One of the things I most love about the country is silence. There are few things better, in my opinion, than standing in the middle of a forest and hearing… nothing. It is even more profound in the winter. The birds are gone. In their place, the harrowing call of a lone wild animal. Which one, I don’t know because it happens at night when it’s blindingly dark and unbearably cold, and I don’t want to go out there to find out.
(To the ass that shot a peaceful coyote on private property that wasn’t your own [which had a no hunting sign posted] and then draped the carcass over a road barrier at a trailhead, I hope that karma returns to you. The landowner reports a palpable silence at night, one that shouldn’t be there. His words to you are an understatement.)
Another silence comes from the fact that I have too many stories to cover. I deal with overwhelm by working harder, but after a while, the motor needs a rest and a sort of paralysis takes over. It’s clear I need to address this at a macro level and I have some ideas for doing so.
This comes as I’m preparing for a trip to the west side and cleaning my home. Not just cleaning, but deep cleaning. I have a tradition of never entering the new year with a dirty home. So, before I leave, everything is spotless- floors, bathroom, counters, tables…
My grandmother was a cleaner. I never saw her in the kitchen, but she kept her home spotless her entire life. She taught me an important lesson one New Year’s Eve, when I was about 10 years old, when I thought I had finished cleaning my room. She taught me to stand in a corner and observe the room. Suddenly, I saw more things to put away. Perspective is everything and I never forgot that lesson.
Today, I’m a Tasmanian devil when it comes to cleaning before the new year. I tend to work like a hurricane, going around in circles and not focusing on one thing too long. My place looks a lot worse before it gets drastically better, but when I’m done, you can eat off the floor. Last year, it took me three days to get it this clean. I ate meals on the side and worked until sleep took the reins from my consciousness. There were so many little things to go through last year. I felt like I was in an archaeological excavation. This year has been a lot simpler for me, apparently, because I was able to get my home halfway clean this week with only 4-5 hours of work.
As I prepare to go out of town, my work won’t stop. I will be working on new articles, catching up on older ones, and finding better ways to run things. It’s important to me to share information, and I thank the people that have supported this mission. Consider the sound of silence if we only reported on community events, wildlife, and didn’t go beyond the cursory. I think we can do better, and God willing, we will. Thank you for your support.
