"...so, reside within your heart, and watch the show of which you are an active part"                 -- spontaneous composition, September 20, 2018

THE HILLS ARE AFLAME!

As yet, we're not in danger.  The downtown part of Durango is in the valley still some distance south from where the fire is now burning,  and we live somewhat to the north of downtown -- right in the populated area of residential Durango.   So!  If the fire even THINKS of coming close to the residences -- I think the fire-fighting scene will escalate rapidly.  Which is saying something -- because the fire-fighting scene is already very impressive with the number of planes dropping water, and the "boots-on-the-ground" guys we cannot even see from the distance we keep.

Alas, it is the beautiful evergreen forests that are becoming flaming torches, with white clouds of smoke billowing outwards...

We've been driving up the valley (which runs north-south) -- to the north of town nearly every early evening to watch the flaming hillside, as the fire progresses.   Tonight, we're taking a break.   But hey,  IT IS HUGE, with flames and smoke billowing upwards.  The fire has been moving steadily SOUTHwards, right along the line of hills on the WEST side of the valley, and of course, it is also burning downwards on those hillsides towards the valley floor.  Such a flare-up when yet another living tree (evergreens) is ignited. 

We do not yet feel threatened.

Here's a website for an up-to-date report.  I presume they keep it current:

https://www.google.com/search?q=durango+wildfire+update&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-

WORDS TO USE MORE OFTEN / Silliness expounded Upon

SILLINESS EXPOUNDED UPON 
An exchange taken off my Facebook page so I can laugh at it again:

WORDS TO USE MORE OFTEN

lovely             plump            fetching        
proper             efficacy            enormity
beautiful            omit                discombobulate
swell                loath                intrude       
absurd            abominable        cleave           
flawless            balderdash            beam
unique            peckish            eminent
precious            skedaddle            accuracy
hullaballoo            thrall                delightful
scrumptious        winsome            breathtaking
dandy            mayhap            worthy
squabble            evolve            solitude
secure            purpose            enthralled           
contemplate        behalf            sorrowful
audacity            thankful            taught
lousy                gruesome            resplendent
embrace            residency            dictate
likely                tangible            present
pompous            superfluous        regardless
inflection            great (in size)        mimic
sleepy            gumption            realm

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SARA RANSOM:
Well, I have used all of these words at some time or another -- yes, including discombobulate! In fact, revisiting them, they are common words to my mind... I loath to contemplate the audacity of being in a squabble with a pompous being who is totally enthralled with his own resplendent presence. Wonderful words!!!! HEY, EVERYBODY! LET'S HAVE A CHAIN OF RESPONSES USING THESE WORDS! C'MON, IT'LL BE FUN.


SARA RANSOM:  I'm W-A-I-T-I-N-G !!


SARA RANSOM:  I'm quite discombobulated by the LACK of hullaballoo.


Guillermo Argueta-Bernal: Well as a resplendent eminent worthy speaker of the English language who delights in the scrumptious sounds of words like balderdash, gumption and squabble I take up your swell challenge beautiful and fetching , Sara!


SARA RANSOM:  Mayhap this challenge will evolve into an audacious, mayhap even pompous, display of absurd, yet flawlessly delightful and unique... balderdash!


Di-Donna Niesman: Sara Ransom What is this hullabaloo? Please, don't be peckish, as some of us are sleepy and slow to evolve a proper and unique response to your worthy dictate.


Sara Ransom: Guillermo Argueta-Bernal Indeed you ARE a resplendent eminent speaker of the English language! How you DO delight in the scrumptious sounds of the words!

Sara Ransom: Di-Donna Niesman -- Truly, I am sorry to have intruded upon your precious solitude. Mayhap, if you are feeling peckish, you could partake of some scrumptious delight, and thence discover thereby the energy to further embrace the lovely absurdity of this enthralling verbal...um... balderdash.


Di-Donna Niesman: Sara Ransom Would that I could mimic such a swell response with worthy accuracy. I can only contemplate the audacity the reply would require. Hence, I shall skedaddle.

A Snowless Mid-Winter Explore...

     So...  a basically snowless mid-winter!  So much for x/c forays.

     Instead, I enjoy laid back daze now filled with:  hanging out with friends,  and...      well, of course there's Facebook (I do love being able to keep in cyber-touch), and...

YES! workouts in the local rec. center just a short distance from home...   

     But oh HEY!!!!  An integral part of my days:

   

     The wild red-rock formations:  
     At least once-a-week, and with any luck,  twice-a-week, Robert and I enjoy hiking adventures in the wonderful hilly, rocky, beckoning wild country that surrounds Durango,  and running the river when it's not too wild.  

     We were up hiking in the wilds again just yesterday, clamboring among wild red rock formations (some so anthropomorphic you want to name them)...  The dog we took along would BOUND both up and down that wild terrain, wagging his tail impatiently as we casually explored nooks, crannies, and vast views.  Such exquisite beauty....

     As for our river:

     We used to run the wild rapids each in our OWN boat back in our agile wild days. Wow!  Got that!!!  That is enough.... 'tho if Robert were to ask me to run them in our two-person boat, I'd say YES!  ...but maybe a tad later in the season when they're not so wild.

      Swimming IN the rapids, watching your boat and paddles float rapidly FAR downstream from you as you aim your struggles for ANY shore... WAS fun... back then.         Nowadays, when I'm on my own, I actually paddle calmly UPstream where there are no other boats:  a beautiful winding river through patches of trees, surrounds of farmland, and vistas of the nearby high hills and mountains.  Often, I pass by deer grazing peacefully,  and on occasion, YES!  a bear watching me idly from shore.

     When I feel like it,  I turn the boat around and gently cruise back downstream.  I take out before the rapids begin.  I love the peaceful solitude now.

(trying to delete this... failing)