My Mountain Memories (with a reblog of Settling – part II)

I don’t normally do reblogs — I’m more about producing my own work — but every once in awhile a post will strike me so forcefully that it pesters me incessantly until I share it with others. Andrea’s post “Settling — Part II” in her blog Harvesting Hecate is just such a post.

I think the reason it impacted me so intensely is it’s close tie to my father’s recent passing and the relationship he had with his grandfather. This piece reminded me vividly of my great-grandfather’s cabin nestled on the shoulder of a mountain deep in the Rockies of Colorado: a similar bridge to cross; a similar river rushing below it; a similar gravel path to reach the similar stone home. He was my father’s father’s father, and since my father’s father often worked away from home, my father spent a lot of time with him, making him seem at times like more of a father to my father than my father’s father was.

(Sorry. I couldn’t resist the fun of stringing all those “fathers” together. I hope you found it as much of a fun challenge to decode as I did in writing it! Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments.)

My father was still close to my great-grandfather when my sister and I were young, so he often took us and my mom up there to visit. My sister and I would spend hours wandering the footpaths that wound around the mountain forest, through the rock-walled crevices, and along the raucously laughing white-water river. These best of my childhood memories were glorious experiences, and I’m grateful to Andrea for conjuring them up again.

Actually, I’m grateful for all of Andrea’s writing. She never dissapoints. Every piece she produces is beautifully written with sensory descriptions and prfound observations that draw you into a deeply vicarious and soul-encouraging experience. If you’ve never read her work before, go spend some time with her. I guarantee you’ll love every piece you read. As for me, she will forever be on my Followed list.

So go. Visit her blog and enjoy the walk. And if you happen to see a tow-headed little boy running on the path ahead of you, that’ll be me. Be sure to give me a shout Hello! and a wave. You’ll be rewarded with a shy smile, a quiet Hi, and a quick lift of my hand before I scurry off into the vegetation with a giggle.

Source: Settling – part II

The Fingerprints of Mom

An Iterative Tribute to Dad

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A Special Thank You

My Personal Favorites