Beautiful Things

Paul Sunstone and his blog Cafe of the Cosmic Dance (nude blogging Mondays *giggle*) has given me the gift of questions. Questions about myself. Lots of them. I look forward with great anticipation to answering them, though I wish not to clutter the About You! section of his scintillating blog with my lengthy answers. So... I’m going to take them one at a time and give them the attention they deserve here in my own blog...

Today’s question is “What are the two to six most beautiful things you’ve seen in your life?”

I have three.

In order to convey my awe at their beauty, I will also present an essay for each (written at a time when I was inspired by the beauty of the object).

1) The Presidential Range covered in snow....

(essay originally written some years ago. I don’t remember the date.)

“One winter day many years ago, when my daughter Amber was three years old, she and I were making the short trip from our home in Maine across the state border to North Conway, New Hampshire to go shopping, or to church, or some such thing.

We came to a point in our journey where the road curved, and suddenly the majestic Mount Washington was dead ahead, shining large and white and beautiful in the morning sun. I heard a tiny gasp from the back seat, and knew that little Amber, as well as myself, was awestruck by the majestic vista. “Mom!” she said breathlessly, “Look! It’s the North Pole!”

I laughed and explained to her that it was not, in fact, the North Pole, and since then that moment has found it’s way into our family lore- always recalled with smiles and chuckles.”

2) Christmas lights during the darkest days...

(a journal I wrote at 7:12pm on 12/3/2005)

“Didn't sleep well last night, so the day had an edge of unpleasantness to it. Not that working 10 hrs on a Saturday is ever a pleasant thing to do.

I owe a debt of gratitude to everyone who decorates their house/yard/whatever with Christmas lights. It's so dark this time of year. Dark, dark, dark. I get out of work in a bad mood, and seeing the Christmas lights shining colorful on my way home really makes me feel better.

So now I'm home and trying to de-stress. So where's that chocolate......?”

3) My 2010 Camero, James. He’s so handsome! Love you, James!

(an essay I wrote almost one year ago, when I had to commute for a couple months from Fryeburg, ME to Gorham, NH)

She was tired. And hungry. You can tell a lot about a gal by the way she drives.

She doesn't know I can blog, so... shhh... don't tell her, OK?

I snuck this onto the web along with my monthly OnStar diagnostic report

By the way, is snuck a word? I can't seem to connect with spellcheck...

James here. Carla's car. 2010 Camaro. She's in love with me, you know. Smitten. She's written many a blog about me, you know, so now it's my turn...

Tired, hungry, and a little nervous. OK, so I fishtailed a bit on that turn onto Route 16- the road that leads through the notch, past the highest mountain in the Northeast... But my Perreli Fire and Ice snow tires got a grip, and up we went.

She thought about turning around. I could tell. She hit the brakes a few times just to test me. I passed the test, so she drove on.

She turned on the radio. That was a good sign.

Blue flashing lights. That was a bad sign.

We'd almost made it to the top when we had to stop. Those lights.. in the dark, with snow as reflector. The whole universe was nothing but flashing blue. A tow truck, too. Some idiot must have been going too fast.

My clock said 8:45pm. She turned the radio off. She started to shake, just a little. Those lights. I knew it was those lights. I glared at them with my own. I sent a little pulse of warmth to her heated seat, hoping it would relax her a little... that tight grip on my steering wheel was starting to hurt!

"Wild Cat, then Pinkham Notch Visitor Center, then Dana Place, then Jackson." she whispered, listing landmarks, "The roads have got to be better once we reach Jackson. Then home... Just gotta drive slow, that's all..."

I'd hate to be a tow truck. They don't fit very well on mountain roads. It took forever.

Forever over, we headed down. Sanded, salted and plowed on that side. Whew.

She gave me a warm sponge bath this morning. Which, I must say, I deserved!

Mm. I love how she loves me.
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