The fact they released a 4-LP set of Nick Drake’s first album Five Leaves Left didn’t make it any easier; I was rushing fall. It’s a deeply unpopular thing to do in the Pacific Northwest, to summon autumn before summer’s… Read More ›
Memoir
Pipsee’s View
Up and down Tiger Mountain there are memorials to local hikers and friends of the mountain, volunteers who gave their time to keep it maintained. Like Murat’s Bridge, Anschell’s Allee, or Pipsee’s View, a modest overlook of a brushy cove…. Read More ›
One last time to Shy Bear Pass
There were two places I wanted my ashes spread. One was our favorite camp spot on the Washington coast, Oil City. No oil, no city. A bad name for a beautiful place. The other, less exotic spot was right here… Read More ›
The hissing of summer lawns
I loved bulking up before a big backpacking trip and then eating like a beast afterwards. There was no way to make up for those burned calories but boy I liked trying. My phone gave me an award for setting… Read More ›
Solitude (2014 remaster)
By the time I got to the rim trail I was feeling feral. Short with people, not making eye contact, combative. The rim trail comes out of the visitor center at a very touristy part of Mt. Rainier. Let’s just… Read More ›
After Forever
Here so early the espresso stands aren’t even open yet. Towns with names like Ravensdale, Enumclaw, Greenwater. Got to the ranger station two hours before they opened to be first in line. You can’t outcrazy me. Cracking the sun roof… Read More ›
The Friday overnight
Few things I loved more than getting up really early to go backpacking. Better if it was with a friend or deeper in the year nearing autumn. But today was best because it was happening today and just about to… Read More ›
Jockey full of bourbon
My hair didn’t look the best. I’d been trying to grow it out but made the mistake of going into a cheap salon (“Great Clips”) before a job interview to hack a few inches off the back and now it… Read More ›
Waning crescent
Once it started to mellow I’d sit in the late afternoon sun in a far part of the yard with the dog and some honey bees lazing about the lawn. I’d stopped cutting it so the clover flowered over and… Read More ›
Wild life
The grass was now the color of a pale copper coin not yet brown, more golden. The grass color had varied hues and smelled sweet and the smell reminded me of the harvest festivals of my youth. Further up the… Read More ›
Bill Pearse 