Dan’s Delights 3/24-30
March 31, 2025Howdy Folks! :) Happy first full week of Spring!
There is a quote by CS Lewis where he says, “Isn’t it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back everything is different.”. For me this is a great encapsulation of how it feels, for me, to be living in one spot for a longer period of time. My daily tasks are run, read, make art, feel the feelings. It feels very repetitive day to day and only holds a tiny bit of stress when I don’t create anything I feel is “good” or I don’t make any money, what society dubs to me is good. I mean it’s almost all so ritualistic to do these things that when I don’t, I can feel my inner self rotting away. Okay, that may be extreme, but anybody who has seen me enter a doom scrolling behavior knows I probably just need to go for a walk or make something with my hands.
Anyway, I think it’s in those walks that I find my most delights and I get reminded how I do value change, or at least novelty. It can get difficult for me to continue to find delights in something I am seeing day in and day out, I guess it’s one underpinning reason for why I continue to travel extensively, and yet I also know that while I walk I often come back to music that soothes me one of which is Seven by Sleeping at Last where he writes “But I want to be here/Truly be here/To watch the ones that I love bloom/And I want to make room/To love them through, and through, and through, and through/The slow and barren seasons, too.”
So I am trying to work hard through these “slow and barren seasons” be it financially, travel, or just times when life is less the raucous joyous chaos I love it to be. I know there is still much to delight in. Much that makes all of this life so so beautiful. After all life is just one big dichotomy of ideas. So might as well enjoy some of these little things right? And here’s what those things were this week. :)
Monday I drove out from Salt Lake City starting my trek west for work. Along the way I made a pit stop in the Ruby Mountains outside Elko, NV to try and scout some trails for a potential summer adventure. While many of the trails were still very much covered in snow and ice, it was joyous to get a small glimpse into the environment that would hold this adventure.
That night I slept over at a rest stop and enjoyed some of the most beautiful stars I have seen since the canyon. I was again reminded of an entry into a journal long ago where upon convincing my friends to drive 3 hours to a dark sky park in college, “Never have I seen darkness os bright, nor heard silence so deafening.”
When I got to Oregon I was instantly reminded of how much I love the smells up here and that there is WATER!!! Lakes, rivers, and RAINNNNN. Maybe the rain would get old if I lived here full time, but there is such beauty and greenery because of it. I think maybe we should all just learn to dance and sing, rain or shine.
Also since there is tons of rain each day and all the sun in between there is perfect time to see rainbows. I only got to catch one this week but it was such a beauty. And the cloud formations are equally delightful as they hover so low above the earth here.
While out and about looking for a portable induction burner at the local thrift stores I came across an Ansel Adams Photo book that I ended up reading cover to cover while in the store. I wish I had room to take it home with me into my little van, but it was just too big. So, I’ll carry these quotes from him instead into my life and how I approach my outdoor teachings.
On one of walks this week I came across a wishing tree. A tree with a little sign and box indicating for people to take a tag write a wish and hang it into the world for all to see. Manifest something small or large, but always remembering as Shayne Said
“NINE: Try. The tiniest dream that you try to make happen is worth more than the biggest dream you never attempt.”
We celebrated Eryn’s birthday with good company, Dino nuggiesssss, and some chaotic games of leg wrestling. I may be a defending champion now. No big deal :) Also we got to end the evening with a reading of Claire’s favorite book “I want my hat back” She also recommends the one with the turtles by the same author.
Also what week is complete without seeing all the lovely dogs of the world :)
I think this person has it all figured out. Cause what if the Hokey Pokey is truly what it’s all about? I mean if it’s not, maybe it’s about getting a beverage on a rainy day with your friends :)
This week I also got to spend a lot more time with Mitchell. A friend how I have now gone on both my Grand Canyon trips with and will be doing another trip with in May. So soon! It was fun to just get time to know him better and watch some baseball and move a TV into his new home here in Eugene so we don’t have to watch baseball on my laptop. Sadly, the braves are 0-3 to start the season.
As a kid raised for the most part in Maryland I have my concerns about this but it got me to laugh so that’s delightful. Also the coast is close, so I can trust seafood again!
Lastly just want to say I love seeing such diverse people all being their true selves again. Eugene, Portland, and Ashland are places where community knows to value the individuality of others. They are not perfect cities but I love seeing all walks of people be able to truly be themselves without fear of persecution. Because remember You Matter. :)
That’s all for this week friends. As always I would love to hear about your delights and know what’s happening with you. Send a note! Until next week here is a song by an artist whose music I’ve fallen in love with recently to send you about your week :)
Much Love ,
Dan