spark

there are few things in the homeowner's to-do list as satisfying as replacing a lawnmower's spark plug. i'm not sure if it's the $2.25 price tag or the simplicity or the immediate gratification; but whatever it is, i like it. i vote for more repairs of that caliber please.

i wish i had a repair that simple when my engine refuses to crank. it's rare these days, more often i simply need a tank of fuel, but particularly when it comes to creativity i find myself at times wishing i had a spark.

it hasn't been quite a year, but it will be soon, since i felt the burning desire to write fiction. i was on a roll last summer writing. writing daily. writing creatively. writing with a spark. and then... my creative energy was redirected. primarily to being a dog-owner. maybe it's not fair to blame mega, because it's inevitable that something would have come along and interrupted my flow. but she is the culprit, precious edible culprit that she is, this time.

but, anyway, this weekend haley and i took an impromptu camping trip. we had a destination in mind, but were derailed by the georgia power signs throughout the campground. (yes, literally. ironic, perhaps. repulsive, definitely.) after a couple of thwarted efforts, we stumbled upon the most pristine and tremendous campsite ever. seriously, it may be the best campsite i've ever seen outside of a backpacking adventure.

a ten minute walk down a fairly steep trail, after a twenty minute drive on a treacherous dirt road, culminated in a grove of trees alongside a river. a huge river. a beautiful clear river. a huge, beautiful clear river with a white sandy beach. that's right a beach. a beach in the mountains. and not another soul in sight.

spark

we had no idea we'd wind up somewhere so primitive. or so amazing. and honestly, it caught us off guard. we did our best to enjoy it, but spent most of our time daydreaming about when we can go back and how we'll do it better. (ie backpacks and adequate supplies to allow continuous relaxation and prevent excessive travel out of this slice of heaven.)

i did build us a fire though and cook a delicious meal. i love cooking over a campfire. i love a campfire period, actually. and one of the reasons is that i love fire. the principal of combustion and the rush of watching the first sparks ignite the hemlock and then the twigs and then the knobby sticks and eventually the thick coal-making logs... yes, i love a campfire.

spark

yesterday i finally got a mountain bike. i say 'finally' though i've only been looking a couple of weeks. those weeks felt like an eternity, they really did. i had several failed attempts at purchase. i gave craigslist a shot. (or a dozen shots) i gave ebay a shot (still trying to resolve that shot). i gave pawn shops and used sporting goods stores a shot. and i visited every single bike shop in the metro area. and then i wound up in the burbs. so, yes, it felt like a journey from desire to manifestation; but in the end i got exactly what i wanted and i got an amazing deal on it.

today the boys and i went riding. luke still needs a bike, actually, but rode an old junker we had around. which sort of impaired his first experience off-road, to be honest. he's game for another round though, when i find him a bike that can handle it. todd, on the other hand, got bitten. bitten by the mountain biking bug. he loved it. we zoomed all over two different parks and would have ridden longer if the day had allowed it.

spark

tomorrow i'm going to north carolina to visit my dad. the boys and i don't get up there often enough. it's one of the most relaxing trips we ever take and yet we don't take the time to do it like we should. i can't wait. a hammock and a fireplace - whether we get spring or winter remains to be seen - both places i find immeasurably rejuvenating.

this time todd and i are bringing our bikes.

spark spark

i just finished reading a novel. a novel that i gave my mom for christmas and she returned to me after finishing. we usually do this so that we can confer at the end. it was by one of our favorite authors but turned out to be a disappointing read. nonetheless, the writing was beautiful and the imagery vivid. and something about reading fiction.. it flips a switch in me..

spark

i'm not sure when i'll start writing on my novel again, but i think it's coming soon. the sparks are multiplying.. and soon, fire.

d: more sparks and more sparks and more sparks...
b: i fixed the lawnmower
g: sparks lead to fire...