My Cup Runneth Over

Well, a weekend outing is not a person, but once again I find I am filled with too much going on in the head to put into writing in one fell swoop. A lame, hour-by-hour, blow-by-blow "we did this, we saw that" is not the way I wish to present.

I will, however, begin with this: I was gifted with everything I hoped to see, hear, smell, touch, learn and feel. I was given some personal, emotional gifts I have wanted for a long, long time. I returned to Las Vegas exhausted, both emotionally and physically (but cathartically happy), and asked on the offramp, "What do you think of a woman who will likely be snoring away for the night by 7:00?"

With more to come in the next several days, here is a photo I really enjoy:


No, neither my feet nor my rear end touched any petroglyph. I aim to be respectful of these and other artifacts. I do confess to - once in a long while - touching one of them with my clean fingers. I can barely live with the shame. I am also not a rookie or a rube who typically wears athletic shoes in the desert. I am a woman who owns the good goods in terms of boots - many pairs. I had an infection in my foot this time.

By all means, one must click on the photo to see the detail. For there is Limes, seated happily among the petroglyphs. My fascination with this spot is that it is a vast wall of boulders where one can scan the heap repeatedly and spot previously unseen 'glyphs. Take a look at the tiny light spot in the upper left-hand corner. That is the sky, to give one some perspective about the size of this rock mound. The Badger has scaled to the top on occasion, tripod and himself occupying a very narrow perch - I have not. But he tells me there is a rich store of petroglyphs at the top, making the trip well worth it.


I am not a petroglyph expert. I do not know what the symbols mean. Odd, as much as they fascinate me, I've never paused to buy one of the informative charts in the various book shops or visitor centers. This is principally because, when I am "out there", I'm literally "out there" and do not look fit enough to mingle with others. Therefore, I call the various carvings "the Easter egg looking one" or "the one that looks like the Virgo symbol" or "the peace sign".

Peace is what I am enjoying today as I found my way through some terrible emotional mazes, took a ride on the carousel and grabbed for the brass ring, all in the quietude of the desert. Yes, I do know that's a tremendous amount of allegory in one sentence. I can live with the shame.

Photo credits: J. D. Morehouse - Yes, I know one doesn't post huge photo files on blogs, but I needed the 'glyph details to be visible. I can live with the shame.

In my ears right now: Adieu, False Heart - Linda Ronstadt and Ann Savoy. On the ride to the Preserve Friday night, the Badger played one of his custom mixes. I knew most of the tunes but came to the alert a few times when I heard two women singing beautifully. I didn't know who they were. He told me and I paid close attention. As we bumped along the Jeep trail, on came the tune that made me cry quietly in the dark in the car on the way to the place I love.

Something that charmed me: We were already back in Las Vegas, on the freeway, tired, sunkissed, sweat salty, speaking of workplaces to return to on Monday. Then we rode in comfortable silence for awhile. "Limes, want a burn of that CD? I have it right here." "I'd love that, Badge. Thanks."