The weather may change soon, so I am flying today. The magic flying carpet has rested and we are off over the Atlantic, across North America and we shall land at Twin Lakes on the other side of Yosemite. This is John Muir country, wild, untamed with hungry brown bears still roaming, scavenging in cabin dwellers’ bins, gentle deer, cheeky chipmunks and eagles soaring in the sky.
My scarf today is from Joules, a birthday present from my friend Rosemary. It is silk with hand rolled edges, cream with many coloured feathers. I have photographed it, standing in my garden, and if you look closely you will see America’s national emblem of the bald eagle hanging on the wall. It used to hang above our front door in California.
You will also see I am wearing an unusual necklace. This was made by a Native American Indian in the Sierra Nevada, hand carved bone and painted. I have matching earrings and each feather is marked on the back with the sign of the carver. I bought them at a tiny trading post near the Lakes many years ago. They complement my scarf which is quite new. You can see I like feathers.
So here I am, sitting by the lower lake at twilight sipping a sundowner. I suddenly hear a noise and look into the eyes of a fallow deer right by my shoulder. Magical! Not so great in the middle of the night to be wakened by the heavy padding of a hungry bear on the cabin roof. I’m off as soon as it is daylight. He’s not getting my packed lunch of cornbread sandwiches. My kind shopper neighbours have been searching Tesco for two weeks for that bread.
Hopefully, the journey back will not be too bumpy over the mountains and I don’t get attacked by bald eagles. I don’t want my feathers ruffled!
Busy Bee, Scarf Face!
Blog 23.