Quote, quote

I can't decide whether to enjoy the world or improve the world:
that makes it difficult to plan the day.
- E. B.White

Bareback Ridge, 1998

Last week, Eleanor and I made the trek up Bareback Ridge overlooking Harlow Lake on the Road to Big Bay, north of Marquette. Here is what I saw there a decade ago.

August, 1998

Maggie and I have mounted Bareback Ridge, sitting astride its peak. It is all downhill from here, steep downhill. Eagles ride the winds in the coves, foraging for critters. They are a magnificent sight, soaring below us. I watch the eagles with one eye, keeping a second eye out for Maggie, who likes to tightrope walk on the edges of the ridge. She is small enough to make a tasty snack for an eagle. A steady breeze flows out of the south east. It holds at bay a dark western overcast for the time being. We will not have long up here before the rain comes in.

We return home for lunch. We're pooped, both of us. Maggie naps. I jot down some notes. It has been a delicious hike.

Some things never change.

Boundary Waters, 2008

The long awaited canoe trip in Minnesota's Boundary Waters took us for a few nights to Slim Lake, a quiet spot not far from Ely. What marked this trip in my own heart was that it was the first 3 generation canoe trip for both the Engle family and the Morgan family. Uncles Jason and Matt showed off their fishing, camping and cooking prowess gained from three decades of canoe trips. They were the work horses of the trip. What is always gratifying is the way such a journey brings everyone back to the basics of their lives. It is one of the only places where the "good of the whole" surpasses the desires of each traveller. It is also the place where a little effort can make the quality of life measurably better. Young Cousins, Eleanor and Kennedy brought a joy and enthusiasm to the whole party. I will not soon forget the howling games of cribbage that followed the dinner dishes each night. "Fish naming has been all the rage." writes Jason, "Gilligan was # 1 fish yesterday. (It)was Scruffy, until Matt reminded Eleanor that fish don't have fur. Hmmmm. . . but they DO HAVE GILLS!" Hence Gilligan.

As with all canoe adventures, they are the very best in prospect and retrospect, as the muscle twinges and sheer exhasution subside. It was not long before talk of next year's trip began to surface. So where are we going in 2009? I already have volunteers for the trip!

Early Autumn Signs?

Perhaps as a result of the wetness of early summer, the fall mushrooms are showing up in the yard. The Amanita, Chanterelle, Russala and Boletus appear in small numbers. Yet, there are Indian Pipes. They remember that it is summer, after all. The sparse spring Morel season is compensated with abundant early autumn fungi. It may be that we'll be enjoying the some of the edibles for a good long season. That would be good.

Canoe Trip Excitement

In a week's time 7 folks from our extended family will be plying the Boundary Waters for a few days of canoeing and camping. Canoe travel has always a high point in my personal pilgrimage. I do not return as the same person who embarked on the trip just a few days earlier. So I am full of anticipation about what I am going to see and learn this time. Past journals of wilderness trips are tales of transformation.

For the first time 3 generations going on a canoe trip. There are the elders, Ernie Morgan and me. There will be a middle generation in early and mid career, some raising families, all making important contributions. This year there will be two grandchildren along for the trip, Eleanor and Kennedy. It is so gratifying to introduce these youngest people to this transformation space. It is an act of hope. We are saying that this wilderness world will be around for them to give to their kids.

I noticed that the middle generation, folks deeply involved in the working world, are the most excited about the trip. Matt Wilson has been a constant source of encouragement as soon as we laid down the plan for this year's trip. Sure, the old guys know it will be a lot of fun and a real eye opener, but the middle generation has a real yearning, a passion, to get into a different place, if only for a little while. I love to hear Matt and Jason and KC dreaming about a time in the wild.

I'll be back with some reporting of the trip, even a log entry or two. For now, I am looking for the "once a year" equipment I have stashed away in the last move. Anybody have a sleeping bag? I can't find mine!

That'll Do

Magdalen Snowblower May 7, 1998 - July 5, 2008

"May I be the person my dog thinks I am," reads the sign that has hung over my desk for most of Maggie's life. For those who have mastered a Border Collie, you know that the human dog relationship is intense and deeply gratifying. Maggie died this morning at age 10. She is worth remembering not only because she was a wonderful companion, but for all that she gave to so many. She was a regular presence at St. Paul's Church, Marquette for 8 of her ten years, a welcomer and companion to many. Her presence took the imposing edge off of that wonderful Victorian Structure, inviting many into the place in a wonderful way. During her last two years, she herded the geese at Battle Creek's parks, a contract employee of the City of Battle Creek. She gave more than she got. The empty space she leaves behind is enormous. In the end, we are all better for having had contact with Maggie. Her death, as her life was noble and gentle. We will miss her.

Lessons of Nuremburg

At the Nuremburg Trials in the aftermath of World War II, the chief American prosecutor, Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson, stated, “To initiate a war of aggression, therefore, is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole.”