Category: Camping

I Did It!

Published on by Sharron BurnettLeave a comment

IMG_1282A few years back I went on a family vacation to Colorado. My son-in-law Scott had devised a plan for all of us to go backpacking in Rocky Mountain National Park. He assured us that it would be a rather leisurely stroll up a minor peak where a lovely lake awaited us. The plan was to bring our tents and backpacks so that we might spend the night in the secluded spot. It sounded like a doable challenge, especially since Scott had done a great deal of research ahead of time. We would be taking some rather young children on our adventure and my husband Mike and I were well into our sixties and admittedly not in the best of shape, so Scott had done his homework in choosing a destination rated moderate in difficulty.

I was quite excited because it had been years since Mike and I had backpacked into the mountains. We had once attempted to reach the summit of Long’s Peak but had to turn back when one of our daughters was overcome with mountain sickness. Luckily we had camped along the trail at a lower elevation so she was able to rest for a time and recover. By then it was far too late in the day to try our ascent again so we gave up and decided to return another time. We got busy with living and didn’t come back until we knew that we were no longer as hardy as we had once been. A short trek up an easier trail would have to do.

Mike and I spent a great deal of time at REI accumulating the proper equipment. Our old backpacks were sadly worn and out of date so we invested in new ones that were better built. We decided to purchase lightweight sleeping bags and a two person backpacking tent. We already had a single burner stove for cooking and lots of containers to carry the water that we would need. We carefully weighed our loads and spent time walking around the neighborhood to increase our stamina. We thought that after our more difficult adventures this one would be a walk in the park.

We headquartered at my brothers‘ cabin on Storm Mountain. I began to worry just a bit when a walk along the road near their house left me feeling breathless. I told myself that I just needed to acclimate to the elevation. After all, I was coming from only a few miles above sea level to an area that nature had pushed up to great heights. I suspected that after a couple of days my lungs would be okay in the less oxygenated environment.

We ate pasta the night before our journey hoping that the carbs would provide us with extra energy. I hardly slept in anticipation of our trip. We were all set to venture out when one of my grandsons fell on the gravel driveway and got a huge bloody gash in his knee. Fearing that he might need stitches we detoured to a local clinic. The doctor saw him right away, cleaned the wound and declared him ready to go. We were off and running albeit a few hours later than we had planned.

We were grinning from ear to ear as we embarked on our hike. Scott reckoned that it would take us three or four hours to reach our destination. That would give us plenty of time to explore the area before retiring for the night. We were all smiles as we took our first steps down the trail. It didn’t seem to be difficult at all. We began to believe that we would hardly break a sweat achieving our goal.

Before long the asphalt pavement gave way to a more rugged pathway filled with sharp edged rocks and boulders that required us to increase our strides. The gentle slopes became steep and before long I found myself huffing and puffing. I could feel the pounding of my heart inside my ears and I suddenly wondered if I was up to this challenge. Unwilling to admit my concerns to anyone I just kept moving forward one step at a time.

Eventually the trail became so rugged that I had to play mind games to keep moving forward. I would see a log or a rock up ahead and tell myself that I had to proceed until I reached that small goal and only then would I be able to rest for a time. Over and over again I maintained my motivation by starting and stopping, pretending to need a swig of water or a bite of one of my granola bars. The hours ticked by and I feared that I was no closer to my goal. My children and grandchildren had grown weary of lagging behind and were long gone. Only Mike was walking steadily behind me to reassure me that I was not going to pass out alone on the mountain.

Along the way I encountered other hikers who were in worse condition than I was. I pretended to be strong as I sauntered past them and smiled when I heard them note that I appeared to be a very experienced backpacker. I only collapsed when I was out of view, usually pretending to be so taken by the lovely scenery that I had to linger for a time. The truth was that I was running out of steam and saw no end in sight. I didn’t want to disappoint my family or myself. I decided that I had to muster my determination even if it killed me and that was indeed a possibility.

Just when I thought that I was unable to take another step my two eldest grandsons appeared. They had already reached the end of the trail and had set up camp. They encouraged me by insisting that I was almost there. One of them went to help Mike carry some of the load and the other took my backpack and hoisted it over his shoulders. I felt that angels from heaven had descended to aid me in my hour of need.

