Author Archives: Sagittarian Seeker

The Road to 65, Mile 66: Totems

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Posted by on in Personal goals, Social

February 2, 2015, Prescott- From the time I was small, there has been something about bears that has set in my heart, far beyond the Teddy Bear connection that has led some to dismiss that fascination.  I have learned that my Penobscot ancestors regarded the bear as a sacred being, as many Indigenous Americans do.  So, it was a particular honour when a longtime friend gave me an eagle feather, my name slightly misspelled, and with four bears lovingly placed along the bottom edge.

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It sits now, at the edge of a heart, created by my wife, from mesquite sticks around 2002.  That was a symbol of all we had, and its ruggedness foreshadowed what we were to endure.  The eagle and the bears are symbols of keenness and strength, two qualities which I’ve known, erratically, most of my life.  During all her suffering, though, I could not let go of either quality.

Now, I’m coming into another phase of my life, its specifics still unclear, but in which sharpness of mind and strength of character will need to flow, uninterrupted.  It will entail a lot of flexibility, energy-wise and time-wise, and could very well include going back to work full time, though that is a matter now in the hands of others.  The totems will impart a certain energy to the process.  Stay tuned.

The Road to 65, Mile 65: Weirdness Finds Us

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Posted by on in Entertainment, Social

February 1, 2015, Longmont, CO-  Katy Perry has done one or two songs that resonate with me, and several others with which some of the girls, with whom I’ve worked over the past few years, have sung along.  Her videos, though, are mostly flamboyant and of the “all about MEEE” genre.  When I visited my paternal uncle on Sunday, after the  Winter Summit had finished, he was glad that I had come along- all the more so, as he could turn from the tv, which he had muted during her performance.

We talked of several things- my visit to our ancestral neighbourhood in Rouen, my having gone across the Pacific, from Honolulu to San Diego, and my son’s wise choice in doing four more years in the Navy and Uncle’s dealing with the gradual effects of nearing 90.  He is a practical man, who plans things out and addresses issues creatively.  So, as Super Bowl play resumed, and the sound was turned back on accordingly, he was a bit perturbed to see the various blunders which took up the second half.  It’ll be a while before the question, “What kind of coach orders a PASS at the goal line?” is addressed to Uncle’s satisfaction.  As New Englanders, we were pleased with the outcome, but we both have had good experiences in the Northwest, so there were condolence thoughts expressed, as well.

It was, he and I agreed, a surreal game.  For the Seattle wide receiver to catch the ball, while sprawled aground, as if it were a greased pig, was  kind of like eating bacon ice cream- a bizarre treat that would be an acquired taste.  The Patriots’ rookie defenseman’s finding the ball coming right into his hands, behind the goal line, was equally bizarre, but felt more  like a triple chocolate, dripped caramel, with peppermint, triple shake-albeit in the dead of winter.  Weirdness brings the most delectable surprises, and never when or where one might expect.

The Road to 65, Mile 64: Roommates

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Posted by on in Social

January 31, 2015, Boulder- I am sharing a hotel room with someone I had never met before yesterday.  He is congenial and considerate, as  I am in return.  It is a rare occasion when I have a roommate, anymore.  I last did so in the dark days of Summer, 2011, when I was at  a week-long Baha’i school, following Penny’s passing and my abrupt cancellation of home renovation plans, which messed up the contractor’s schedule and added to my emotional meandering.  The gentleman who shared my room then was quiet and scholarly, and had some fine tales of his days with the Canadian Air Force, serving in the far northern edge of Ellesmere Island.

Since then, I have lived alone- first in a two-bedroom house and now in a one-bedroom apartment.  It seems to fit, especially as I have been in and out of town so much.  Likewise, having a roommate this weekend also fits- for the task in front of each of us is to be more social.  I am feeling a lot more talkative, though my roommate is spending his first time away from his wife of five years, and is on the phone with her constantly, during free time.

I know the feeling well.  The few times that Penny and I were apart, during our years together, we were constantly on the phone with each other, or connecting online.  Spouses are the ultimate roommates, after all.

The Road to 65, Mile 63: Special Touch

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Posted by on in Personal goals, Social

January 30, 2015-  Today was spent learning how to apply a variety of  essential oils to another person’s body, in a therapeutic and respectful manner.  Couples can have lots of fun with this, as well.  For me, though, it was a focused and elegant exercise.  The purpose of this is to address the sacrocranial column and the feet, with 5-8 oils.  Each of these oils has a specific property and affects the body in a particular way.  Lavender, which starts the process, relaxes the body. Peppermint, which ends it, brings the body back to a state of alertness.  The whole process, for each of us, took 40 minutes.

I am now certified to OFFER this treatment to people, but I will not CHARGE for it, at least not for the time being. I may not teach others how, without a rigourous training process. The most important thing is that, once one learns the process, it is a good idea to let people know that it works.  When it was done on me, this morning, I felt wondrously relaxed and spiritually nourished.  Oh, and the Thai curried chicken added to those feelings.

If you have the opportunity to learn this process, take it.

