It is 8:25 on a Thursday evening. When you read this it will be a few days later, but only if all goes well with my WordPress pre-post.
Just moments before this typing, I gobbled up my Lowcountry creole over brown rice with quinoa and a healthy mixed salad. Oh, I can’t forget the added glass or two of a perfectly bold cabernet. Now, I am sitting here relaxed, but I should be worrying about packing for the weekend hike. Tomorrow we are headed to Mt. LeConte in Tennessee. We will embark on a vigorous hike up to a 6,400 foot summit and we will be a rowdy group of 16. Critters look out, cause we will probably be loud and a little obnoxious.
I look forward to finding quiet moments in between the racing, jumping, climbing, storytelling, and laughter. I will look for and seek out those peaceful moments and take in the stunning views. I want to truly embrace this time in the woods. Living in the heart of a big city, I have lots of ear overload. My “quiet place” is my screened porch, and yet even there, I am interrupted all the time by the sounds of trains, planes, leaf blowers, and occasionally trucks and cars. When I can’t tune those out, my music helps to provide my peaceful moments.
This weekend, we will hike to the top of the mountain, stay in the rustic cabins with very limited electricity, and hike down the next morning. All of the food they provide for dinner and breakfast comes by way of llamas, because there is no other transportation that makes it up that rigorous route.
Yes, you read that right.
The views along the hike are breathtakingly beautiful, and once we reach the top we will actually be there during the full moon. I understand it to be a super moon which was named by astrologer, Richard Nolle, to describe the moon when it is at its perigee or closest point to the earth. I seriously hope the weather cooperates. I am psyched and excited to be one with nature…..bring it on.
This song, “Atomic”, came to me this week and I thought about the beauty of this tune that is totally chill and filled with softly sung whispers of lyrics. The band, Phoria, is new to me and definitely music that peaks my interest. Phoria is an alternative band from Brighton, England. They are Seryn Burden (drums), Tim Douglas (bass, synth), Jeb Hardwick (guitar, visuals), Trewin Howard (vocals), and Ed Sanderson (keyboard, vocals). From a classical music background of cello/violin/guitar, they have creatively woven a unique alternative sound. This is a new song from their album, Display, that released in June. As much as I want to carefully listen to and capture every word in this song, I have found, after listening over and over, that I am struck with a serious fascination of simply the music and its instrumental progression and changes. I find it to be calming, and deeply compelling….something to savor. Savor is the perfect word to describe the trying of a new experience and wanting to capture it, hold it, and keep it. I want to savor this music like my weekend journey to the top of a steep mountain.
Listen to “Atomic”, but better yet, breathe it in and savor it. I believe it to be magical.
Yes, magical.