We walked along talking about a variety of topics most of which were rather deep. I suppose that mountainous environs are cause for reflection and we certainly had time to discuss the state of the world. The good company and conversation made the time and the effort seem less brutal and before I knew it we were rounding a switchback that led into our campsite for the night. I wanted to kiss the ground but I maintained my composure as though I had only completed a little walk that hardly caused me to strain.

It was lovely up there, more so because I was at the top of the world with all of my children and grandchildren. We had brought a whole lot of love and laughter to that place. I was proud that I had made it. I was happy to realize just how wonderful my life really was. I celebrated and rejoiced and slept like a baby even though the rangers had warned us that there were bears in the area.

The next day as I descended I passed people coming up the trail who marveled when they learned that I had spent a night on the mountain. They complained that the trail was far more difficult to navigate than they had been led to believe. I proudly insisted that if I could make it so could they. I was admittedly quite full of myself at that moment. Going down was far easier that coming up had been. I fairly flew to the parking lot where our cars waited to take us back to the luxury of our cabin.

I knew then that my rugged camping days were over. I had grown soft and old. I no longer had the desire or need to prove my mettle. I would leave that to the youngsters. Still I am so glad that I made that kind of trip one last time. I did it! 

Dream Vacation

Published on by Sharron BurnettLeave a comment

Amboy, Kalifornien, USA, Hist. Route 66By this time tomorrow Mike and I will begin a twenty one day junket to California in our travel trailer along with two of our grandchildren. We are either excitingly adventurous or stunningly crazy. The potential for problems when pulling a tiny home thousands of miles behind a truck in abnormally hot weather is high. We’ve already experienced a number of unexpected kinks in our plans on short hops in the past. We’ve practiced our camping skills time and again. We have overcome violent thunderstorms, excruciatingly long roadwork delays, appliances that failed to work properly, attacks by tiny insects and a host of other difficulties that shall remain unspoken. Now comes the greatest test of all. We will either demonstrate our mettle or fail miserably.

Mike and I both have ancestors who braved the unknown to travel to a new world. The earliest among his arrived on the Mayflower. Mine were latecomers to Jamestown. Over decades and then centuries our family trees grew more and more complex and the branches took our people from Massachusetts to Nebraska, Virginia to Texas. The hardy souls who were our third, fourth and fifth great grandparents sailed across oceans in cramped quarters that make our trailer seem like a grand palace. They pulled wagons into dense forests and over mountainous roads. They lived without electricity or running water and somehow survived. They learned how to adapt to the environment and willed themselves to overcome hardship and disease. I suspect that we still bear some of their traits and thus will be just fine in our full hookup campsites with wifi, swimming pools, laundries and grocery stores.

Our plan is to pick up our youngest grandson William in San Antonio tomorrow along with his sister Abigail. Our first stop will be at South Llano River State Park for a good night’s rest before navigating through west Texas to Carlsbad Caverns. We plan to spend an entire day inside the magnificent cave that is truly one of the world’s wonders. From there our journey will take us to Santa Fe. In a stroke of luck we will be in that cultural mecca during the International Art Festival that occurs only once a year. We hope to venture to the Anasazi ruins of Chaco Canyon while we are nearby area as well. After three days and nights we will continue moving west to Sedona, a place that is reputed to be so beautiful that we may be tempted to forego the rest of our trip so that we might enjoy the scenery and the welcoming environment for a longer time than one evening. If our timing is perfect we may even go north for the afternoon to catch the sunset over the Grand Canyon, a sight that we have already experienced but which can never be seen too often. Continuing on we will spend a night in Needles, California within striking distance of our ultimate goal, Los Angeles. For the next seven days we will enjoy the multitude of scenery and entertainment in both LA and San Diego. The return trip will take us rather quickly down I-10 through Arizona and New Mexico until we reach Fort Davis where we will tarry for a time before returning to South Llano River in Junction and then back to San Antonio to drop off the kids before returning home. It will either be a dream vacation or a horrible nightmare. It all depends on the vagaries of nature and the unexpected behaviors of our fellow human beings, not to mention the multitude of possible problems that may occur with our mechanical equipment.

