105-To Winter My Revenge

                                              To Winter My Revenge

                   

I had once 

so long ago it seems

enjoyed the cool aroma

tasted the nectar sweet

of personal destiny achieved

These Words!

So at last I come to understand

after all these travels

all the achievements

that most men only dream . . . .

I've been wasting the years

trying to go back

rolling that bitter ugly taste

over and over 

my tired palete

"Reliving is not Life"

I am . . . to tell this tale

        . . . to pound one nail

        . . . to Winter My Revenge

                 T. Thomas Dillon

                  7/29/87

Galena Street Aspen

 The Temperatures have soared into the 100's. Monday working on installing an Evaporative Cooler on a roof, I believe it was the hottest day I have ever worked in. I love the heat. I have always enjoyed starting a wilderness trek early in the morning and climbing and hiking all day long. The dog days of summer in Colorado last sometimes for almost 16 hours. It makes for having wonderful outdoor experiences. It is a juxtaposition of the winter. The sun is at a different angle and you often experience the flat light of winter and a dull dreary day. I love them both. I suppose it is indicative of my love for Colorado. It truly is a beautiful state.

   Why a picture of Aspen in the winter, during hot warm Colorado sun shiny days. I think because it was so bright on Monday working on a roof. That I was reminded of flat light. If you have ever experienced flat light on white snow you would know what I am talking about. You loose depth perception and large dips and even small cliffs blend into the snow and it is a danger that you would never expect to encounter in the mountains. Then add to the fact that when you are skiing you are generally traveling at a fair clip on skis and that it would be easy to ski off of a trail that is extremely steep into something steeper. I guess it is just a play on light that is unique in the mountains. The light on Monday was bright, hot and relentless. Hot long and incredibly beautiful all the colors of the foothills just popped out at you and you could see forever. I do miss the the Evergreens and the Mountains compared to the flatness of the foothills. It was the first day that I believe that I thought of the cold winter days of Aspen since leaving. Kind of like missing and old friend or confidant, something triggers a feeling or a thought and they are etched into your memory and for that brief moment they float through your mind. Perhaps it was that I was just delirious and suffering from sunstroke or maybe the light was playing tricks on my mind. I believe for the moment I was standing on Galena Street staring up at Ajax (Aspen Mountain) in a cool Winter Breeze. Stay cool out there and hydrate in the heat.

My Other Love
The Moody Blues: The Tide Rushes In