Sometimes there are much higher hardships and costs to get to places that are much more remote. Yet once there, the reward makes it all entirely worthwhile. The abundance of wilderness features both near and far really brings out a deeper awareness of life.
In the words of John Muir, “Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.”
Remember when such a bush spoke to us. Directly and indirectly. It’s the message (Gen 3:2-3) that was explicit and implicit by what it said and did. Ablaze metaphorically or otherwise to symbolize an intensity and state entirely dangerous and in demand of our attention. A command of authority by its beauty and behavior.
The brush on and around Mt Emma nearer to the Mojave Desert gives you a softer contrast to the trail before you. On this route, the dust, mud, and dirt is often accentuated by the delicate and fragile plant life.
A place to withdraw and contemplate, the soft Winter of the lower Sierra offers solace and a new awakening. Here the Winter forest floor at the base of Mt Hillyer keeps your senses piqued.
While trudging along the trail, it is far too easy to miss the highlights of where you are. Where you pass where you were to get where you’re going. The color and variety of Springtime flowers and grasses are completely worth your while to stop and spend time with them. To see how they move and bear meaning to each other, the wildlife and insects. It is even of more interest to consider how they got to their current form.
Today’s time was spent at practicing the switch over from program to manual and back again with a one or two-stop change. Experimentation with various ISO settings, priority modes, and live-view. It was along about a 3-mile trail in Kings Canyon where the light was strong and unforgiving.
We went to Comstock Meadow where the forest beauty was complemented by the piercing light, even and pleasing temperatures, and strong aroma of the Sierra air. Today was time well spent to experiment, but to also again get a full immersion in these mountains I call home.
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