The Road to 65, Mile 62: No Snow

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Posted by on in Social, Travel

January 29, 2015, Boulder-  I came to Boulder, this evening, after a long day of driving through an unusually dry series of Colorado roads.  There was a modest amount of snow, well off the roads, in the mountain passes, and a hardy quartet of young men buzzed around the base of Wolf Creek Summit, on their Skidoos.  Down in Del Norte, however, it was mild and the grounds of Piece of Art complex, at the west end of town, were muddy.  I had a hearty bowl of split pea soup there, one of my favourite cafes along Hwy. 160.  I found the complex is up for sale, for $699,000.  I certainly hope it falls into caring hands.  Piece of Art is one of a kind, especially in that area of Colorado.

It was a smooth ride further, up I-25, past Denver, and up to Hwy. 36, which was narrow, due to construction, and very dark, due to the Dark Sky Ordinance that seems to have been adopted by Boulder- both City and County.  I made it to a comfortable motel, though, and got a fine night’s sleep, after the six hour drive from Cortez.

I would like to see more snow hereabouts, though.  If it slows my return to Arizona, that’s okay.  My main concern is seeing our rivers enjoy the fruits of a good snowpack, and the mountains are the key to that.  Wherever the good snow falls, the chances of fire in the coming Spring and Summer become less.  That would do my heart good.

The Road to 65, Mile 61: Vintage

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Posted by on in Social

January 28, 2015, Prescott-  This afternoon, as I was readying for my drive up to Colorado, I got a call from my street-smart buddy, wanting me to look at something.  I met him at a used car lot, mentally preparing for yet another misadventure.  What I found, though, was that he had found, and arranged to buy, a treasure.  A 1995 Ford van, complete with solid wood consoles, and a small 8-cylinder engine, was his, for a bargain price.  He started it up, and I did my usual in such matters- kicking the tires (good tread and solid wheels), checking the exhaust pipe, manifold, belts and hoses (all good) and the fluids (topped off and clean).  He seems to have done well.

This set me to thinking.  Many of us complain that there is little made to last, any more.  Here is a prime example, though, of a vintage model that has held up well, after nearly twenty years. I am of the opinion that young people will revive the notion of building things in a solid manner.  We already see artisan products- foods, beverages, and various crafts, all being made with pride.  I think that artisan products will expand, in number and in scope, as the need to ditch the concept of planned obsolescence gains momentum.

Relationships, too, will increase in the number of “vintage” long-lasting bonds.  We may not see traditional marriages increase in number, but I have observed a larger number of couples who are committed to one another.  I don’t think it’s just old Bruin wearing rose-coloured glasses.  Young folks want security, and where better to find such, in the days of the scaredy-cats on Wall Street selling other people’s funds at the drop of a hat, or of the proverbial sky, than with a long-term partner.

As some things fall apart, other things will emerge and be the foundation of the future True Vintage.

The Road to 65, Mile 60: A Father and His Daughters

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Posted by on in Personal goals

January 27, 2015, Prescott- Pop would have been 91 today.  That he made it to 90 years, 4 months and 10 days, before returning to the Spirit Realm, last year, was the prime force of his indomitable will.  He showed his Nazi captors, various other bullies throughout his life, and all of us who came to be his trusted circle of family and friends just how adversity ought to be handled.

The Universe gave that man’s man three girls to raise.  He gave that task his all, as any father worthy of the name, would have.  All three, two of whom are twins, were unique individuals, and Pop played to their strengths, challenged their weaknesses and gave them a secure framework for growing into women of achievement.  His eldest, my late wife, Penny, achieved three Master’s Degrees, a thirty-year career as a classroom teacher and showed her own triumph in dealing with a lifelong illness, which only brought her down after she had made her mark and touched the lives of hundreds of young people, across the globe.  Her sisters have worked hard and proven themselves indispensable in their respective businesses- which have run the gamut from telecommunications to equestrian training.

Horses were, in fact, central to the Fellman family’s life.  Riding, both English and Western, was a family trademark, and was one of the endeavours that brought Norm back from his end-of-war near-death status.  That, and the equally indomitable will of his wife of 65 years, gave him the lease on life that made his influence on so many of us, such a force of nature.  He was a pilot and a motorcyclist, which the ladies respectfully declined to take up for themselves.  Horses, dogs and cats, though, remain essential- and Pop was never without at least one of the three within calling distance.  He imparted that love of animals to his daughters, and none of their houses have been without pets.

Men are indispensable to their girls.  Both parents are indispensable to all of their children.  I never had the honour of raising a daughter, but as a proud parent of a an American sailor, I would be fully engaged in the lives of any grandchildren he may sire, in the future.  Norman David Fellman set that mold, both as a father and grandfather.  His pride in each of his girls was infectious, in the best of ways.  The mold will not be broken.

The Road to 65, Mile 59: Heaven Sent

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Posted by on in Hiking and Nature

January 26, 2015, Prescott- An asteroid, replete with its own tiny moon, zipped past us today.  As our area was overcast, no one here would have been the wiser, had it not been for the media making several references.  Apparently, Russia, Australia and the midmost Pacific Ocean were all spared, as was the rest of the planet.  God knows, we need no more extinctions or disasters, given that there are plenty of both happening, almost on a daily basis.

