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to the lake: days 5-8
July 31, 2013

click here to read days 1-4

day 5

in the car early but not as early as planned
always the case for me these days
glacier national park
going to the sun
holy
strawberry licorice, song singing, gasping at where we live, where we are from
gram? tell us more stories about mama when she was a little girl.
the one about the gum in uncle trav’s hair
the one about her astronaut halloween costume
hidden lake, mountain goats that neighed and stomped my grandparents’ wisdom
gentle, kind, pay attention, love, love, love
my mom holding hands with my oldest, my dad offering his tanned shoulders to my youngest
i held that hand, rode those shoulders
life is a miracle

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day 6
day starts as the five previous: early wake just after the sun
thick coffee, dock walk with ruby jane, my spitfire who love to WAKE UP
watching ducks, gulls and the bald eagles teach their flegilings to fly
fly
kids leave on a boat with my mom and her brother
toss lines into water and wait, hope
smells like buttered corn, dirt, perch
run with my aunt
green, strong, light, wishing these people lived next door always
new friends, always room
margot jumps in the lake and then
cannonball
four feet under
i can hold my breath like a mermaid
ruby swims between docks without assistance, all smile
i tread water and take it in
the growth, the triumph, the disbelief
the belief
the fact that my feet bicycle through the molecules of my ancestors
watch me mama! 
no thanks, i don’t need help
i’m there anyway.
to beam, to adore, to help
just in case they ask

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day 7
a huge turtle rises just below our six feet on the dock
ancient
we leap up and our long early morning shadows force retreat
into the thick mess of seaweed. all day we think we see him.
she walks up with her three kids. i know their names, i’ve read their stories
but this is our first time meeting; we met through words on computer screens years ago
we are both huggers. i knew she would be.
kindred, sincere, rad, calm, strong
on her blog and in real life
folding new/old friends into my family’s party on the dock
swimming, jumping, smiling, talking talking talking
mama? i think i want to try a dive. and before I can respond she does.
rolling forward, head first, holding breath, straight down
the turtle – our premonition – below
what a gift, she said. this. i like the beginning and the end. but I LOVE the middle. this. 

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day 8
goodbye
i prefer they are quick but i never get my way
hugs, one more
one more
i will miss you so much
i am the last to get my cabin cleaned, like always
and i put it off a bit longer to walk that dock one more time with my girls
we stand, three mountains before the midnight blanket of water
mama! a bald eagle!
three giant heaves of her wings and she glides like a leaf in a stream
and then takes aim and drops faster than rain
up with a fish in talons to take back to her nest
just out of sight
until tomorrow/next year

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16 Comments


Tammi
July 31, 2013 at 12:03 PM

Beautiful words + images to start the day. Thank you for sharing your family, your life.



Britta
July 31, 2013 at 12:11 PM

Oh my gosh. Beautiful times with your family, Nici! But what took my breath away was the link to Bee House Hives. I remember years ago I read her blog for a brief snippet in time and then lost it – couldn’t remember the name, couldn’t find it. The post that burned into my memory was titled “the cole fire” or something similar. I’m so delighted to have found her again! Thank you!



    dig
    July 31, 2013 at 12:45 PM

    yeah! love stories like that. 🙂

Michelle
July 31, 2013 at 1:01 PM

Beautiful. Just. Beautiful!



Trbholt
July 31, 2013 at 1:24 PM

Made me cry….I want to live closer to this, to Montana….to YOU…..xo



nicolette
July 31, 2013 at 1:55 PM

wow.

in awe of all of this.

‘what a gift,’ indeed.



SmithShack71
July 31, 2013 at 1:56 PM

omg @ the river rocks, the views, and everything. love.



Buy Meizitang For Any Driver To Determine
August 1, 2013 at 5:27 AM

to the lake: days 5-8 | dig this chick



lo
August 1, 2013 at 9:21 AM

5 years ago my husband and I backpacked through Glacier for our honeymoon. Thank you for bringing beautiful memories to mind through your words and photos.

May I suggest for Day 9-10: extend the holiday and head to Waterton. You’ve likely already been but I’ll bet you the girls would love the “castle” aka Prince of Wales hotel. And the view? Majestic.



Lia
August 1, 2013 at 1:31 PM

This is beautiful, you have captured beauty in your pictures and your words and my heart swells with the imagery. Now Glacier National Park has become a must see for me! I feel like taking my three young children there is doable seeing your adventure.
I’ve been reading your blog for a few months now, just now commenting. I have really enjoyed reading it. You seem like a kindred spirit just in a vastly different location (I live in a large city in Florida).



Stacey
August 1, 2013 at 8:27 PM

Amazing depiction of an incredible trip. Thank you for sharing and inspiring me: “gentle, kind, pay attention, love, love, love…” Yes.



supers slim pomegranate diet pills
August 2, 2013 at 4:24 PM

Truly programming is nothing but it a logic, if you get grip on it after that you are the master else not anything.



Jaim
August 2, 2013 at 10:19 PM

Glacier is by far my favorite! The second and third pictures, where exactly were you? That looks like our kinda beach…we would love to check it out on our next trip. Being with family is lovely and being with family where you were makes everything dreamy. Glad you had such a good time.

It’s funny but we were in Missoula when you were gone and I always hope that we’ll run into you by chance. When I found out you were gone I was a little sad…maybe because there was no chance we would run into you and the girls. Maybe next time…

Jaim



Kelle
August 3, 2013 at 10:50 AM

Oh goodness. The poetry. The images. The photo of your flip-flops under those ripples and that rainbow of pebbles? Had to stare at it for a moment. So, so beautiful. Love catching up here. Off to read the first part.



Melina
August 7, 2013 at 10:15 AM

this gorgeous sink-into-these-photos post is not the best for a girl leaving the northwest to be reading…



PCPEB
August 8, 2013 at 12:04 AM

What a wonderful time! I love all the pics of the girls! It is pretty special, indeed! Cant wait until next year!!!xo



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    I’m Nici (pronounced like Nikki) and I live in western Montana where I raise kids, vegetables and the roof.

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