because we didn't take pictures
author's note: This is another one for my girl, and as the title implies, I wrote it to keep the memories fresh from our trip to Montana and Idaho (three months ago?!).
because we didn't take pictures...
A full car from the very start.
Probably 500 CD’s (and no I-Pod), sleeping bags, pillows, clothes, collapsible chairs, my laptop, books we never found time to read, two empty Kettlehouse growlers, (add in two endtables on the trip home), and two cowboy hats fitting two people in love and on vacation.
Heidi and John’s back porch, Rattlesnake Creek rumbling through Greenough Park just beyond our visual senses.
Dancing to Tom Catmull at Sean Kelly’s.
dried peaches and olive cheese bread at the Farmer’s Market.
Sun. Thank God for the sun.
The weather in general. How perfectly fitting for each day.
Rock Creek. Ray and Marlene. Glad you finally met them. Crushing cans and shooting whiskey. Getting off with just a warning driving back into town. Do you think the peaches covered the whiskey smell?
sitting in the Kettlehouse, sampling the brews. The guy who said you had a great smile first. Unthreatened, I grinned at his comment, and he said the same about me. Ahh, hippy kids.
Tipu’s after a good walk through Caras Park and along the Clark Fork River.
Bald eagles, bison, blue heron and elk. Oh my.
Touring along the Salmon River into Idaho.
Zim.
The next day. The four mile hike to Gold Bug. Light rain running down my face, dropping off my nose. Low clouds drifting across the mountains like smoke. I knew walking behind you that I would follow you anywhere, and thought about our future adventures.
Finally we made it to Gold Bug. Only one other group of three, but they occupied the best spot so we stopped at one of the other pools.
(For the sake of decency and young readers, anything possibly offensive has been replaced with “hot springs.”)
Getting “hot springs” despite the other group, and then having to walk like that over to the better pool when it looked like they were leaving,
past the small group who had chosen not to get “hot springs.”
They just didn’t get the hot springs.
Probably the other car with Utah plates.
After they left, sitting in the pool, I can still picture you standing “hot springs” in all of your glory. You stretched your arms to the sky, your beautiful “hot springs” curved in silhouette by the steam, with jagged granite mountains rising behind.
The rocks and the rain, the bright green, passing scents of flowers and sage.
Do we dare? How couldn’t we dare?
“hot springs,” “Hot Springs,” “HOT Springs,” “HOTTTT SPRINGSSS!!”
The hike back, rain having tapered off, cool air, shards of rock soaked to brilliant colors, wildflowers everywhere.
Back in Challis, the Cowgirl Steak that I would’ve ordered if I thought I wouldn’t have got beat up.
“We just want to watch ‘Time Bandits,’ dammit!”
“YAHTZEE!” The new version developed on the drive back in between belting out Greg Brown and Barry Manilow.
And the most important memories of all.
You.
And me.
And falling more in love with each passing day.
because we didn't take pictures...
A full car from the very start.
Probably 500 CD’s (and no I-Pod), sleeping bags, pillows, clothes, collapsible chairs, my laptop, books we never found time to read, two empty Kettlehouse growlers, (add in two endtables on the trip home), and two cowboy hats fitting two people in love and on vacation.
Heidi and John’s back porch, Rattlesnake Creek rumbling through Greenough Park just beyond our visual senses.
Dancing to Tom Catmull at Sean Kelly’s.
dried peaches and olive cheese bread at the Farmer’s Market.
Sun. Thank God for the sun.
The weather in general. How perfectly fitting for each day.
Rock Creek. Ray and Marlene. Glad you finally met them. Crushing cans and shooting whiskey. Getting off with just a warning driving back into town. Do you think the peaches covered the whiskey smell?
sitting in the Kettlehouse, sampling the brews. The guy who said you had a great smile first. Unthreatened, I grinned at his comment, and he said the same about me. Ahh, hippy kids.
Tipu’s after a good walk through Caras Park and along the Clark Fork River.
Bald eagles, bison, blue heron and elk. Oh my.
Touring along the Salmon River into Idaho.
Zim.
The next day. The four mile hike to Gold Bug. Light rain running down my face, dropping off my nose. Low clouds drifting across the mountains like smoke. I knew walking behind you that I would follow you anywhere, and thought about our future adventures.
Finally we made it to Gold Bug. Only one other group of three, but they occupied the best spot so we stopped at one of the other pools.
(For the sake of decency and young readers, anything possibly offensive has been replaced with “hot springs.”)
Getting “hot springs” despite the other group, and then having to walk like that over to the better pool when it looked like they were leaving,
past the small group who had chosen not to get “hot springs.”
They just didn’t get the hot springs.
Probably the other car with Utah plates.
After they left, sitting in the pool, I can still picture you standing “hot springs” in all of your glory. You stretched your arms to the sky, your beautiful “hot springs” curved in silhouette by the steam, with jagged granite mountains rising behind.
The rocks and the rain, the bright green, passing scents of flowers and sage.
Do we dare? How couldn’t we dare?
“hot springs,” “Hot Springs,” “HOT Springs,” “HOTTTT SPRINGSSS!!”
The hike back, rain having tapered off, cool air, shards of rock soaked to brilliant colors, wildflowers everywhere.
Back in Challis, the Cowgirl Steak that I would’ve ordered if I thought I wouldn’t have got beat up.
“We just want to watch ‘Time Bandits,’ dammit!”
“YAHTZEE!” The new version developed on the drive back in between belting out Greg Brown and Barry Manilow.
And the most important memories of all.
You.
And me.
And falling more in love with each passing day.
posted by A Man without a Band at 2:00 PM
8 Comments:
Holy Crap! What kind of a crazy long stupid advertising blog crashing comment was that?!? Whew.
OK, back to my original sentiment.
Oh. My. God. You are just too sweet for words. That vacation sounds like such a blast. You guys are so great together. It renews my faith in love to have had the honor of witnessing some of the small moments of you two falling for each other. Thank you so much for sharing. Spread the love, share the love, love the love.
sounds wonderful :) and you like ben harper, so you are officially designated as too cool for school.
I have always loved Jen, and always loved Paul Dale. I remember when you came to the bank and I saw your drivers license and thought. Holy crap that's Paul Dale! I love him! And Jen is one of my favorite peoples ever. I was talking to a friend who does ballet (though I didn't know that) and she mentioned Jen and I had this little gush of pride that I knew her and that she was my friend. I'm so glad that two people I love and respect as much as you two, love each other. Makes me all warm and fuzzy.
Paul, you are simply too lovely for words. I can not express how grateful I am that you came into all of our lives. I loved you for Jen's sake at first, but I love you for yourself now. I have a difficult time making friends, and that makes me even more happy to consider you one (a friend that is).
In response to your comment on my site, yes I talked to the lady and chewed her ass about giving my kid a dog. What a bitch. And I SO want to see pictures of you with braces.
Speechless
It all sounded lovely P. So when you both going to get up to Seattle to see how the other half lives? Mayse and Ly say hi.
that is so sweet. I got mental pictures myself, and I wasn't even there.
I hope that you guys feel like that forever. it reminded me that some of that kind of amazement and wonder has dwindled in my own life. you've inspired me to hot springs when I get home.
Check back on my 7 things blog
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