The last five Northern White Rhinoceros are being prepped for DNA extractions, in hopes that a female Southern White Rhino might be a surrogate mother of an IVF Northern White Rhino baby, or two.  In order for the population to be restored, however, one would imagine the process would have to be repeated at least four more times. I mention this, because we tend to think of life as being subject to human whim.

This is a peculiar narcissism.  Life happened so long before any creature resembling us was more than a part of the Creative Force’s long-range plan.  We have the power to undo so much, though, that I shudder at the tendency of some to look at profit as the sole determinant of who, or what, lives and dies.  Mass extinction, though, would seem to require far more.

It could be that someday the  planet will be visited by an orb large enough to bring about a “night” of three to six months.  There will, no doubt, be human and animal survivors of such a dreadful occasion, just as there were animals which thrived, even after the asteroid which most likely precipitated the demise of the dinosaurs, as the fossil record revealed them to be.

Through it all, I hope that people will look upwards, at the noonday Sun and at the bright moon and stars of night, and remember that, as life was generated, seemingly from nothing, so many eons ago, any acts of ours which extinguish one living flame will be answered by a new torch of life.

The Road to 65, Mile 58: Hiding in Plain Sight

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Posted by on in Social

January 25, 2015, Prescott-  A few days ago, my topic was Expectations.  As I figured, the topic offended some people, but that’s the risk one takes, on a dedicated series like this.  Regardless, I will continue to write what’s in my heart.  Many of us prefer to overlook things which are either mundane or unsettling.

When I was still quite young, I sometimes would win a game of Hide and Seek, by simply lying down prone on the ground, close to the bottom edge of a cliff or berm.  The seeker would, without fail, walk or run past me, and back to goal I would head in triumph.

Fast forward to the present, and a job market which frequently casts its nets far afield, while overlooking local talent, either out of the vanity of seeking the exotic or in the belief that someone who comes from another locale, will bring fresh vision and energy to the table.  I fell in that trap, a few times, in the late ’90’s, only to be overruled by my Board, which chose an aging local person for the position.  She turned out to be perfectly suited for the job, and grew in it, professionally, to serve several more years- long after I had left.

It’s just a thought, but how much would business and  industry  save, if they were to prioritize finding local talent, especially in smaller, close-knit communities.  The newcomers do bring a different perspective, but they often must be eased into the community, while so many who are passed-over are still in the community, years later, and could have been a far greater asset to the organization, overall.

The Road to 65, Mile 57: Back Among the Saddled, Again

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Posted by on in Hiking and Nature

January 24, 2015, Bumble Bee, AZ- I found, late this morning, that I had previously reached the trail head of Antelope Springs- Hidden Treasure segment of the Black Canyon National Recreation Trail, which I am determined to complete, in segments, during this calendar year.  Gleefully, I headed out from the large water tank that marks Antelope Springs.

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The first mile, or so, of the trail is easy, flat and distinguished only by what is probably the northwesternmost sahuaro in Arizona.  All was quiet, too, which gave me the solitude I craved this noon, after a week of earnest service to a homeless veteran and a class of Special Needs students.

While the trail stayed sanguine, the rocks were the star attractions.  Smooth quartz, mostly milky white, was dispersed along the way- with a couple fields of shattered shards.  Other pieces were marbled with granite, or infused with iron.SAM_3766

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A surprise came, around the first mile point, in the form of a large boulder of blue granite.SAM_3772

Then there were lots more broken bits of silica.SAM_3785

The trail began to get more rugged around the area where Hidden Treasure Mine was supposed to be.  I found no indication of the mine, which is probably just as well.SAM_3787

I did find an ominous hooded figure, but it was merely a standing bit of granite.SAM_3793

In Government Canyon, where I took a brief rest, around Mile 4, I saw a marbled granite gem.SAM_3800

The trail kept on rising, then began to descend towards Bumble Bee and Bland Hill Road, around Mile 5.SAM_3805

Sahuaro are a bit more numerous in this area, and face the ravages of being approached by the occasional errant horse, or human.  There were plenty of both along the trail today.  It was a gorgeous day, and about two dozen horses, with both Western and English riders, happened along.  I picked up a shoe that one of the animals had lost, and the group later gave it to me as a souvenir.  About eight bicyclists also enjoyed the trail.SAM_3806

I took note of the next starting point, at mile 6.2, just a mile or so west of Bumble Bee, an old mining town that is now home to about two dozen intrepid families.SAM_3811

Off to the southeast, and up on a steep hill, I could see Sunset Point, the major highway rest area, on I-17, between Phoenix and the turnoff to Prescott.

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Heading back to the water tank, I spotted twoformations, in different light.

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This outcropping contained a marker for stockmen to keep their animals in single file, as if they needed any such cue, on this trail.SAM_3817

So it went, that I completed not one, but two, segments of this well-worn trail.  Next segment will take me from Bumble Bee to Black Canyon City, sometime in late February.