From The Vault: Sunday's Journey (April 22, 2007)

My Sunday began with too much light in the room. I did not get home 'til 4am (had to work last night), so probably did not get to sleep until close to 5. Woke up around 9:00 or so, I need to get one of those fancy little masks that people wear to sleep in. Umm...a sleep mask? Dur.
So Bill took little man with him today and I tried to go back to sleep, but really couldn't. So I functioned the day on roughly 4 hours of sleep. Nice. So here was my day so far...
After my shower I ran to Planet Java and got a vanilla caramel latte and a cranberry muffin. I must say, the muffin was awesome. It had walnuts in it and the cranberries were all tart. yum.
So then I decided to go to Buffalo Rock. Due to my more recent bleak outlook, I figured I could use a little nature. So I put my guitar, my backpack, and my camera (of course) in the back seat and traveled the long 8 minutes or so to Buffalo Rock. Here is a strange thing, though. I have lived here for 4 years or something and have never gone to Buffalo Rock before.
Buffalo Rock is a pretty place, mostly by the river and in the woods. There is a lot of prairie there. Also there are all these manmade earth sculptures by an artist named Michael Heizer. It is entitled Effigy Tumuli. Apparently it was created as a tribute to Native American Burial grounds (I guess the Native Americans used to do something similiar to this). When you are there, it is kind of hard to really see the shapes because they appear to be just part of the land. It is kind of hard to explain, but basically you can see them from the air and in the diagrams that they have at Buffalo Rock. (I know about the air thing because I googled it, not because I was flying around Buffalo Rock.) I visited the one that was called "Catfish" and from a distance, it did sort of look like one. Also the highest part of buffalo rock is located on the catfish. So, I climbed up on that fishy's back and took some pictures. They were not all that impressive, but I'll post them later for your viewing pleasure. I also went by the water stryder but it just looked like uneven grass to me.
So, if you were wondering if there are buffalo there, there are! Actually they are bison, but isn't that the same thing? The most exciting thing that they did was lie there. Oh, and one of them gave his privates a bath. Good times...I actually have a picture of that too, but I do not think I should post that one. At first I was thinking, "Ew! I don't want to take a picture of that!" then I thought. "Wait! This might be the most exciting thing the guy does all day; let's document!" Whatev.
The best part that I experienced today must have been the views of the river. There is an observation deck there and it has a pretty nice view. If you look straight down, there are these rocks that jut out a little. I will post that picture, too. At one point, I wandered off the beaten path and stood at the top of this hill (which was more like a bluff) and looked down at the river. The sun was shining down on me and the breeze was so strong, I had one of those spiritual moments I have been longing so desperately for lately. For a moment, it was just so nice to be by myself out in a place that was just a pretty place. There were no pretenses, no expectations, just enjoy me...feel the sun on your face and the breeze on your back. Walk on my trails and watch the hawk with its huge wing span and run down the hill. It was pretty nice.
It has been a long time since I felt that way. A long time since I have been to a place like this, too. I used to always go to the forest preserves or the parks or go hang out by the river. I do not know when or why I stopped doing things like this. It was so refreshing to walk and breathe and think. I forgot how much I enjoyed just being outside and appreciating the things I so often take for granted.
Downside: I MUST stop smoking. The little hiking that I did winded me. I seriously need to do something about that.
So that was Buffalo Rock. I had some errands to run then went home. I played my guitar for a while (I am kind of out of practice so my fingers were a little tender when I was done (poor baby)). I have some rough lyrics for a song and a couple chord progressions that I threw together, but I can't seem to get them to mesh. Maybe it is not meant to be, but we'll see. I never tried to put my own lyrics to music seriously before. It is more challenging than I expected. I have "written" songs (I suppose lyrics) and I have made up melodies before, but never together. It is interesting.
One last thing from today that I wanted to share-I also took a picture of my neighbor's dog and talked to her (the dog) for a few minutes. So, when I was petting her, in her yard, I catch some movement out of the corner of my eye. I looked up, it was my neighbor...waving...with a can in his other hand...wearing... an............................. American flag printed ....................................SPEEDO! I shit you not. I kinda had a little freak out, said, "I-I was p-petting your dog"(no, I did not really stutter)...and walked away, quickly, across my yard, retrieved my guitar, went inside then shut and locked the door. That was entirely enough adventure for one day. Guess I won't sleep so well tonght either.
xxoo