April 8, 2016, Prescott- 

The feeling

prods me awake

So the day begins

In joyful discipline I work

Not given to fatigue

only meeting needs

through worship.

April 7, 2016, Prescott-

The world saw the last  of Merle Haggard, the man, yesterday.

He turned seventy-nine, then he turned and said “Goodbye, all.”

His words to us youth, back in Sixty-Nine and Seventy,

were to never forget the mountain dwellers, the cowboys,

the rednecks and the Blue Collar people, with their lunch pails.

He stood for the veterans, the grunts, the jarheads,

the squids, the flyboys and the weekend warriors.

“Don’t be runnin’ down our country, boys and girls”,

he said, while recounting the blues of the working man.

Then, there was the self-same man calling for an end to war.

There was the singer who stopped to listen, even to those

with a contrary opinion.

The price of that listening was,

you got to see the cowboy, the redneck, the roughneck

as a human being, a child of God, just like you.

He could have named his son Amos Moses,

or Elijah, or Jefferson Davis, or Thomas Jefferson.

He would never have named the boy, “Sue’.

Merle kept on with a Libertarian mind,

Living, and letting live, until he opted for eternity.

April 6, 2016, Prescott-  While we were living in Phoenix, in 2002, news came of a horrific wildfire, that was bearing down on Prescott:  The Indian Fire.  It could easily have swept through Thumb Butte and down Copper Basin, slamming full force into downtown Prescott.  That didn’t happen, thanks to the Forest Service, and the fates of Nature.  As it was, though, the Indian Fire seared a large area between White Spar and Copper Basin, leaving several square miles of sticks in its wake.

On Sunday afternoon, I walked in some of the same areas affected by the Indian Fire. Wolverton Mountain rises above the trail, though no family named Clowers lives there. Quartz Mountain is reached by a side trail, about 1/2 mile south of Wolverton.  Both peaks were singed in 2002.

I began at the Copper Basin end of the segment, starting out on the Aspen Creek Trail.  The creek comes down, from the western base of Wolverton Mountain, and flows down towards Granite Creek and downtown Prescott.  The creek is barely flowing, and indeed, the ground in this area is badly in need of a soaking.

Trailhead, Aspen Creek Trail

Gray granite, Aspen Creek Trail

I came soon enough to the upper reach of Aspen Creek Canyon.

As the sun was getting a bit lower, I came to the junction with Wolverton Mountain Trail and Quartz Mountain side trail.  Walking along the Wolverton, I had several fine views of the high ridge of the Sierra Prieta Range, of which these peaks are an eastern offshoot.

A glimpse of Wolverton Mountain’s practical use was visible from the trail, though the summit itself will be the focus of a future hike.

Summit of Wolverton Mountain, from trail.

Shortly after passing Wolverton’s eastern edge, I came to Quartz Mountain Trail.  This unique promontory will be the topic of the next post.

April 5, 2016, Prescott- This past weekend, I was able to break this 6-mile section of juniper pine forest, quartz and gray granite into two hikes.  It was prudent, due to a commitment here in town, each day.  It also gave me more time to focus on the features of each part of the segment.

Saturday’s jaunt began at White Spar North Trailhead, going 3.5 miles to the junction with Quartz Mountain Trail. The entire segment is Wolverton Mountain Trail, about which more later.

Above, are three scenes at the south end of the trail.  Even this close to White Spar, there are many small fragments of pink quartz.  The trail is rather flat, for the first 2 miles or so, until past this magnificent view of a local observatory, privately-run, and of the majestic San Francisco Peaks, seventy miles northeast, as the hawk flies.  The Granite Dells may be seen, holistically, in the midground.

The East Peak of Quartz Mountain, seen in the next two frames, signals a slightly more rugged terrain.

East Peak, Quartz Mountain

I noticed small wonders along the way, as well, including this white quartz(below) and the upper jaw bone of a hapless raccoon, which I have left out of this gallery.

White quartz, at foot of East Peak, Quartz Mountain

This area was filled with blooming manzanita, another special treat.

Manzanita in bloom, near Quartz Mountain

The stopping point gave me incentive for a Sunday completion of the segment, starting then from Aspen Creek Trailhead, off Copper Basin Road.  As this was done after a Sunday brunch, I was grateful for a somewhat more strenuous trail.

Here is the junction with Quartz Mountain Trail.

April 4, 2016, Prescott-  I got my photo loading device on the laptop fixed, this evening, so a hiking post, or two, is in the offing for tomorrow and Wednesday.  Today, though, is a time for mentioning something unexpected.

