“Just How I Roll”

Posted on March 21, 2014 by waterhigh

Remind me not to whine about a little snow…..

I woke up At 6 AM on Sunday morning, groggily cursing daylight saving time for having robbed me of an hour’s sleep – as if I was innocently staying up till 1 AM the night before and it had snuck up on me. Like a ninja. But as my two caregivers – one disturbingly chipper and the other equally as grumpy as me – stuffed my lifeless limbs into layer after layer of winter clothing, I felt my mood begin to shift, for the early morning came with good purpose. Round two on the slopes awaited.

The nerves from the week prior were gone. Having cleared so many emotional hurdles on the last trip, I was looking forward getting my bearings on the bi-ski without the stress and pressure of such a momentous undertaking clouding my mind. We arrived early and met with the two volunteers who would be…

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Friday Foto Talk: Photographing Rainbows

Posted on March 18, 2014 by waterhigh

Rainbows make me smile.
The pot at the end of Forrest Fenn’s Rainbow? I’d be more than smiling.

Forrest Fenn’s Treasure Chest

MJF Images

A rare morning rainbow in the desert graces my campsite one morning on the Baja Peninsula, Mexico. Click for purchase options.

With springtime right around the corner, the weather in many areas, including here in the Pacific Northwest, will be ‘unsettled’, prime conditions for one of my favorite things: rainbows! Throughout the world’s temperate regions in fact, the change of seasons that is about to happen results in clashes of warm & cool air masses. That means frequent showery weather and a sky that’s often broken into clear and cloudy parts. When the sun is relatively low in the sky, whether morning or late afternoon, and there is precipitation in the area, you’ve got the perfect setup for rainbows.

By the way, all these images are copyrighted and not available for free download without my permission. They are small versions anyway. Click on the image you’re interested in to go…

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A Message from Rennelle

Posted on March 12, 2014 by waterhigh

Warrior2

Our good wishes to Rennelle continue.

THIS IS A THANK YOU NOTE TO EVERYONE FROM RENELLE-

Please accept my apologies for the tardiness of this response to the overwhelming gift of the raffle proceeds. I was away for awhile, and although I tried mightily to finish all of the thank-you cards and messages before I left, I didn’t quite succeed. My lack of a timely reply, however, in no way reflects the amount of my gratitude.

A cancer patient has a lot of different weights on his or her shoulders. In my case, there is the constant out-of-state travel to medical appointments, the daily battle to continue some sort of normality through the fog and sickness caused by years of chemotherapy, and, of course, the reality of the never-ceasing medical bills.

In a single, combined effort from all of you, one of my weights was lifted. To each and every person who participated in the raffle, please accept my heartfelt thanks for your contributions.

Many of you promoted the raffle on your respective blogs, and I want to thank you all for your work on my behalf. It would be logical to assume that so many searchers looking for a single prize would be ultra-competitive with each other! That may be, but you are also community-minded and came together to pull off an event that was successful beyond anyone’s imagination. You all have my respect, my admiration, and most of all, my thanks.

I’d also like to thank the Collected Works Bookstore and Dorothy Massey, who offered a lovely setting in which to host the raffle event. Suzanne Somers offered her support in the days leading up to the event, and I was humbled and grateful to receive her beautiful message. The lovely and gracious Ali McGraw was kind enough to participate in the drawing, and I was so very appreciative of her willingness to lend us her time. Thanks also to Toby Younis, who used his professional abilities to record the raffle event and stream it live. I watched it from my chemo chair and couldn’t contain my smiles.

Every day for several weeks, Dal Neitzel donated so much time to the raffle process that I doubt he ever slept! Dal, I am so appreciate of all your hard work and selfless efforts.

The incomparable Forrest Fenn turned his raffle idea into reality, as he has done with countless other ideas throughout his lifetime. This time, however, it was for my benefit, and for that, I give him my endless gratitude. Thank you, Forrest. You remain my hero.

Thank you all so very much, and I hope to see you on the trail!

Renelle

______________________________________________________

Click here for her story in Forrest Fenn’s words.

Cabinets of Curiosities, and Serendipity III

Posted on March 3, 2014 by waterhigh

Fertility Frog Pipe Bowl

Yesterday was annual artifact ID day at the local museum. My last springs finds were designated likely Matanzas of the Mid-Archaic age, pushing 6,000 BP (before present). Curiously, the older the artifacts, the fancier the stonework. Mostly I had a lot of flakes and some ‘blockies’, a new term for me, meaning just a rock, not a prehistoric artifact.

As I browsed the museum, lots of things reminded me of Forrest Fenn and the Chase.

