Remember Remember

Remember Remember


“Remember Remember the 5th of November”. This is the opening line of a children’s rhyme in Great Britain. It recalls the occasion of thwarting an attempted assassination of the entire British Parliament by Guy Fawkes. Fortunately for all someone gave authorities a tip and he was caught red-handed and the attempt stopped. Guy Fawkes day is not commemorated by fireworks displays on November 5th each year.

This year I had my own fireworks. We finally managed to make a trip back to our beloved Colorado. More specifically, our ranch in southern Colorado in the foothills of Rockies, near Spanish Peaks. We were rewarded by a stunning sunset over Spanish Peaks on Friday evening. We watched for an hour as the sun slowly crept behind the horizon and the light played on the clouds. Each beam of light adding color to the clouds, constantly changing hues and intensity. Turning the clouds the richest pink as the hovered over the peaks. It looked like colored cotton wool stuck to the blue sky above the majestic mountain.

We followed this up in the morning on Saturday with a rich roar of color as the sun rose across the eastern plains of Colorado bringing fresh life to all around us. The eastern sky was warm and intense. The first light on Spanish Peaks was soft and warm, with hints of pink. A rich glow bathed the mountain peaks. The grey clouds offering a perfect backdrop to the pink light on the snow capped peaks. As we watched, the light played on the contours of the mountains. The shadows moving quietly as the morning light chased them around valleys and outcrops on the side of the mountains. The nooks and crannies of the mountain being exposed and hidden in a matter of minutes as the light changed with the rising sun.

It was 31 degrees outside as we took photographs. We did not feel the cold. We were warmed by the show nature was putting on for us. We were alone on a hilltop in the foothills. No one else stirred. We could hear deer breaking branches of trees as the moved around nearby. We had watched them for a while on Friday evening. Curious guys, they were. They slowly moved toward us coming with 30 feet or so, before deciding that was close enough. They moved away again, disappearing into the trees and shrub. A rabbit ran across the road ahead of us, disappearing as quickly as he had appeared in the first place. He did not hang around for friendly chat.

As we hiked around the hills and creeks we could see the tracks of the many animals that we share our land with. Deer and Elk. We also saw the tracks of a medium sized cat. We did not see the cat, but his tracks were clear in the snow and mud. He was tracking the deer. Maybe he caught his quarry. We did not see if he did. He is welcome to share of piece of serenity. Our serenity in Colorado. In the foothills of the majestic Rockies.

We drove back to Texas later on Saturday. We briefly passed through the north eastern tip of New Mexico. The colors of the grasslands and rock outcrops, while muted, showed a wide variety of color from a soft yellow to deep reddish brown. Unfortunately we were back in Texas before we knew what hit us. It is amazing how drab Texas looks compared to Colorado and New Mexico. It is truly flat and featureless, both in terrain and color. The only relief is spotting a red tailed hawk swooping in for a snack. Texas has been said to belong to the devil. Well if anybody actually wants it, he is welcome to it, should he exist. I suspect however, that our imagined nemesis does not want it either. What would he do there with all those Bible toting zealots? They do belong here. They once again made sure that our dear friend Dubja got re-elected and since they live in this barren wasteland I now understand why. What is there to protect. It is covered in oil wells and rigs where ever you go. They do not understand what he is doing to our earth. Causing irreparable harm that may never be repaired. At least not in my lifetime.

Well we are home again now. We yearn for Colorado and the mountains. At least we have our memories and photographs to look back on in moments of quiet desperation. This is what we dream of and live for.

Remember Remember the 5th of November. Yes I will, everyday, walking on the clays of Colorado, skirting through the brush on the hills, breathing the cool brisk clean air. Watching the light play hide and seek with the mountains. Happy and serene.