I laugh when I think of how soft we modern souls have become compared to our forefathers. On this day I often think of them and the incredible sacrifices that they made in the hopes of improving their lives. Passage across the ocean involved traveling thousands of miles with only scant knowledge of what lay ahead. It meant never seeing family and friends again. Every moment of every day was fraught with problems and no luxuries as we think of them today. Even the old homestead of my great grandparents spoke of the hardship and depravation that was their reality only one hundred years ago. We have advanced to an extent that truly boggles the mind. The pioneers who stretched out across this continent so long ago would be stunned to see us going from Texas to California and back in only twenty one days. They would think it amazing to learn that we can watch movies inside our “iron buggies” as we move rapidly down a concrete road and that we are rarely far from conveniences that they never considered even in their dreams.

The first colonists in the United States of America came to a rugged and dangerous land. So many of them died before they even took their steps off of the ships that brought them. Some grew and prospered and others merely subsisted. After two hundred years generations of people had lived here under the auspices of a king and a country that they had never seen. Being ruled from afar by a government that little understood their unique situations became untenable and they rebelled. Theirs was a revolution against one of the most powerful countries in the world and on July 4, 1776 they brashly declared their independence and intent to form a new kind of government. It was a moment that was viewed with skepticism in the halls of power around the world and yet somehow almost two hundred fifty years later our nation stretches from sea to sea across a continent that still seems to be working out the kinks of determining its identity.

We were guided by humans to this very moment in history when all the world looks to us either with profound admiration or seething hate. We understand our flaws and continue to strive to correct them. We are desirous of being a kind nation but wary of being too soft. We struggle to strike a balance between love of country and understanding of our role in a global community. The old questions and disagreements that plagued our founders stalk us even today. Still we are remarkable and I suspect that our ancestors would be quite proud of our accomplishments. They would no doubt caution us to proceed into the future with an eye to preserving the foundations upon which this nation was built while adapting to the realities of a time that they might never have imagined.

Somehow it seems fitting that Mike and I will be taking our grandchildren to see the wonders of this glorious country of ours during the month that sparked our independence. Wish us godspeed as we travel and help us to find McDonald’s for our breakfast, Walmart for our provisions and Starbucks to quench our thirst and keep us alert. We are venturing into a modern day version of the wild. Let us hope that when we think of our trip in the years to come we will remember it as our dream vacation.

  

Things That Make Me Smile

Published on by Sharron BurnettLeave a comment

smiley-face-symbols-detlev-van-ravenswaayI’ve got a goofy smile. One eye squints almost shut and my mouth is crooked. I resemble a gnome when I’m happy but but I still love any occasion that turns up the corners of my mouth. This month I’ve had a number of such times and all of them have involved people. The truth is that no amount of money nor fame is better than knowing that there are people who really care about me and that I in turn love. I’ve been lucky enough to see many of them of late and all of them make me beam with unadulterated joy.

I try to get together with a group of friends from my last job as often as possible. Most of them are still working so it’s not easy to find a date when we are all free but luckily we did so not long ago. We met up at Ninfa’s on Navigation which, on a side note, I highly recommend. As is always the case we laughed and chattered and felt so very relaxed with one another. A plus was the fact that the food was also great. Someone remarked that most of us were English majors in college. I don’t know if that has anything to do with how well we get along but it’s amazing how in sync we always seem to be. We’ve agreed to meet again before school starts so that we might compare stories about the trips that each of us will be taking during these warm months. I have no doubt that we will once again talk and grin until we get dirty looks from the waiters hoping that we get the hint and move on.

A certain graduation brought a huge smile to my face recently. It was for a young man whom I had tutored for three years. He had worked quite hard to earn his diploma and I knew as well as anyone how much the occasion meant to him. I felt as though I was floating through the air when he walked across the stage. It was as grand a day as I have experienced in a long time. My face must have shown my elation as the corners of my mouth almost touched my ears.

My grandson is home from college for the summer. I only got to see him a couple of times during the school year. He attends Purdue University and has a schedule as busy as the President of the United States. It was so good to finally meet up with him at Bob’s Taco Station if only for an hour or so. I marveled at how much he has matured in only one short year. He is definitely a man now. Not a shred of boyishness seems to remain in his demeanor. A smile of pride and of course lots of love lit up my face the whole time that we were together.

I had the privilege of serving as a chaperone for my godson and his brother while their mother attended a conference a couple of weeks ago. We all flew together to Boston and while she worked, we played. Boy was it fun! I suspect that I was even smiling in my sleep. We saw so many wondrous things but best of all we got to know each other even better. It was a very special time in which we laughed and told silly stories and just felt as comfortable as can be. I can’t wait until I am needed for another trip one day. We built some important memories together which will no doubt always bring brightness to my face whenever I recall them.