Forrest Fenn’s Treasure Chest

No surprise there; it invades the mind. [Not unlike the virus in the Preston/Child book I was in the middle of reading. More on that in a moment.]

The frog, of course.

The stone faces — think one of his bronze jars.

Mackinaw Cache

A cache, not the Fenn Cache.

Red ochre…..

Surveyor’s Compass…

This strangely shaped stone piece…….

And, okay, not a Clovis in a Mammoth (on Forrest’s bucket list), but how about a spear point that nicked a bison’s rib?

Bison Kill found in Illinois River at ‘water low’

Lots of interesting maps and letters on the walls, showing the moving Indian boundaries, the Military Land Grants on the (then) frontier, settlement of Illinois from the south toward the north. (I’m awaiting a copy of An Illinois Reader, editor Walton.)

Cover of Fever Dream

Back to the book — Fever Dream — the finding of which was in itself, serendipitous. Think second-hand shop. It was an advance reader’s copy.

I was most of the way through the book before yesterday’s outing. When I came to this cabinet, I did a double take.

Carolina Parakeet

Yes. The extinct cornuopsis carolinensis, or Carolina Parakeet.

What were the odds! The bird and the artist Audubon play an intriguing role in the thriller, which I went right home to finish.

Happy hunting! Or should I say Chasing…..

Audubon’s Parakeets

“Obviously, I must be their long-lost beloved son”

Posted on February 27, 2014 by waterhigh

Any Daffy’s in the Chase?

(To watch the Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck clip, you have to click on the “View Original” button. Pretty good humor.)

A Seat By The Fire

I think these people are right to protect their privacy; can you imagine all the relatives that would be crawling out of the woodwork looking for handouts?

A Northern California couple out walking their dog on their property stumbled across a modern-day bonanza: $10 million in rare, mint-condition gold coins buried in the shadow of an old tree.
Nearly all of the 1,427 coins, dating from 1847 to 1894, are in uncirculated, mint condition, said David Hall, co-founder of Professional Coin Grading Service of Santa Ana, which recently authenticated them. Although the face value of the gold pieces only adds up to about $27,000, some of them are so rare that coin experts say they could fetch nearly $1 million apiece.
“I don’t like to say once-in-a-lifetime for anything, but you don’t get an opportunity to handle this kind of material, a treasure like this, ever,” said veteran numismatist Don…

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Polar Vortex III?

Posted on February 25, 2014 by waterhigh

Embracing this winter. Who knew I’d have use for Minnesota things down here.

There’s been so much fluffy stuff, I snow-shoed tracks for the skinny skis.

Forrest Fenn’s Treasure Chest

In training —not for the biathalon, but the Chase.

Searchers are getting cabin fever waiting for the big melt out in the Rockies.

Polar Vortex I — made raspberry jam

(Snow shoed)

Polar Vortex II — made marmalade

(Skied) (Pruned fruit trees)

Polar Vortex III — don’t know yet

I won’t ski or snow shoe — the fluff was turned into a bone-shattering layer of ice on stone-hard ground. Sometimes it’s good to stay inside and smell the lemon blossoms.

On an unrelated note, I came across this very moving song last week. Interesting site.

http://thenancarrowproject.com/2014/02/19/we-aint-got-the-time/

(Back to the Chase next week with some more Fenn ideas.)

Vortex (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What If?

Posted on February 5, 2014 by waterhigh

Oh, no!

Forrest thinks “The treasure may be discovered sooner than I anticipated.”

{Here’s a link to Jenny Kile’s blog where you’ll find her new Six Questions with Forrest Fenn, and the above quote.}

Ever get that sinking feeling? How will we searchers feel once the treasure chest is found?

Forrest Fenn’s Treasure Chest

Early on, I emailed Forrest and asked him not to give out any good clues until I got a chance to head west. (Beginner’s Confidence. Some of you know what I mean.)

Then, after a month or two of ridiculously obsessed behavior, I actually wished someone would find it. I wanted my life back.

(Okay. That didn’t last too long.)

I’ve wavered back and forth since then.

It hasn’t even been a year of chasing for me. I think I first heard of The Thrill of the Chase last March or April. But I don’t want it to end.

Not yet.

Serendipity II — Right Time, Right Place, Right Stuff

Posted on February 4, 2014 by waterhigh

How much pure luck or chance do you think it will take to find Forrest Fenn‘s “blaze“?

So often, it’s the unanticipated that turns out to be the treasure.

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A full moon.

A shuttle launch.

A fortunate location.

Birkebeiner Bronze

Posted on February 2, 2014 by waterhigh

Think birchbark leggings and skinny skis. And snow. Lots of snow. (Like today.)

