Wednesday 15 April 2009

DEEP DESERT SURPRISES

WHAT'S OVER THIS HILL?
I COULDN'T HAVE GUESSED. I take this picture as a metaphor for my life. Do I have the gumption to go see?

Well for openers there were three flocks of sheep. None of them skiddish--taaaaking their sweet time to let me through. Why try to raise sheep in this forlorn, un-nutritious desert? The answer is directly in front of my truck---for the lambs. Nearly every ewe had a lamb. And that's where the money is. Water and supplemental feed has to be brought out here. The desert is just a cheap place to be. More interesting to me was who---who in this wide world would stay out here and look after them. Who can endure the loneliness? The answer surprised me.----Basque shepherds from spain and only they it seems have what it takes for this job. I saw a trailer in the distance.


This is half of what remains of the crossroads town of Rice, Ca.


And this is the other half. If I were the superstitious sort I may have been spooked at seeing my name on the wall---with instructions to pray. ( I do not) The left hand word is Lord I guess

With binoculars I saw this in the distance and went to investigate. Lots and lots of shoes tied to this fence. I think the desert evokes whimsey like this. I've actually seen an underwear tree.
34 miles is a ways to go for jerky.
Paul and I call it a day well off the road looking down on a dry salt lake. (dale)

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