Parade of No Homes

I often wonder about the great peace and calm that fills me when I travel and the view before me is open and without intrusive development. If I am on a road it is often a cure for frustration and busy-ness. If I am on a hiking trail, it is the magic of a quiet mind. The forest absorbs distress. The unceasing dialogue filled with mundane details of life evaporates. It is no wonder that each time a favorite ranch, pristine stream or bluff is altered to suit the desires of one or a few, I am saddened. Unfortunately, only when the place is gone does irritation and the pain of loss surface. Artists, who work outside, have a vested interest to keep these vanishing landscapes noted and preserved. We have an intriguing power to influence others with our keen eye for beauty. When an artist stops to paint, others stop to look and attempt to see what the artist deemed worthy of attention. We can create value by celebrating even the most modest spots. Picasso said, “Art is not an aesthetic operation, but a form of Magic.” I hope we can magically create some attention that will result in the further protection of the valley of The Blue River.