Shades of Gray

I spent the night solo at camp, staying up very late and finishing my book:  50 Shades of Gray.  I woke up to a very overcast and gray day on Friday and realized I'd been writing about 50 Shades of Gray long before it was all the rage.  Here's a link to one I wrote a year ago:  http://fiorghra.blogspot.com/2011/08/april-camp.html

Here's one I wrote Friday morning:

Shades of Gray


Nothing does bleak better than a marsh in spring
The smoky gray water that sparkles on another day is unrevealing and foreboding
Unapologetically reflecting the dreary sky of an emerging day
Great stark limbs of dead trees protrude from the hoary surface
Obscured further by a fog 
                  creating a translucent and vague outcome 
The lush reeds of August remain below the surface 
                  just reeking of anticipation
On this morning, even the wildlife that come to feed in the marsh
Maintain the muted motif of dull whites, blacks, and of course, grays
And when you pull it all together it goes from dreary and dull to 
Startling, exciting, brimming with uncertainty and promise 
And you never knew 50 shades of gray could be so beautiful.

Here

Sunday, May 27th - spent last three nights here at camp - guess it's going to be a fourth.  It's hard to leave.  I enjoy the absence of tv and other distractions of home; I should be glazing some pots that have been ready and waiting for days; or doing laundry; or paying bills; or vacuuming, sweeping, etc.  But instead I'm enjoying my fourth day at camp, deciding whether to kayak or read my new book, or bang on some drums, or just sit and watch the critters.  I've been listening to the birds, frogs, and loons; later the peepers will be out in force.  

Earlier I took a solo kayak paddle up to where the stream narrows, taking a few side trips on the way.  Only saw one other boat on the stream the whole trip.  Came back and hung up the prayer flags* I bought in Portland a few weeks ago.  

Also cleaned up my Altar to the Universe and lit some incense.  The critters always tear up the altar because the bird seed from above falls into the rocks and they dig for it.  The rocks are mostly ones I've picked up here and there:  Campobello Island last summer, Reid State Park, Popham, even Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands and a couple places in Thailand.  Just don't ask me which are which.  

The two hollow log planters that you can see in this photo had impatiens in them which apparently the critters thought were planted for their culinary delight. They also nibbled on one of my hostas.  Thankfully the other two planters and the other perennials were left alone - so far.

I came out Thursday after my dentist appointment and chilled for a few hours and then went back into Hallowell and had dinner at Hattie's with Jim Lund.  Returned to camp fairly early and slept great waking up to a very gray day on Friday.  Spent most of the day in bed overlooking the stream, reading and writing.  I'll post my 50 Shades of Gray poem later - guess I should call it something else so I don't  get in trouble for plagiarism.  (I just finished the first 50 Shades book Friday night and then downloaded another book to my Kindle - not 50 Shades 2 - but titled The Healing: A Novel by Jonathan Odell.)

Rick picked me up from camp and we went to Margaritta's for dinner and then to Easy Street for dancing, and woke up on Saturday to what was supposed to be a hot sunny day but turned out to be fairly cloudy.  We ran some errands in town (ordered a headboard for the bed here) and Ann and Steve came out for a barbecue and Bloody Marys.  Fortunately the sun finally burned through the clouds and with a nice breeze the weather was absolutely perfect.  Rick and I took a little siesta after they left and woke up around 7:00 for a sunset kayak paddle.

We sat around our campfire for a while and then went inside to watch a movie on the computer.  I'm afraid I didn't last long and was in bed before 11:00.  Woke up at one point in the night to watch a raccoon chase the flying squirrels away from the feeder and on closer inspection discovered a skunk at the base of the tree scrounging for seeds.  I decided not to try and scare the raccoon away.  

I love having internet at camp.  This is the first blog post I've done in some time.  Ahhh . . .  uninterrupted time . . . to do whatever I choose.  Or maybe it's just reducing my options or breaking habits.  

*From Wikipedia:  

Traditionally, prayer flags are used to promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom. The flags do not carry prayers to gods, a common misconception; rather, the Tibetans believe the prayers and mantras will be blown by the wind to spread the good will and compassion into all pervading space. Therefore, prayer flags are thought to bring benefit to all.

By hanging flags in high places the Lung ta will carry the blessings depicted on the flags to all beings. As wind passes over the surface of the flags which are sensitive to the slightest movement of the wind, the air is purified and sanctified by the Mantras.

The prayers of a flag become a permanent part of the universe as the images fade from exposure to the elements. Just as life moves on and is replaced by new life, Tibetans renew their hopes for the world by continually mounting new flags alongside the old. This act symbolizes a welcoming of life's changes and an acknowledgment that all beings are part of a greater ongoing cycle.