Back to Basics

My Dad has lived in the sticks (I say that endearingly) for five years now. His way of life is not comfortable for most people, including my Mom, but it is comfortable for me and Daddio. The woods here feel familiar and his Mediterranean cottage on Hornbecks Creek feels like a home. Going to the mountains is like going home; that is what my dad's hero John Muir said. Daddio lives on Kittatiny Mountain, in the Bushkill watershed. There are big tall hemlocks and sycamores, lots of wintering song birds and pheasants, and only a few other savages who are enjoying their retirement and/or escaping the conveniences and demands from the nearby metro areas. Today we spent the afternoon winding through the S-curves along Hornbecks Creek to get to Indian Ladders - a series of waterfalls. We pondered the power of water, and the turbulence churning among members of our small family. We know that all it takes is to remember to respect eachother and love eachother, hold eachother close and we can get through anything. Daddio and I have similiar appreciation for time spent in the mountains. The time we spend immersed in the beauty of the landscape and clean air provide clarity of mind and heart.