My second oldest grandson is going to be a senior in high school next year. He is in the process of visiting colleges and so Mike and I took him to Texas A&M University a week ago. We had a grand time touring the recreation center, the dorms and many of the engineering buildings. I have a particular love for the Aggies because my father was one. Every time I visit the campus I feel his spirit. I know that he will be quite proud if his great grandson decides to get his education there. I smiled quite a bit at the thought of having another Aggie in the family, especially the one who just happens to be named after my dad. When my grandson admitted that he would be quite excited to go there I suspect that my grin was so big that I resembled a Cheshire cat. It was fun to be able to share this important moment with him.

Last Saturday I invited several of my former students to a party at my house. I wanted to celebrate their graduations from college. It was rewarding to hear how wonderfully they are all doing. I want to believe that I may have had at least a tiny bit of influence on them. I know that they bring me incalculable happiness. Knowing that they have already accomplished so much makes my teaching years seem all the more fruitful. I smiled and smiled and smiled as they spoke of their successes and their dreams. I hope that my expression told them how much I love them.

On Father’s Day I made dinner for Mike and his dad. We had an incredible time just as we always do. They are the two most important men in my life. Both of them watch over me and would probably walk through fire for me. Just being with them is reason enough to smile. We have a long history of sharing happiness and sorrow. I burst into a visage of elation when I think of how lucky I have been to be with the two of them. They make me feel so beautiful and important that I fairly beam.

I just spent the past week in a trailer built for two with my daughter and her three children. Stuffing the six of us inside reminded me of a circus act when dozens of clowns go inside a tiny car. For a time the refrigerator didn’t work and all of us were almost eaten alive by chiggers but somehow we muddled through. Nothing could have kept me from beaming from ear to ear. Just being together was all that I needed to feel elated. We went to see movies on a workday afternoon and ate delicious hamburgers and fries from Hopdoddy. We walked through museums filled with scientific wonders and history. In the evenings I watched the children swim at McKInney Falls. They were so delighted as they jumped into the cooling waters. Our time together was a blast and we hardly noticed that we were stuffed inside our home on wheels like sardines.

While we were camping in Austin one of my cousins invited us to visit with her and her family. They treated us to a gourmet dinner that included a taste test of seven different yummy desserts. The kids had great fun playing with Legos and making music while we adults enjoyed sharing stories about our ancestors. There were happy faces all around.

These are the things that make me smile. Right now I’m feeling quite content as I gaze on the flowers in my yard and watch the birds playing in the trees. It’s summertime and the whole world is seems to be alive. Best of all my adventures have only just begun. We’ll be celebrating my mother’s birthday on Monday and in about a week we will head for California. There are so many reasons to be elated that I suspect I am wearing a smile even now.

On the Road Again

Published on by Sharron BurnettLeave a comment

2016-KZ-RV-Vision-Travel-Trailer-ExteriorI have a friend who spends most of his time on the road, God bless him. I can’t imagine constantly being on the move. Whether waiting in lines at an airport and staying in posh hotels or road tripping in a car with a trailer on the back, it’s just not the same as being at home. It’s fun for a time but I soon grows weary of the surprises that inevitably come from continuous travel. I suspect that I am just not adventurous enough for such a lifestyle.

I’m sitting in my comfy, cozy trailer right now and worrying about dual problems that have developed. The park doesn’t have sewer services so I have to be very careful about how much water I put down the drain. I’ve done that before and it isn’t so bad but the second difficulty is more concerning. For some reason the refrigerator is barely working. Nothing is turning to ice in the freezer and the food in the lower compartment is sitting at a steady fifty eight degrees. Instead of doing the town, Mike and I have been trouble shooting all morning long and watching videos to see if we might perhaps discover a way to alleviate the problem. I have confidence in his abilities but in the meantime it is putting a crimp in our plans to have some fun.

This week’s camping experience was supposed to be rather uneventful since we are only three hours from home. Now I find myself worrying about another vacation that we have planned for next month. We are leaving on July 5, for a marathon trip through the southwest with Los Angeles and San Diego as our ultimate destinations. I suppose that it is best to find out before that excursion if anything is not working properly but it’s still a bummer. We have learned that owning a travel trailer is wrought with continuous repairs. The jiggling loosens parts and makes all of the appliances less effective from time to time. Think of what your home would be like if it were subjected to an earthquake every single day. Before long you would most certainly fall behind in the process of keeping everything operating properly. The last thing that we need on our future adventure is to spend time fixing things.

