Leaving the mountains...

I have epically failed at my blogging plans... Aghhhh! So often I thought about blogging... Only to forget or have a dead battery or no cell signal. 

But... The time has nearly come for me to leave the mountains... Sigh.  In just a couple days I'll head back to the city... Leaving behind this lovely view of the majestic Mt Mansfield from my little home above Sterling Pond...

Ahhhh. The pond has been a magical place.  Although it hasn't been easy, my time in the mountains has been such a blessing... I am so very glad I have been here, thankful for the guy who makes it possible, and overwhelmed by the beauty of God's creations in this wild place.

There has been some snow (three times my last week at the pond!), the mud is EVERYWHERE, and everything I own smells AWFUL... But the mountains remain my home... Although I am ready to be warm, comfy, and clean again, I will miss this place.

I am blessed.

Oh! And in other news... The Long Trail is being relocated in the Bolton Valley, to climb Stimson Mountain on its way up Mansfield. Today I spent the day with other field staff high on the ridge, cutting trail...

Good times.

Naked hikers, moose, and icicles

Got your attention there I am sure! Haha. 

Well, blogging hasn't happened quite as often as I planned... Turns out my phone battery dies quickly in the cold weather and my solar charger requires SUN to charge, which is in short supply these short fall days! Hahaha

Anyhoo, last Wednesday as I was packing in to the pond (carrying in my week's supply of food and tools, because I leave most of my stuff at the tent when I go on my days off), I was stopped by multiple people wanting to know if I had seen the "naked hiker". First, no, I didn't see him... And second, I wouldn't be too surprised if I did! For some reason people like to hike naked. I don't get it either. My pack in trail is the Sterling Pond Trail, a 1.4 mile trail that gains nearly 950 feet in elevation. It's easier than most people's pack in so I'm not complaining... But it is also a REALLY popular day hike to come up to the pond... So I was a bit surprised to hear someone would hike naked on that trail... But hike your own hike as they say!! (And apparently he hiked multiple trails because I am STILL hearing stories about him! Hahaha

It's been pretty cold lately on my mountain. I am between three peaks (Madonna, Sterling, and Spruce) at my site and the wind just loves to be funneled through and whip across the pond. All that cold air makes stirring the privy much easier (yay!) but also makes for some COLD nights. Luckily Patrick let me use his 0degree sleeping bag and bought me new wool mittens, and I got a pair of down booties... So even though there were BIG icicles on my tent platform the other morning I am staying nice and warm at night!

And finally... It's moose rutting season. Yup, all those big bull moose are out looking for a mate... And one of them has decided to start looking behind my privy! So although others have seen him I have only heard him and seen his massive footprints! I have still decided to claim him as my personal Sterling Pond pet... I think I'll call him Steve!

Life in the mountains is still peaceful and happy... Not too many weeks left til we pack out my site for the winter... Hard to believe it is going so quickly.  The cold air is blowing, the leaves are AMAZING, and the people are crazy as ever... Hey, it's Vermont! Hahaha

Mountains, ponds, and alpine zones...

Today I am sitting in the bright sunshine atop Mt. Mansfield... The top of Vermont if you will... Surrounded by masses of noisy 6th graders... Delightful. 

Yet Patrick bought me a wonderful solar charger and I have great cell service so while the masses run wild on my summit I thought I'd do a little blog. 

First... Defining some things...

Who I work for: the Green Mountain Club- who mostly maintains the Long Trail but also works on conservation and education in the Vermont Mountains. I also technically work for Americorps. Yay.

What I do: Caretake! When I am on Mt Mansfield I sit on the summit and help people make wise decisions about what trails to hike and where to walk. I also hang out at the visitor center and tell people where the bathrooms are! When I am at Sterling Pond I do trail maintenance, educate people about the pond, collect camping fees and maintain the privy/outhouse (which means I compost the poop!)

How long will I be here? At least til mid October...or when I finish my 400 hour commitment to Americorps!

Why: why not?! I love the mountains, I love Vermont in the fall, and why would I pass up an opportunity to get paid to live in the mountains?!

I'm super excited to see what the fall brings. I'm amazingly blessed that I have people who make it possible for me to love this weirdly wonderful dream (thanks P- you're the best!). And I'm crazy happy the 6th graders are headed down the mountain! 

I'm gonna go make sure they took all their trash.. (They didn't)... I'll keep ya posted!

Wandering...

It's been a LONG time since I blogged. I haven't been doing anything blog worthy I suppose... But I have...

I had a great summer full of friends, family, trips, jobs that appeared right when I needed them, challenging separations, long walks over big mountains, short walks up the hollows of Southern Ohio. Life is crazy.

Now it is almost fall... Kiddies are headed back to school and I found myself without a teaching position. I admit I was pretty upset at first, and I still struggle to not be hugely disappointed in myself, but then... Then I got this crazy opportunity... Which has brought me back to the blog... And which I'll probably blog much about in the coming weeks and months...

I took a job with the Green Mountain Club and Americorps... A crazy caretaker job where they pay me to sit atop Mt. Mansfield and tell people how great hiking is... And to hang out at Sterling Pond and encourage people to care for our mountain lakes. 

Sure it means weird interactions, ridiculous situations, and sleeping in cabins with mice and stinky fellow caretakers... But life is nothing if not an amazing adventure. I am so very blessed.

