journal

30 ~ October 2023

Snow-dusted mountains behind a grove of birch and aspen trees with autumn leaves in shades of yellow and orange under a partly cloudy blue sky

Snow-covered mountain peaks above a forest with yellow and dark green trees under a partly cloudy blue sky

Two black dogs playing under tall trees with bright yellow autumn leaves on a sunny day

Night sky filled with stars and red nebulae above a dark silhouette of a mountainous landscape

October 30, 2023

The dogs and I spent a couple of nights backpacking and camping, then another week in the 1880's cabin we have stayed in several times this summer, and every year in the past five. The spot I backpacked to is an off trail location I have visited before, including an overnighter on Thanksgiving Day and Night. It is in a very lush subalpine valley, a few hundred feet below timberline, and has a wonderful view of three peaks at the top of the valley.

I fell asleep easily that first night on September 30th, but was awoken by a dream, in which I was camping with my two daughters. They had seen a bear close by, in my dream, and told me they were leaving. I asked them to wait until I gather some of my gear, but they were already headed off. Then I woke from my dream.

That made me remember another time, camped in this exact spot, where I was also woken up by a dream of a bear. It made me wonder if my subconscious was alerting me of something near by, through a dream.

Two border collies walking on a forest floor covered with yellow fallen leaves, surrounded by green shrubs and birch trees

Dense green pine forest in a mountain valley, framed by tree branches with a partly cloudy blue sky above and rocky mountain peaks in the distance

Black and white dog standing on a dirt path surrounded by dry grass with yellow autumn trees and snowy mountains under a partly cloudy blue sky

(click on photos below for larger image . . . - Esc or clicking outside of image will close it)

Border collie standing on a forest floor covered with yellow autumn leaves among pine and aspen trees

Snow-capped mountain seen through golden autumn leaves of tall trees against a clear blue sky

Sunlight filtering through a dense stand of slender trees with bright yellow autumn leaves and some evergreen branches in a forested hillside

Snow-capped mountains with forested foothills displaying autumn colors under a partly cloudy blue sky

Three border collies standing on a forest floor covered with yellow fallen leaves among tall aspen trees with bright sunlight filtering through

Three border collies walking through a sunlit forest with golden yellow leaves covering the ground and trees

Man in a cowboy hat sitting on a log surrounded by three dogs in a forest with bright yellow autumn leaves

Two border collies walking on a forest floor covered with yellow fallen leaves among pine and birch trees

Sunlit mountain range beyond dense pine forest and green meadow, framed by tree trunks and branches in foreground

Person wearing a wide-brimmed hat sitting by a campfire surrounded by pine trees with mountains in the background

Person wearing a hat and vest standing near a small campfire in a forested mountain valley with snow-dusted peaks in the background

Black and white dog sitting on a grassy slope overlooking a valley with yellow autumn foliage, small ponds, dense pine trees, and mountains under a cloudy sky

Milky Way galaxy visible above dark mountain silhouettes and pine trees at night

Night sky filled with numerous stars and colorful nebulae above the silhouette of a forested mountain ridge

Silhouette of a mountain ridge under a vibrant night sky filled with stars and pinkish-red nebula clouds

Two black and white dogs walking through a sunlit forest of tall, slender trees with bright yellow autumn leaves

Two black dogs playing among tall trees with bright yellow autumn leaves and sunlight filtering through the forest

Mountain range with patches of snow on rocky peaks above dense green pine forest and autumn foliage

Mountain peaks dusted with fresh snow under a cloudy sky with patches of yellow autumn trees on the slopes

Snow-covered mountain peaks above a forest with patches of yellow and green trees under a partly cloudy blue sky

Black and white border collie standing on a dirt path surrounded by dry grass and yellow-leaved trees with snow-covered mountains and a partly cloudy sky in the background

snow-covered mountain peaks above a forest with trees in shades of yellow and green under a partly cloudy sky

Black and white border collie sitting on a grassy hillside overlooking a valley with yellow autumn shrubs, evergreen trees, small ponds, and distant mountain peaks under a cloudy sky

Person wearing a hat and vest standing near a smoky campfire, looking toward snow-dusted mountains with dense forest and yellow foliage in the valley

black and white border collie standing on a grassy field with patches of snow

thin, leafless tree branch with multiple smaller twigs extending from it on a white background

More journal notes:

30 October ~ 2023

My intention was to stay in this morning since it was so cold. But after an hour the border collies started looking disappointed, so we loaded up and took a walk in the foothills. What a thrill it was to be there when breezes started blowing fresh snow off the pines! #border collies #bordercollie #mountaindog

“Wherever you go, go with all your heart"