The thing that redeems summer is the twenty minute span each day when the sun is falling lower and the land is bathed in golden hazy light. Sometimes, in the middle of it, I feel joyful. An emotional climax expressed internally as a confused chorus of voices and laughter and music and a pull, a strong pull, upward. Sometimes I feel I could stretch out over the earth and melt into it. I have been angry at it, I have felt grateful for it.
We were out in it Monday evening.
When my mom and sister were here, a stretch of highway was mentioned, and my mom expressed her dislike for that drive. I was startled. A few years ago, Jut and I were driving across the Midwest back to Wyoming, and we took a different route. We drove across this state on that highway, early on an October morning, and I fell in love with the land. I felt a peaceful connection to it, and grew more and more excited with each mile, more in love with each roll of earth, each white square house. That stretch of highway introduced me to this state, and I am fiercely protective of it–I feel that surely everyone must see it’s one of the most beautiful places in the world.
I know we don’t all see from the same eyes. When we’re driving down to visit my family, my mom will call us, and she always jokes, “Are you back in God’s country yet?” I remember people don’t share eyes, but it’s a shame I can’t give mine for just a few seconds.
I love these hills, I love the sun slipping away through thick warm air.
Love,
black sheeped
July 23, 2008 at 7:46 am
I loved this. Those pictures are breathtaking.
I know what you mean about the highway. When I was on a road trip about 8 years ago, I drove through Pennsylvania and I swear the sound my tires made on the highway sounded like a chorus singing. It was this high-pitched but soothing sound, and I still think about it today. It made me fall in love with that state just for that reason.
July 23, 2008 at 10:37 am
Beautiful post.
There is rarely a landscape I don’t like – but some are more breathtaking than others and it is different for all of us. A. really likes areas like the badlands – he finds real beauty in it. I can appreciate it, but I don’t prefer it.
When we drove out to see you I was kind of beside myself with the rolling hills. (and it wasn’t even pretty summer – it was march!) I kept telling A.: “I can see us living here. I really can. Can you?”
I think part of my crush on the land was I knew I was going to see you and I finally got to see what a beautiful place you live in now.
July 24, 2008 at 4:48 am
I like the way you write on here. You’re posts are actually interesting to read, descriptive, and earthy. I pop by now and again, as I found this through another blog (of which I also pop by now and again.) Anyway, I always feel like a stalker when I leave a comment with someone I don’t know, but I did want to drop a line to say that I appreciate the poetic language.
Cheers!