I went to work at our intermediate school, this morning, only to be told my services were not needed there, due to the convoluted situation in which they found themselves.  On a whim, I asked the secretary to call HR and see whether they had any other needs for the day.  HR asked me to go to Prescott High School, and help in the Resource Center.

It turned out that the lead teacher there thought I was her new assistant, for the rest of the academic year.  I said I would be available, about 90 % of the remaining time, given a few  “word is my bond” obligations elsewhere.  Both the teacher and the office manager seem fine with that, so I did my job today and will work three more days this week, and 4-5 days a week there, the rest of this month and all but five of the school days in May.

Those who wait, with open eyes and ears, can be rewarded.

April 3, 2016, Prescott-  This has been a good weekend.  I hiked Segment 4, of Prescott Circle Trail, in two segments, owing to two separate events, that occurred in the middle of each day.  Unfortunately, the photo loading feature on my laptop has stopped working, so I will post about my hikes, once that issue is resolved.  Maybe after work tomorrow, I can get some answers.

The middle of the afternoon, yesterday, featured a nice performance by some friends from Chino Valley.  These are long-time friends, who host a Drum Circle on the second Friday of every month, aHnd an Interfaith Devotional, on the fourth Friday.  They were gracious enough to come to Prescott and present on “Peace and Love”, for an hour or so, making the brightness outside enter a spacious apartment clubhouse.  The Brehmers always light up a room.

Conversing with friends always makes any meal better-so discourse on matters of the spirit lifted my spirit, whether over angle food cake with berry sauce, on Thursday night, Hawaiian bento, on Saturday night, a casserole breakfast this morning, or Brunch items, this afternoon, before my second hike.  One man, near our group, regaled us with his experiences in a Plains sweat lodge.  Such experiences are all the more reason for each of us to get out of our comfort zones, in whatever way works best for an individual.

Now, to get to the title topic.  For each of the years of this present decade, thus far, I learned:

2010- Six years ago,  spent each of my days with my blessed soul mate, in her hospital room, then in our bedroom, when not working to earn my own keep. I learned that most of  those in our lives were on our side.

2011- Five years ago,  said goodbye to the earthly form of my beloved, saw our son off to his adulthood, and the U.S. Navy, and learned that there was plenty of life ahead for me, on my own.

2012-Four years ago, went many places in honour of Abdu’l-Baha’s visit to North America, in 1912 and found that my heart could be at home in any number of locations.

2013-Three years ago, learned that there are subconscious attitudes and feelings that need to be brought to the surface, rooted out and swept away.  No simple statement of “spiritual quest” can exorcise these.  They must be acknowledged, and then sent away.  Lastly, one atones.

2014-Two years ago, learned that it is not so difficult to get around on my own, even in unfamiliar places, far from here.  Learned also, that amazing experiences happen daily, and that one can make gaffes, learn  good lessons on one’s feet, and go on to more amazing experiences.

2015- One year ago, learned that intense connections exist between people who live a continent away, and am able to share in those connections.

2016- My roots are sinking deeper, in terms of spiritual ties to people both here, and throughout the nation and world.  It is a joy to learn deeper meditation, and to trust myself to live closer to the land, both at home and while traveling.  Above all, I am trusting myself more, also thanks to the meditation techniques being learned.

April 1, 2016, Prescott-  I close my eyes and see her adorable face, times two, engaged in banter- with itself.  Such was the life of “identical cousins”, with whom, the snappy theme song promised, “You could lose your mind”.  Patty Duke, Hayley Mills, Debbie Watson, and Ann Jillian had my adolescent brain quite engaged, in the days when my female contemporaries were screaming about the Beatles.  I enjoyed the lads’ music, along with that of just about every one of their fellow British invaders, and American/Canadian imitators.  Until the likes of Marianne Faithfull and Mary Hopkin, though, I found my  thrills more on the TV and movie screens, than on vinyl.

Patty Duke had substance, as well, playing one of  recent history’s most complicated characters:  Helen Keller, in her breakout role.  Her range allowed a redo of “The Miracle Worker”, on television, and she made playing Anne Sullivan look easy.  I was not allowed to go to see “Valley of the Dolls”, but even at 17, I was discerning enough a movie goer, that I would have passed on it-Patty or no.

