Creativity

As I was preparing to escape to the mountains, I thought a great deal about living in the wilderness and all the opportunities for great photography. I also thought about the opportunities for change (both habits and circumstances), but I didn't anticipate quite what would happen when I unleashed my stifled creative instincts! The bench that I showed here a couple of weeks ago was just one of nearly a dozen wood projects of varying sizes that I've completed over the last few weeks. I also have a near-constant compulsion to be outside. The changeable spring weather only adds to the excitement of being present and experiencing an April afternoon. As my rhubarb begins to flourish and leaves appear on the wild, native plants nearby, I feel a strong desire to join in by sowing a few seeds alongside those of nature. My only problem is the number of hours in a day!

Spring is a great time to be in the mountains. Just a few days ago, I was lucky enough to see many bighorn sheep. I've already seen my first wildflower of the year, and I'm eager to see some outstanding displays of color on my travels in the wilderness.

For more bighorn shots, see the spring gallery.
Still on the theme of creativity, I'd like you to be the first to see my new project - a new range of gifts and shirts! In addition to FTHC images available on cards and gifts, I've designed a small range of shirts that are in keeping with the values expressed in this blog. I hope you like them!

Age

 This time of year is associated with new beginnings and growth. It's a time of change in the natural world, and nowhere is this more evident than here in the mountains. For me, it's a time of reflection as another birthday comes around. In our culture we seem to fear the passing of each year, but we can achieve a great deal in twelve months and we should feel able to celebrate both the achievements and the precious time that we've experienced. I recently read an article about the most common regrets of people who've reached the end of their lives. Not surprisingly, those regrets were as follows:
1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
2. I wish I hadn't worked so hard.
3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.

Even here in the mountains it is easy to become preoccupied with work, but time in the wilderness reminds me of my priorities and goals, and with breathtaking beauty all around trivial problems slip away.

By living purposefully and being truly present, you might be surprised at what you'll experience.

You can view more spring images here. Enjoy your week!

Adaptation

As I reached the end of my 4th mountain run yesterday and checked my watch, it occurred to me that the human body is often much more adaptable than we think. A little over a week ago, running at altitude was a real struggle, but now I'm close to a respectable pace. Sometimes the biggest obstacle to change can be our minds, or more specifically our lack of confidence in ourselves. The human mind is a very powerful thing, but it can also limit us if we allow it.

Spring is here, and the local wildlife already seem to be more abundant as the snow and ice melt away. Deer have new sources of food, while geese and ducks now inhabit the thawing lakes.

Soon, the wildflowers will begin to bloom.  The natural world is constantly adapting to the seasons, and this is especially evident during spring.

I haven't been able to get up into the mountains as much as I would have liked this week, but I've still been busy. In just a few hours, I was able to build this classic bench (based on the design by the naturalist Aldo Leopold).

I was impressed with the simple yet rugged design. There is no reason why simple living should be uncomfortable!

Onwards and Upwards

Spring is (officially, at least) here to stay. Traces of snow remain in sheltered areas and high peaks, but the ground is dry and green shoots are no longer hidden. As the snow melted, I lost my excuse for not running since my relocation. Health and fitness are both important when living a simple life (an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure!), and I believe that a healthy body is very helpful in maintaining a healthy mind. At a mile and a half higher than my last running environment, I have much work to do if I'm going to regain my old times.

It seems quite appropriate that the indoor mushroom growing and vermiculture (worm composting) experiments began as spring arrived. Both are going well, and I have another source of fertilizer that I'd like to show you:

The first major construction project has been completed, and more images will be added to the new spring gallery soon. I'm also working on a new FTHC project, which I hope to be able to announce in the next week or two - check back soon!

Finally, I wanted to share a link to a free resource for those of you who are interested in permaculture. I think that this is a great site. Have a great week, and don't forget that the FTHC spring sale is now on. To get a 10% discount on any item in an event gallery, simply use the "springsale2012" coupon code. There is no minimum purchase, and the sale runs until April 1st, 2012.

Purpose

There is always a reason for the choices that we make. Sometimes those are the result of a great deal of thought, but sometimes we aren't even sure of our reasoning. Major life decisions should always be the result of the former.

As you know, I came to the mountains to live a simpler, more purposeful life. A few short months into the adventure, this new life is meeting all of my expectations.  I've written about my decisions before, so today I thought I'd write about why I'm a photographer.

I've always been an explorer of sorts. My inquisitive mind often leads me down the road less travelled (both real and philosophical), and I love to share the world's scenery from my point of view.  Sometimes I'll show views that few people have the chance to see, while other times I show more familiar subjects from different viewpoints.

I hope that by sharing my images I can reach out to people who appreciate the natural world, and maybe encourage that appreciation in other people.  My work may provoke fond memories or provide people with an opportunity to see parts of the world that they may not be able to see in real life.

Documenting the past is just as important as capturing the seasons. Just last week I was fortunate enough to tour an area of great historical significance.

I hope that my images (and those of my colleague) assist in some small way with the preservation of the structures.

Spring is almost here. A whole new season of photography awaits, and I hope that a part of our heritage can be regenerated like so many new shoots and flowers.

Permanence

Next week will mark the beginning of my adventures in permaculture. One of the pioneers described it as "a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted and thoughtful observation rather than premature and thoughtless labor; and of looking at plants and animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single project system."

My permaculture garden will consist of no-dig raised beds filled with rich organic compost (home produced) and irrigated with collected rainwater. The garden will be pesticide free, and will make use of companion planting to attract pollinators and pest predators.

While the ground is frozen and covered in snow, there is little I can do outside. Instead I will begin to practice vermiculture (composting with worms). The bin will soon be ready and the worms are on their way. If what I've read is true, they can handle 8oz of kitchen waste each day!

In addition, I'll grow shiitake mushrooms indoors. When they no longer fruit, the remains of the kit will be used to inoculate the new soil, adding beneficial fungi.

With these and a few other ideas, I hope to build a sustainable garden that will produce organic crops and attract beneficial insects, while requiring no chemical pest control or fertilizers.

Permaculture in the Rockies will be challenging (short season, late frosts, strong sun, deer, bears, etc), but I've been planning for a while and know that it can be done.

Some of my earliest memories are of harvesting home-grown crops, and I found one particular TV comedy show on the subject of self-sufficiency / simple living highly influential at an early age. Since relocating here to follow my dreams, every decision feels right. I know I'll make a few mistakes, but I expect my permaculture experiment to be richly rewarding!

View the images used in this post here.

Rewards

While I was planning my escape from the city, I remember struggling to find the time to do much more than work (at the office), commute, and squeeze in the occasional run. It took at least two days to relax at the end of the week. Strangely enough, I now find myself as busy as I can ever remember being, and yet I'm enjoying every minute of it.

Living simply involves undertaking most tasks yourself where possible, so while I am working on my photography and building new maps, I'm also heavily involved in some construction work, and I find it all incredibly satisfying. I own the product of my labor, I have no supervisor, and my work has a legitimate purpose that is in keeping with my values.

Warren Zevon once famously said "Enjoy every sandwich". That phrase has stayed with me since I first heard it. All too often, we realize too late that life is short. In my case, it was too short to spend the greater part of each day doing a job I could see no point in. While life is fragile, this is no reason to be afraid to experiment. You have to go out and make the sandwich before you can enjoy it!

Enjoy your week, and thanks for reading.