So, I just wrote a poem. The first one in a month or so and only the forth or fifth all spring. I hardly feel like I can write a thing, but I’ve felt this before many times.

Still processing my time alone in the wilderness. I would like to write more about it very soon. For now, I can say that it is good to be in the hot humid Midwest, catching up with family and longtime friends.

We’re out here for a few more weeks and then it’s back to Seattle. If you live there you should come out on July 29th for this hip young reading series dubbed The Off Hours. I’m one of the featured readers this go round and I’d like to feel like a poet by then.

More soon, I promise.

Just a quick note to say that I will be out of touch for the next couple weeks. 

River is officially one year old in a matter of hours!  We’ve had a number of great celebrations and I just can’t say enough how damn proud I am to be his dad.

I drive north in the AM to lead a staff training trip at Camp Manito-wish.  Should be three-four days of great fun and learning. Then, the morning after cleaning up from that trip I head out for an 8-day solo trip in Quetico Provincial Park of southern Ontario.  My itinerary is set (about 100 miles of paddling; 30 or so portages).  Almost all familiar haunts, but it will be all new going solo. I think I’m ready mentally. I have everything packed, minus some fresh food. My WFR is still current and I’m in good paddling shape.

Precaution is the keyword and quiet, too, I suppose. Wish me luck. I’ll write when I return.

Thus begins the week of celebrating River’s first year on Earth! Last night was the kickoff—a lovely beach barbecue hosted by River’s Go(o)d Parents, Pete and Jane. It happened to be the one gorgeous day in a long streak of wet and cool days. We enjoyed good company and cheap beer while River sampled sand and got ridiculously dirty.  He had a blast.  We sang happy birthday to the little guy and he looked up totally bewildered at the spectacle. With that done he had no trouble accepting the kid-inspired banana-cupcake-with-peanut-butter-frosting made special by Jane.

River’s actual birthday isn’t until this coming Saturday, but we’ll celebrate again with my family tonight before we take off to the Midwest on Wednesday, where we’ll celebrate once again with another barbecue. This milestone seems worth lingering over, imagining and re-imagining how one little person can change the lives of so many people.

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: I love being a dad and, as much as this can be true about little ones, River makes it easy.