I’m also a bit concerned that the entire route that we have planned to travel appears to be on fire at the moment. I can honestly say that I am not a fan of one hundred plus degree temperatures. I find myself thinking that perhaps a change in plans that includes a journey to Maine might be preferable. Of course, there is the possibility that Mike and I will bring rain just as we always seem to do and thereby make things more pleasant for ourselves and the good folks of New Mexico, Arizona and California. I’m just a bit concerned because we are presently in Austin and the sun is burning without any sign of precipitation. I worry that our mojo may be gone. I made the mistake of wishing that the recent floods in Houston would go away and I eventually got what I wanted but I fear that the price I paid is that I am no longer a rainmaker.

I have to wonder why anyone travels in the south in the summer. I just spent several days in Boston where the weather was picture perfect. The days were moderate and at night all I needed was a light weight jacket. We spent our time outdoors along with everyone else who was taking advantage of the beautiful season. We didn’t mind waiting in lines to see the U.S.S. Constitution or to ride the swan boats in the park. The baseball game at Fenway Park was way better than watching the boys of summer in an air conditioned building. Somehow it all felt just exactly the way it should. Of course, the tour guide who drove the trolley that we rode through the town reminded us that winters can sometimes be brutal. I suppose that just as the Bible says there is a time and a season for everything.

Mike seems to have solved the mystery of the barely working refrigerator and it’s not so bad inside our air conditioned home away from home. At least the view is lovely and we know that at dusk it will be bearable down by McKinney Falls. Last night the area was filled with families enjoying the cool water of one of the best swimming holes in the country. Big signs warn of the dangers of jumping or diving into the water but that didn’t seem to deter anyone. I suppose that such admonitions don’t work until someone gets hurt but my grandchildren are a bit angry with me because I have told them that we will follow the rules. I’ve seen a few too many accidents with gorillas and alligators of late to ignore clearly posted warnings.

We’ll be off in a bit and as soon as we do something fun I’m certain that I’ll forget about the cares and woes of traveling. It’s funny how much one will endure for a chance to view something amazing and there are so many wonderful sights around Austin. I’ll set my crotchety mood aside for a good adventure any day. Still I wonder how my friend stays sane when being continually on the road. I guess it becomes a way of life but for me it would be a terrible cross to bear. I have become way too spoiled by all of the modern conveniences that are at my fingertips at home. Living out of suitcases and continually moving is just not my cup of tea.

Mike is draining the sewer tank into our auxiliary container so I suppose that my fears of having the toilet back up are unwarranted. I’m feeling a bit better. At least I don’t have members of the new Confederacy camping next door as I have in the past. The neighbors are pleasant, the flies are few and the cicadas are singing a lovely summer song. I guess that all in all life is good even far from home.

Life Is Good

Published on by Sharron BurnettLeave a comment

blanco_spillwayI’m a died in the wool Houstonian and can’t think of any reason why I would ever want to leave the city where I was born, but as I sit in a wonderful campground in Blanco, Texas I do have to admit that there is something seriously tempting about staying in the Hill Country forever. The wildflowers are glorious this time of year. The fields are filled with daisies and poppies. They would bring a smile to Lady Bird Johnson’s face. We are only about twenty or so miles from her ranch on the Pedernales River and it feels as though I have stumbled upon a bit of heaven. It’s easy to understand why she and her husband, the President, so loved coming here to escape from the stresses of Washington D.C. Somehow this place feels thousands of miles removed from anything remotely associated with reality.

The Blanco River that runs through the state park where we are camping is full right now and there are already intrepid souls braving the cold waters to take a spring time dip. The river appears to be quite calm today but the siren at the ranger station and the flood gauges along the roads tell a story of potential danger. If heavy rains come too quickly anyone nearby will need to head to higher ground. The bridge leading into the campgrounds is level with the water and will be impassible rather quickly if it rains. In fact it was still drying out from the storms of last week when we first arrived. There is an alternative exit in the back of the park that leads to the main highway for use on occasions when a quick departure is required. The atmosphere is so serene now that it’s easy to forget that nature can be harsh around here.

