I remember losing it in the grocery store, salty tears in the bacon aisle. It was months after we lost Grandma. The grief hit me like it had just happened. Pal passed away six weeks ago, on the same day Grandma passed three years ago. This didn’t feel like a coincidence, not that I knowContinue reading “One purple bandana.”
Category Archives: US Road Trip
heliolatry.
[hee-lee-ol–uh-tree] noun worship of the sun. After leaving a highly air conditioned restaurant, I went outside, stood in the sun, and closed my eyes and savored how the sun felt as my goosebumps diminished. I then checked the Word of the Day and laughed when I read the meaning. The weather in Colorado has been so lovely; theContinue reading “heliolatry.”
saxicoline.
[sak-sik–uh-lin, -lahyn] adjective, Botany, Zoology living or growing among rocks. I sat in the sunshine at a coffee shop called The Daily Dose in Crested Butte and enjoyed about half my daily dose of caffeine. I shared a campsite with a father and his son last night and I could not have enjoyed myself more. The campground was full and theyContinue reading “saxicoline.”
argonaut.
noun. [ahr-guh-nawt, -not] A person in quest of something dangerous but rewarding; adventurer. Classical Mythology. A member of the band of men who sailed to Colchis with Jason in the ship Argo in search of the Golden Fleece. A person who moved to California during the gold rush of 1849. Paper nautilus. I’m in NebraskaContinue reading “argonaut.”
nabob.
[ney-bob] noun any very wealthy, influential, or powerful person. Also, nawab. a person, especially a European, who has made a large fortune in India or another country of the East. I was fortunate to be accepted back at the Outfitters to work a couple months while I was home meeting my amazing nephew, Jack. While I was folding a bright pink Patagonia t-shirt, a customer sauntered in and asked his friend, my manager, “Have you ever been to Ketchum, Idaho?”Continue reading “nabob.”
accouterment.
or (especially British) accoutrement [uh–koo-ter-muh nt, -truh-] noun personal clothing, accessories, etc. the equipment, excluding weapons and clothing, of a soldier. I loaded up Sangria Kia with accouterment galore, including wool base layers, bamboo leggings, my coffee maker, and hats full of buttons. I put an “Asheville” sticker on Sangria’s dupa and she seemed to be glowing, knowing an adventure was on the horizon. There’s not much IContinue reading “accouterment.”
tenderfoot.
[ten-der-foo t] noun, plural tenderfoots, tenderfeet [ten-der-feet] 1. a raw, inexperienced person; novice. 2. a newcomer to the ranching and mining regions of the western U.S., unused to hardships. Idaho was covered in mountains which were covered in evergreens which were covered in snow. It looked like Narnia from the comfort of my heated Kia. We stayed inContinue reading “tenderfoot.”
logy.
[loh-gee] adjective, logier, logiest. lacking physical or mental energy or vitality; sluggish; dull; lethargic. I have had a logy heaviness lately. I think it started in Denver due to allergies and traffic and what was left of my energy faded away with every mile on the drive to Oklahoma City. My stay there was lovely, though I wish I had been more entertaining to myContinue reading “logy.”
bafflegab.
[baf–uh l-gab] noun, Slang. confusing or generally unintelligible jargon; gobbledegook. I have fallen in love. He’s sensitive, snuggly, and so unbelievably cute, I can’t even describe it. He loves me back, I don’t have any doubt. He does only speak in bafflegab and gobbledegook, because he’s 18 days old. His name is Holden Pearce and when he falls asleep on my chest,Continue reading “bafflegab.”
rhapsodic.
[rap-sod-ik] adjective extravagantly enthusiastic; ecstatic. pertaining to, characteristic of, or of the nature or form of rhapsody. While driving through the Smoky Mountains to get to Asheville, green overwhelmed me until I was utterly rhapsodic. There were so many different shades, I took my sunglasses off to make sure I was seeing it right. Highlighter green, deep kale green, Ninja Turtle green–it was overwhelming compared to the everContinue reading “rhapsodic.”
beth of fresh air 