna to catch a solid signal on a re-run of Judge Judy, Joe and another friend of ours are having boy time out back, complete with beer and a bow and arrow (not such a great combination…).

The Renaissance Faire was a rousing success, even with the $30 I spent on my German-style boot filled with their Oktoberfest beer. (Pictures to come in a later post, since the internet on my phone has not worked since we arrived here.) We caught a human chess match, a live jousting hosted by the Queen herself, and scarfed down bratwurst-and-kraut sandwiches.

Today began with a chilly nature hike, some cold medicine, and a pumpkin spice bagel smothered in pumpkin butter (truly amazing). I am enjoying the beginnings of October with a stuffy nose – but that’s alright.

More to come after vacation!

Roughin’ it with a six-pack and good company

OK, so maybe it was more than a six-pack (much more). Either way, I enjoyed a relaxing Labor Day weekend in the mountains with the boyfriend and some good friends. I firmly believe that everyone should have off on Labor Day, but I can’t say I’d be disappointed if Starbucks or Wawa was open.

We saw plenty of deer, a turkey here or there…and oh yeah,  A HUGE BLACK BEAR! He could have eaten my face. Definitely. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to snap a picture (even after running after him in an attempt – not the smartest idea I’ve ever had). BUT, I am glad he didn’t decide to join us at the picnic table for burgers and beers.

We finished out the weekend with a fair by daylight, and by moonlight, two guitars paired with plenty of bad singing on my part.

Black & white just makes it that much more epic.

And while it rained right up until our departure on Wednesday morning, it was still a great time. But I must admit; while I enjoy the mountain air and the feeling of seclusion, I was excited to get back to digital cable and re-runs of Say Yes To The Dress.  (I’m sure Joe was excited, too.)

Thank you, alma mater, for the BA….oh, and the TICKET.

YEAH!

Thanks for not giving me the speeding ticket. Thanks for not issuing those other 8 tickets you were apparently going to give me. (At least you didn’t force me to ride my bike home, after you spotted it in the back seat.) But I’m sorry my front license plate got ripped off in a car wash and had to be temporarily stuffed between my dashboard and windshield. And I’m glad the frame celebrating me as an “alumni” of my university on the back license plate is illegal. It’s Tuesday and this week already blows.

My phone has been blowing up daily with emails from banks suggesting I would make a great financial adviser based off my resume that shows no previous experience in the profession, and shady-sounding companies asking me to “work from home” and deliver packages that are guaranteed to be “drug and weapon free”. Right. I shouldn’t be handling the finances of others with five bucks in my wallet,and shipping what is probably someone’s stolen kidneys to another country isn’t where I saw myself in ten years. Back to the drawing board, and much more suffering to be done over my attempt at writing this book.

In other news:

This deer ALMOST ate out of my hand. Not that I’m sure I really wanted him to. But it would have been pretty awesome. (Check the sports bra and running shoes, post bike ride to feed the gnarly-looking kitties on Peace Pipe Way. I am the official cat lady of the Poconos.)

He was a big fatty. Saved none for the rest of them.

Ready for another round of beer and grease.

A charred weiner...delicious.

A few weeks ago Joe and I spent 3 days in the Poconos, swatting bugs and breathing in the mountain air – all while flipping through the five television stations available and crushing beer can after beer can. Breakfast was sticky buns and dinner was burgers and smores.

Ellen Degeneres once spoke words of wisdom regarding how easy it is for us to stuff our faces in the darkness of a movie theater, completely guilt-free:

“We stock up on popcorn and candy like we’re crossing the Sierras, don’t we? “I’ll have a couple of soft pretzels, a hot dog, Milk Duds, Snocaps. Is that the largest popcorn you’ve got there, that bucket? You don’t have a barrel or anything like that? Do you have a donkey or a pack mule or anything? – Oh, and a Diet Coke.”

Well, being on a mountaintop somehow puts a cap on that part of my brain that feels any guilt about eating 3 sticky buns and washing them down with a Blue Moon and pizza bites. But…this time I think I’ll bring my bike.

I’m not exactly the outdoorsy type – my idea of “relaxing” doesn’t involve mosquitoes and spiders. But I do enjoy a nice open fire and the smell it leaves in my hair and on my clothes.

Five essentials I bring into the wilderness (or…a large mobile home tucked between some trees):

1) Sunblock (how do you think I stay this pale?)

2) Journal (for those moments of inspiration that arise from being surrounded by bodies of water and wild animals)

3) Alcohol (duh)

4) Laptop (not for internet, but for taking advantage of quiet time to work on my book-in-progress)

5) Underwear.

I dream of walking the streets of Venice with nothing but a backpack and a comfortable pair of sneakers on my feet, but until then, being nestled in a little corner of nature with the man I love is good enough for me. Even if I have to bathe myself in bug spray.