When I arise before the sun I go out in the backyard and scuffle my feet in the gravel and stomp around the yard to chase off any small nocturnal animals that might be lurking. I learned the hard way that I have to do that - several years ago I loosed my hounds and they promptly killed a skunk and rolled around on it. Being somewhat anosmic it took me a while to realize what had occurred - then I had to wash the dogs, call animal control and have them haul away the carcass and check it for rabies, then I had to open up the windows and turn on the fans. But given the fact that I have four pets I am not sure that au de skunk really had a negative impact on the general miasma that exists in my dwelling. In any case, I hardly notice it at all these days.
So I have good reasons to walk out in the backyard, check the phase of the moon, see where Orion is, check on the Seven Sisters and scare off skunks. Such things keep me grounded, in touch with the passing seasons and aware of the life that is teeming in my 'hood.
Speaking of crystals, and I think we were, one time I rode my bicycle up a trail in the Northern Cascades, to a ghost town known as Mineral City. The trail was precarious - the side of a mountain had blown out and slid down into the river hundreds of feet below and we had to carry our bikes across a narrow footpath where one misstep would lead to a long fall and a very sudden and sodden stop. We made it. Along the way we passed Douglas fir trees 8' in diameter, the logging companies could not get the logs out so they left the trees alone. Also there were mines dug into the hillsides - we went in one and I dug out my own crystals - sure, city slickers can go to the store and get their crystal fix by exchanging filthy lucre for nature's bounty, but we country boys prefer to dig our own crystals out of the earth. But then my fascination with Crystalography, Buddhism, Santeria, New Age and other fads passed and I have no idea where my crystals are now. So it goes.
I did get to see some leeches during our lunch break in beautiful downtown Mineral City. Talk about a swimmin' hole one should avoid - hoo-wee - they are some nasty little things.
As for Egyptology, never let it be said that I am not a student thereof:
