I wake earlier than usual and walk down to the dock and there she
is, coming my way. The trail of smooth convex
bubbles gives her away. Her gray barrel-like body glides along, her calf, half
her size carefully tucked on the far side of her massive body, safe, away from
me. She has three scars above the base of her tail. They are old wounds, healed
over from a past propeller strike. Manatee mom and baby move silently past,
they are relaxed, moving at a leisurely pace.
Look around and you will rewarded. See the gifts that give depth and meaning to each of our lives - the little things. A trip down to my dock, a 10 minute Sunday drive to the Port to do some photography. In my house there are stacks and stacks of books that have transported me to other parts of the world. A basket of colorful yarn represent projects just waiting to be knitted.
Some of my greatest treasures - a mason jar full
of purie marbles bought at a flea market years ago for a buck. A statue of a
schoolboy striding to or from school (from the look on his face I’d go with the
latter) chalkboard at his side – which belonged to my beloved grandmother. My
great grandmother’s “Our father who art
in heaven, hallowed be thy name” kitschy knick-knack that sits in a place of
honor on my shelf.
Here are a few of my favorite adventure
travel books that you will find on my shelves.
A Wolverine is Eating My Leg by Tm Cahill
Tales of a Shaman’s Apprentice by Mark
Plotkin
Savages by Joe Kane
The Origin by Irving Stone
25 Years of Outside Magazine by the editors
of Outside Magazine