Teens grow up, and so Patty became, for a time, Mrs. John Astin- and gave us Sean, of the Rings, and dozens of other film roles. She continued herself, in television, periodically and never quite left our generation’s collective psyche.  Now, she is at rest and it is for the boy of long ago to look back, and say “Thanks, my beautiful screen friend.  You played your part in a magnificent youth, very, very well.  I’m only sorry there was pain attached.”

April 1, 2016, Prescott-

In honour of the launch of the annual Poetry Month:

Jesters gather, on the street curb,

Prepared to mimic, mock, perturb.

A small child gets away again,

with pointing out his grandpa’s  shirt’s imaginary stain.

Even the family cat, it seems,

Gets a rise out of her lady,

by feigning screams.

A cynic once proclaimed April

to be the Cruelest Month.

With such ubiquitous mirth,

is his judgment debunked,

or is it a wise, prescient verse?

March 31, 2016, Prescott- I woke this morning, to an insistence from the Universe, that I not move too quickly, at first.  So, the shower was leisurely, a “hit the ground running” job request was declined (Throwing myself together, for a forty-five minute drive, at the last minute, would not have ended well, this morning.)

Some readers think I’m too self-centered.  I guess it can look that way, from a distance.  Truth is, not an hour goes by, that thoughts and prayers aren’t with someone less fortunate.  My thoughts right now are with a young lady whom I regard as a niece, dealing with her second severe loss, in less than a year, and with three young people, in different parts of this continent, whose financial woes are presented as intractable.  While I wish I had the resources to get several people straight, my inner Dave Ramsey gets channeled and I can best send them the spiritual energy to make do with what is, and build from there, as I have made myself do- thanks to two men named Dave.

The March lion is a bit tamer today.  It’s a bit cool, but that will change, drastically, as April arrives.  We’re anticipating temps in the mid-80’s here, next week.  Water conservation, at least in my apartment, continues unabated.

My Reading List for April is,at present:  Continuing, and finishing, “Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself:  How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One”, by Dr. Joe Dispenza ( This is a “get out of your comfort zone” book, lent me by a dear friend); “Atlantis:  Insights From A Lost Civilization”, by Shirley Andrews (This one relies on actual science to extrapolate how things were, in that fabled place.); “Marco Polo:  The Journey That Changed The World”, by John Man (also relying on historical records to tell the story of the man who helped get Europe out of its medieval doldrums); “The Billionaire’s Vinegar”, by Benjamin Wallace (This is the last of the books given me, by my paternal uncle, and weaves a classic tale of fraud, perpetrated on a naive and greedy man of means); “All The Light We Cannot See”, by Anthony Doerr (This is a tale of two young people, in the Brittany of World War II, who are brought together, in the most harrowing of circumstances.)  These, and study of a Baha’i text, will take up my reading April.

The rest of today will be getting errands done, and catching up with friends in town.  The lamb is rearing its head, so I must get going.

March 30, 2016, Prescott-  I’ve been pretty busy this week, with work, and a brief foray into the “after work” social gathering scene.  I find it still as shallow as it was when I frequented such gatherings, before Penny came along.  People have their closed groups, and no matter that one or two might invite a newcomer, out of courtesy, it doesn’t take long for the body language to stiffen and the eye contact to move to those familiar faces.

My thoughts went today to the places where, and the people with whom, I feel at home.  Not all are my ever-agreeable supporters.  Some are critics, but they are honest critics, and are often quite helpful.  As my beloved always said, “The opposite of love is indifference”.

In this hour of a March that is headed out like a lion, after treating us to icy wind and a dusting of snow, I want to honour the places that are homes to me, in the West, since it’s been a while.

Prescott and vicinity, Flagstaff, Marana, Tubac, Bisbee, Thatcher, the Sunnyslope area of Phoenix,  Holbrook, Hopi land, Pine Springs, Reno and Carson City, San Diego and vicinity, Dana Point, San Clemente, Lomita, Santa Barbara, Ojai, Ashland (OR), Portland, Spokane, Anacortes, Wrangell, Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan, Afton (WY), Cortez, Boulder, Colorado Springs, San Luis (CO), Socorro, Albuquerque, Truth or Consequences. I can go to any of these places, and there will be a welcoming presence.

I will talk further about my homes in the Midwest, the South, the Northeast, and the rest of the world, in subsequent posts.  The point is, I am ever grateful for all who have reached out, kept faith in me, and not abandoned me out of difference of opinion, hurt feelings, or convenience.

Let’s see whether the March Lion gives way, willingly, to the April Lamb.