Mountain Time

Magdalena Mountains, looking toward Water Canyon, May 2012 (Topaz BW Effects "Opalotype" style)

My new wanna-be theme song, from one of my favorite bluesmen:

You drive west on 80, it won't take too long
Till the road starts climbing up to mountain time
There's a girl I know there, she lives free and easy
And she shows me wonders and she takes my mind

And she's wild as eagles
She's as sweet as honeysuckle
Her life's flowing like a mountain stream
And she takes me somewhere
And it's good to be there
And she pulls me into her bright golden wing

Now I hate the city and I love the country
I love that feeling on that mountain high
And that girl is waiting
But she won't wait too long
So I drive all night to that clear blue sky...
 --Joe Bonamassa, "Mountain Time"

This spring is why they call it Water Canyon...

Well, it's west on 60, I'm hardly a "girl," and I'm definitely not holding my breath for anyone to bother making the long drive up here... but if there's truth to the adage that we take on qualities of our surroundings, I'm happy to be here and to live a life that is wild, sweet, and flowing like a mountain stream...

This morning I loaded up my restless self and my restless dogs and set out for Water Canyon, a perfect hiking spot for a spring day with a forecast of increasing winds. There is so much bright, living green, and cool water just a bit up the canyon, and the dogs happily wallowed in the stream and rambled through the quiet forest. The day started off sunny and clear, then the winds blew in big rolling clouds after lunch (I love lunch on the trail far better than in any restaurant). Even as the winds picked up, the canyon remained serene; this area of the Magdalena Mountains is perfect for windy days and is also perfectly cool on the hottest summer day. What a great way to kick off what will be a busy week in ABQ... and a great visual setting for my new internal soundtrack....