I'll tell you more about this crazy ride I'm on soon... If the mice don't get me first!

Three years goes so fast...

Tornados are building in the south again.

Like they did this night three years ago.

 

The air is cool and spring is finally here.

Three years ago it felt the same.

 

Tonight I go to sleep in a comfy bed, with no chance of rain leaking

from my tent roof.

So different from three years ago.

 

Tomorrow I will wake up, take a shower, and head to work.

Three years ago I would have hiked 8 miles in the mud

to another spot up the trail.

 

Life is odd and unpredictable.

Three years ago I learned that in a much needed and surprising way.

 

Its hard to fathom that three year ago today I started my 2000 mile

Journey up the East Coast...

Three years ago today I met 4 unlikely companions who changed everything about the beginning of the journey for me...

The whole thing really....

 

More importantly... three years ago today I started a journey that brought me here...

To this moment,

Laying in my comfy bed in Massachusetts, far from Georgia, and Ohio...

And that predictable life I left behind.

 

I am grateful every day for the last three years...

For the people who were there before, that I met along the way, that walk with me still.

I am grateful for a whole bunch of jobs that have come my way when I needed them most,

Support that has surprised me, Questions that have challenged me,

And opportunities that have become amazing memories.

 

I am thankful that in the midst of my crazy...

God always ALWAYS provides.

God is always ALWAYS faithful.

I am so very blessed.

 

And I am thankful too for that night, three years ago, when this crazy girl wandered up to Hawk Mountain Shelter, there was someone there that became one of my very best friends... on the trail, and in life.  Even though neither of us had planned to be there that night (he had hoped to start earlier, I had planned to stop at the first shelter but got there too early) we were.... because God knows what's best for silly little me.... even when it takes me a REALLY long time to figure it out.

 

So, I am thankful for three years... thankful for journeys and friends and challenges and friendship.

And I am thankful that three years ago today I met someone who has challenged me, encouraged me, and helped me grow.  Even though I know I make him crazy some days I don't know what I'd do without him in my life.

 

I am blessed!

6 months

... Weird. Six months ago yesterday I moved to Lowell. I think about it occasionally... It seems like I have been here forever and just got here all at once. 6 months. Weird.

Living in a new place has never phased me much. I never had culture shock in Brazil, starting over when I moved back  to Ohio didn't slow me down much, life after the AT was a bit harder but I just rolled with it. Moving this time has been that way too, adjustments but I'm rolling with them!

Sure there have been hiccups... Like the 5 months it took to get my teaching certificate or the comedy/train wreck of my brief stint at Target Lowell. It took me a while to adjust to being a city girl... And although I don't LOVE living in the city, it's not bad at all and I've gotten spoiled by some of the pedestrian lifestyle benefits!

Moving has required me to see through to who I really am though... And in some ways has magnified the parts of being me that I like while showing me the things I want to work on.  

Living here has reinforced that I am an introvert (and somewhat socially awkward!) Severe. I am so very content to be quiet and at home and curled up on the couch. For days if possible. True.

I still don't like working out... But while life has been in flux, my gym has been a constant for me... And it's one of the few (and the first) places there are people I 'know' who say hello and ask what's up when they haven't seen me in a while.

I miss my people. Eventually I'll have people here I know. I already do have a few. I am an introvert that still loves the power of people in my life... But I do have my one person... And he is pretty great. So although I look forward to the time I will have more peeps... I am so very content in the now. 

I have crazy dreams... Like to return to teaching...or to be a caretaker on Stratton Pond... Or to go to the beach for months on end. My life is weird.

Currently I am working as a teaching assistant in third grade at a great school. I don't have big plans for the summer and beyond... But I have dreams in the works. Mostly I am resting in the place of knowing I am so very, very blessed.

6 months... That's insanity!

HAPPY 2014!

OOOOOPPSS! Its been nearly 3 months since I blogged... so it is very possible that even you my most faithful readers have given up. I'd say its my New Years Resolution to blog more but really? My life is NOT thrilling! I will try... try.... 

So, if you are still out there here is my recap/farewell/hello for 2013/2014. I know you can hardly wait! Let's make it the quickest recap in the east....


So... in 2013 I had 7 jobs... many too many but in each of these places I was blessed to meet people who encouraged, befriended, helped, and challenged me.  2013 is the first year since 1996 that I have not left the United States. Weird.  I still had some pretty grand adventures like revisiting my favorites the White Mountains for crazy hikes, eating my first lobsters on the coast of Maine, and meeting loads of new people from all different places.

In 2013 I celebrated with friends who got married, had babies, and reached milestones. I got to be part of the lives of my CRAZY family and friends, drank too much coffee, ate too much food, and really didn't exercise nearly enough.. and enjoyed every bit of it.=) In 2013 I up and moved to Massachusetts... which still feels a little hard to believe, but is a blessing every day.

2013 passed in a blur, which I guess is pretty common for everyone, but I am excited for what 2014 may hold with the possibility of new adventures, new jobs, new friends and more unexpected journeys.  Most of all in 2014 I want to remember the biggest lesson I learned this year... to embrace and be thankful for each day... no matter what the challenge or blessing that comes my way.   I am blessed, ALWAYS.