Lately there has been a long drought in this area of Texas with some cities and towns enforcing strict water rationing, but at the start of last summer there were suddenly dangerous floods reminding everyone to exercise caution in settling here. It’s beautiful country but not for those who lack respect for the land or who are faint of heart. Just as the earliest settlers had to be tough to withstand the vagaries of nature in this rugged and rocky country, so too must those who think themselves up to the task of taming the land today.

Within easy driving distance from Blanco are a number of wonderful places to visit. San Antonio is just down the road. New Braunfels is only about forty five minutes away. Austin can be reached with a leisurely fifty mile drive. Towns like Kerrville, Fredericksburg and Boerne beckon with their quaint shops and unique dining experiences. The Texas wine country is rooted here. There are beautiful vineyards stretching all the way to Llano and Inks Lake. This is a veritable paradise for those who love to just kick back and explore the local sights.

Texas may have won its independence down my way at San Jacinto but somehow this is where the heart of the state beats. We visited the James Avery factory yesterday and I was drawn to a silver charm in the image of Texas that seemed the perfect memento for our trip. The headquarters of the famed jewelry maker sit on a sloping hill in a setting as lovely as the stunning pieces that the artisans create. It was fun learning the history of that iconic company. Mr. Avery began his work in the 1950s in a single car garage and drove around the countryside with samples of his creations neatly stored in a wooden case inside the trunk of his car. By the end of his first year in business he had sold over five thousand dollars worth of jewelry which was rather remarkable for the times. Now James Avery jewelry is treasured by generations of women and each piece becomes a beloved heirloom.

It’s difficult to decide which of the many vineyards to visit when on a quest to sample the wares. I have to admit that my two favorite wineries are Becker’s and Perissos. They have wonderful products and the ambience in both places is enchanting. Unfortunately I am not supposed to consume any alcohol until I finish taking the injections for my osteoporosis, which means that I will be a tee totaler for the next one and a half years. Nonetheless I snuck in a few sips yesterday and learned rather quickly why I am supposed to abstain. For whatever reason the wine went directly to my head without even taking time to course through my digestive system. It didn’t really matter because the scenery was so wonderful that I already had a buzz from sheer delight.

I find myself feeling a bit jealous of my youngest daughter who lives just a short hop down the highway in San Antonio. There are so many incredible places not far from her doorstep. I sometimes wish that I had purchased the house next door to her when it came up for sale just as she urged me to do, but I suspect that the siren call of Houston would always lure me back home. Soon enough the Hill Country lifestyle would become routine and I would find myself longing for the flatlands of Houston once again.

It’s difficult to explain why I love my hometown so much. It has no scenery even close to what the Hill Country has to offer. It’s hot and humid and too often filled with pesky mosquitoes. I suppose that it’s charm has to do with the people there. It’s where I get to see my friends and relations. It’s where people will give you the shirt off of their backs if needed. It’s close to the ocean and it is the repository of my history. I know its streets and its stories. I have watched it grow and change from the sleepy parochial city that I knew as a child. Somehow I love it in spite of its potholes and flaws. I will always defend it when the naysayers attempt to bring it down. They only exhibit their ignorance of the secret essence of the place.

Houston is a friendly city. People who live there are mostly good. We tend to be independent and nonjudgemental and we always take care of each other. There is no better representative of Houstonians than J.J. Watt. He might just as well have grown up in one of the city’s neighborhoods. He has the natural Houston vibe. I guess that’s what makes him such a celebrity in our town. We like our heroes to be honest and kind. We don’t have much patience with flashy shows of materialism. Houston is real.

I love that I now have the time and the means to travel. I enjoy leaving my nest once in a while as long as I always get to return home. The real beauty of the Hill Country is that it is only a few hours away from my driveway, making it a destination that I plan to repeat again and again. Have trailer, will travel.

Each afternoon when the sun sets in our campsite the ancient oak tree outside our window casts a long shadow over the warm fire around which we encircle our chairs for the night. We spend an evening gazing at the magnificent Texas sky, laughing and telling stories until the logs become embers. Then we retire to our cozy quarters where I never fail to sleep like a contented baby. I don’t have bouts of insomnia in a place as peaceful and lovely as this. Instead I say prayers of blissful thanksgiving and dream of the fields of flowers and newly shorn sheep that I saw as we enjoyed a day of adventure. Life is good and nobody can steal my joy.