in my garage i hung a window frame
and it frames... just wood
i went for a ski after resting
and at the trailhead were two huge trucks, a trailer,
and a beast of a load moving machine with tracks.
the trail was trashed
but there was obviously some reason.
i tried to stay inbetween
because the horizontal track was very slow.
before i saw the hobbit house
i met a fellow peeing on the track,
embarrassed him actually.
he quickly moved and apologized, kept trying to talk about it.
and i skied way over to the far left,
intent on making no conversation.
the thermometer read 4 degrees.
there was no wind,
pileated woodpeckers called
and there was more tractor-like noise.
i was dazzled,
but still the damn noises persisted.
i tried to pay attention to the woods.
when a pileated woodpecker begins excavating a tree
it leaves distinctive holes
which elongate into furrows
that in this amazing tree
i can peer through.
can you see?
then
i encountered this one trundling up the path.
it had tracks that were diagonal
and therefore good to ski over.
convenient amidst inconvenience.
i have skied and walked and even mountain biked this trail
for 30 years
and have never seen maintenance guys on it
or equipment other than a stray snow machine
setting cross country trails.
before a more challenging site was developed.
the guys (three at least)
cut out a dangerous nuisance tree that had come down on the trail
and chipped it.
on the way out they were hauling in two small bridges.
this work used to be done
on site,
with minimal equipment.
this stream is being bridged
and i mourn for the days
of intervention by human hauled equipment
not equipment hauling humans.
and humans taking a few little risks and
navigating tiny stream banks.
my heart get sad.
i stopped at the latest flea market in town
saw one of my old students.
met his girlfriend.
and then i found something very amusing
curiouser and curiouser
are human beings.