79852

I’ve long loved the desert. Jeff has too, especially Big Bend. The week of June 19 last year we came out “just to look” at some property. We fell in love with two areas and, to decide which one we’d get – if we could get it – we played rock paper scissors. I’d never played before and somehow I won. It turned out we were able to close on the deal and so we ended up with the 80 acres we now call “home” – and Rock Paper Scissors Ranch - although it’s a work in progress. We were having to go back and forth from Austin and Kerrville for most of the year, once a month or so and camping on the property or, from time to time, staying at the Big Bend Holiday House motel. As wonders go a woman who we now call friend asked us to house sit for the summer while she went to Canada so we were able to move here permanently as of May 4. So, we’re able to work on the place every day but Sunday when even Louie rested, or so the story goes. We’re very fortunate that we have jobs that we do remotely with a trip back to meet with clients when need be. Our routine is to do our “real” jobs and then work on the property several hours a day – sometimes the morning, sometimes the evening. And the plan is to have our bedroom and bathroom section of the house complete by September so we can start staying there while finishing the rest of the house. So far, so great. And this week and next we have a friend working with us. A 17-year old rock star in more ways than one. So many folks have asked what’s up with us, what’s RPS, what the hell we’re doing . . . now you have it.

And it’s been the best year of my life. If nothing else, the last photo says it all. We know we’re just caretakers of this beautiful place – trying to keep things as natural as possible. Enjoying every minute of it, including the stops on the porch after a good evening’s work. New friends, old friends, and surrounded by the place and people we love. Grateful in 79852.

'scuse me while i kiss the sky

i've spent a lot of time in the desert. it's one of my favorite environments. panamint, escalante, black rock, sonora, yp, bisti, yuma but i have loved the desert here in west texas ever since my first trip in 1973. i say "a lot" and i know it's relative - edward abbey would probably roll over in his grave.

i'm now lucky enough to live in between big bend national park and big bend state park. every day is different. every day is beautiful. 106 degrees or 32. rain or not. snow or not. noon or 7 in the evening. days like today i'm on sensory overload.

tonight i went out to feed the goats a little early - in between thunderstorms. i looked up at one of the mountains by which we're sandwiched and just could not believe how beautiful it looked with the rain having soaked it - it was as alive as you and me. i turned around to see that two of the dogs had followed me out and played with them a bit then turned back around to see the mountain one more time and i was absolutely blown away. clouds. clouds everywhere. trying to find their way into every crack and crevice. like a blanket you could just pull up and over and in between. i was locked to the ground - like i'd inhaled an 'oh my god' and it created some sort of vacuum lock with the mud.

i've walked in clouds before. in alaska. on whitney. but never where it was unexpected and took my breath away by total surprise. i wish everyone in the world could see it. everyone would lay down their arms. i wish cory maluski or andi parker or john grubbs or rodney bursiel - someone who really knows how to use a camera - were here to capture it with their camera. i wish someone who really knows how to write like craig childs or jim harrison or butch hancock, or paul curreri or ellen meloy (RIP) were here to paint it with their words.

i know there are too many photos here. too many words trying to share the gift that was mine this evening. i hope that for those who choose to look, you'll be touched by that gift as well. just know they don't begin to capture the magnificence of it all.

i got as close as i could to the actual mountain - i felt like a zombie or a cloud in my own right. then reality struck by way of lightning. i only felt a little current - like a buzz - but what a trip. not sure where it really hit but it seemed to stay in the sky as if neither end of the bolt wanted to let go. so i headed back to the house and turned around one last time and the clouds left as quickly as they came. like the song - with urgency but not with haste.

fed the goats. got herded back to the house by peaches and shadow. splashed in a puddle or two just because i could. and now, the sunset. grey and purple and blue and white like a sigh on the green, wet ground.

and now, i think i should be a good texan and go watch the spurs, if i can figure out how to turn on the t.v.