heaven hovers low

view from the Day farm, Ira, Vermont

Completing the mourning dove survey with Doug for the 2nd year on Thursday.

5/28/10

The other day, Kathy Clarke and I drove along a ridgeline to the Eshqua Bog near Woodstock. Dappled sunlight on the dirt road and surrounding greenery. Idyllic vistas of hillside, forest, and field. This morning I drove the spine of the Green Mountains on Doug Blodgett's annual mourning dove survey. Full moon setting over the Bliss farm. Steam rising over brooks and ponds. On both occasions there was the feeling, especially at the summits, that one was at the top of the world, and that heaven hovers low in the sky over the Green Mountain state. There was literally the feeling that one should hunch down in one's seat when driving along the hill tops lest one scrape up against the Pearly Gates or some such.

I thought about Montana, and the Big Sky country. The majestic vastness of that place takes one's breath away. Vermont is kind of the little sky country. There is a lot of beauty concentrated in a small amount of space. A goodly number of heaven's tailings seem to accumulate here.

same spot, different direction