Being Grounded

Checking Annie's 'Cool Blog' section has resulted in finding some very cool blogs and enjoyable blogs, the latest being Pocket Farm.  Do you not love that name and the image it creates? Liz has a lovely post about her morning walk and the landscape from which she draws inner peace.

Edward Abbey was the first author who put into words the need for landscape and wild, untouched places.  I grew up traveling all over the USA and visited many historic and beautiful places, all by car (and before the age of 17).  From a tender age we visited and camped in many wonderful spots within our unique State of Utah, too.  There are few people who have had so many opportunities to travel in this way. There are, incredibly, few residence within this state who have visited its wild, unique and picturesque places...just as there are many in this valley who rarely take a trip up into the beautiful canyons which are mere moments from their front door.  That may be a very good thing, actually.

Terry Tempest Williams' book Refuge helped me to understand why I love Utah so, why it gets into the blood and won't let go, and why we stay even when we have to strive every day to make sense of the way things are.  There is something larger than us which is so apparent in this landscape, a landscape that can be visited on a whim, one that is within a 5 minute or a 5 hour drive.    

Cassie has found refuge and solace in her cityscapes. Just look at her Saturday pictures and her post of  The Gates.  You can't escape, nor should you, the land that forms who you are, that brings you peace, solace, relief and reward.  You can find that landscape within your own heart, too.

Find your landscape, whether it is within or without, and remember there is real meaning in the words 'to be grounded'.

Comments

[froggy]

always look forward to cool pics to start the week and thanks for the links too.

[Julia]

I couldn't agree more. I love Edward Abbey's work and Utah - it's one of my favorite states and I haven't even been to the northern area where you live. Will definitely pick up refuge.

[Cassie]

I do think that having a sense of place is very important. And New York is, literally, in my blood and my family's. I sometimes think I'd like to be somewhere more rural, but whenever I've moved away I've always had to come back regularly.

[Kathleen]

Perspective...Gracie and Cameron hate the word grounded. :)

I vowed never to live on Long Island. After Alaska, I didn't think I could ever live somewhere as ugly as Long Island. There is beauty in the rural east end and the beaches but it isn't the raw beauty that I love. As Kevin commutes to NYC, there is no way we could live that far out east...although an alpaca farm sounds so good these days.

As always, lovely pictures Margene. Good luck today.

[Cara]

As a child, my family drove across the country a few times - as well as up and down the East Coast. I can still remember finding all the brine shrimp in the Great Salt Lake! And touring the tabernacle choir. Alas, we never made it to Zion. We were always coming from the North.

Thank you for sharing your home.

[Annie]

Thanks, Margene. I wondered if anyone looked at that section. :)

Very nice post. I am definitely one of those people that needs to escape to wild, untouched places. As a matter of fact, we are trying to plan our vacation this year and all I want to do is go somewhere that is NOT crowded.

[PJ]

Ah, a shot of inspiration straight in the blood! You did it again. You clearly communicated exactly how feel when I say my CO mountains are calling me as I live here in beautiful (yet not my 'home') San Diego. There is a compass in our hearts and we must listen to it and find OUR true North!
thank you thank you thank you....

[Timothy]

your link to The Gates is broken... (should be http: not hhttp: )

[Mary-Heather]

Beautiful pictures and words. I relate to that sense of connection to landscape- I feel "at home" when I am looking at mountains, in California or West Virginia. I found my first poem that I wrote about mountains- at the age of 11- about Denver, as my family was moving to California in our station wagon. I look forward to your mountain views- aimed at the sky or on the ground- every Monday. Thanks!

[Liz]

Thanks Margene. We had to escape our landscape in NJ (which we were born into) to come "home" to Maine. I've lived other places, but none of them have spoken to me as much as this land has. It's become part of who I am.

[erika]

Refuge is a such a wonderful book. I haven't been to Utah (yet) but it's high on the list. Beautiful photos; nice to start Monday with them!

[Teresa C]

The perfect post to read after a day of Cross-Country skiing in Vermont. Though I spent a bit of it on my *ss, there is nothing to compare with being out doors, looking at the mountains, breathing in the fresh pre-snow storm air. I love it and never want it to be taken away. Thanks for posting about it.