Writer's block

Nothing to panic about... really?

I was once cavalier about these unscheduled creative hiatuses. I'd assure myself that it was a break...  a period to be utilized by doing something else... doing something else could have been easily transmuted into doing nothing and doing nothing became the art of doing nothing. Time takes its toll, however, and I look back thinking, what a waste?

Age... Age imposes a perspective on my perspective. A universal perspective overlaying a limited and personal one. The two merge into one at certain turn-offs on the hi-way.... vista points: not necessarily rest stops. Rest stops are places where perhaps a little park, a restroom, maybe some trees... travelers can park... take a nap... nothing spectacular is promised in these places though they are sometimes beautifully placed.

However, a vista point starts out with a promise... hey, stop... check this out... there is something to see here.... usually no facilities.... just a view. A precipice where the winding road can be seen and so on. My favorite Vista Point was one west of Le Grande Oregon. It overlooks a valley on the Oregon Trail and there is a marker that tells of how there was a lone pine tree on the plane that was chopped down for firewood by the pioneers. It was so green it couldn't be used for fire and the pilgrims traveled on.

It is an interesting Vista Point to me because the view is of something that is no longer there... that was chopped down too soon.... that was wasted and mourned. Ah, maybe I'll write today.

geo 5,579

The Lone Tree

Oregon Trail emigrants entered the Baker Valley after days of arduous travel through the Burnt River watershed, where James Nesmith, emigrant of 1843, considered "The roads rough and the country rougher still."  Early emigrants crested the south flank of Flangstaff Hill, and with the Blue Mountains looming to the west, the rolling valley below present d a single tree -- the Lone Pine.

"We at last found the top of the mountain   at a distance we could see what we suppose to be the Blue mountains and they struck us with terror  their lofty peaks seemed a resting place for the clouds.  Below us was a large plain and at some distance we could discover a tree which we at once recognized a "the lone pine" of which we had before heard.  We made all possible speed and at 7 1/2 o'clock the advance party arrived at the Tree nearly an hour before the cattle.  The Tree is a large Pine standing in the midst of an immense plain intirely alone.  It presented a truly singular apearance and I believe is respected by every traviler through this Treless Country."  Medorem Crawford;  September 8, 1842

I stole this from this website: tomlaidlaw.com