‪Norsk (bokmål)â¬: Birkebeinerne Torstein Skevla og Skjervald Skrukka frakter med seg lille Håkon Håkonsson, kongssønnen, i 1206. Maleriet Birkebeinerne av Knud Bergslien fra 1869 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In 1206, Birkebeiners whisked the 2-year-old Prince of Norway through mountains and forests to save his life. Since 1973, the event is marked in Wisconsin with a marathon ski race.

1982

Mr. W is in there somewhere. We’d both tried doing the 54 kilometer (34 miles) American Birkebeiner cross-country ski race the year before. Back when I thought I was in shape and had handily finished a 10k.

My brother tried to warn me. He told me to sign up for the Korteloppet, the half-marathon, which he’d done the year before. He was going back to earn his Birkebeiner medal. I wanted one, too, not a mere Korteloppet ribbon.

Viking on Lake Superior

Heck, no, I said. I can do it. (I seemed to forget that I’d been yanked from a 30-mile walk for hunger when I was 16 by a nurse who thought I’d overestimated my abilities.)

Up the hill

After tumbling down a hill and knocking myself in the head with a ski somewhere around the half-way point, I was ready to find the bus back. It was late in the day and I would have been pulled anyway. Mr. W made it three-quarters of the way before time ran short. Humbling.

Okay. We could blame the poor snow cover that year. Or our cheap no-wax (no grip, no go) skis.

Defeat is not in Mr. W’s vocabulary. He returned the next year with slick racer skis and came home with a medal. Me? I was home with a newborn. As good an excuse as any.

IMG_1155.JPG (Photo credit: arahbahn) NOT Mr. W, but another happy camper courtesy of flickr

It was twenty-some years before I got my fast skinny skis; and no, I have no plans to sign up for the 41st annual Birkie later this month. They only take the first 10,000, anyway.

Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure (Photo credit: symphony of love)

Inspiration

Posted on January 30, 2014 by waterhigh

Anatomy 101 @ World’s oldest university — complete with censor’s window above and marble slab below

DTI image of a brain (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Study the science of art. Study the art of science. Develop your senses — especially learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else.

Leonardo da Vinci

I discovered this quotation on an architect’s blog. Click here: Inspiration.

Paisagem do Arno, 190 x 285 mmm (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Anatomical study of the arm, (c. 1510) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Beaches

Posted on January 27, 2014 by waterhigh

White Sands

Winter beaches. Summer beaches.

I have my favorites. If I were a travel writer, I’d tell you about them, but really, I’d rather keep quiet. Nothing like a crowd to dampen the specialness of a secret spot. Just ask Forrest Fenn.

Favorite (secret) lobster dock/restaurant in Maine

Today’s high will be about 0 degrees Fahrenheit. I’m using my imagination, picturing running on a beach. Well, maybe just strolling. With a metal detector? Since I’m imagining, sure.

Treasure is where you find it.

(I think I’ll pick up a real one before my next treasure-hunting trip.)

Blue Water

No travel plans this winter, but I’ve gathered lots of memories.

Loose Ends

There was a kid who had a grandpa who every morning said “It’s a good day for it.” Didn’t matter if it was hot or cold, sunny or rainy, it was always a good day for something. As often as could be, that might be fishing.

So, today was a good day to make blackberry jam. Much better than heating up the kitchen on the hot, steamy July days when I picked, washed, pulped and put them in the freezer.

(Yes, I know I skipped the Oxford comma. I don’t believe in them.)

Raspberry Trove

Also, I made a pot of tea and sat down to blog. Is it writer’s block? I should be well into a revision at this point, but things have only just now settled down around here.

The bonus of the super cold days — it’s usually sunny. I can get my vitamin D through the window, right? Then, back to work. It’s a good day for it.

Blue Dusk with Pine Tree

Inquiring Minds

Posted on January 22, 2014 by waterhigh

Another Q & A with Forrest Fenn

I’d been considering lately what other questions I could ask Mr. Fenn. I know clue/hint type questions are out, as well as topics he’d like to keep private. What to ask, what to ask?

One item that piqued my insatiable curiosity came from a recent comment on another blog —- Douglas Preston was originally going to write the ‘Thrill of the Chase’ story.

Wow. Was that true? Was it going to be 85% fiction or 85% memoir, I wondered.

I’ve read four of Preston’s books now, and I’ve got to say …. Well, I think I won’t. Just be prepared for a little horror with your mystery/thriller reading experience.

Click on the Q & A Heading/Round Two to learn more.

Forrest Fenn’s Treasure Chest

Don’t you wonder if THE POEM would have been easier to solve if someone else had been the one trying to keep the secret?