おめでたい

This post was originally called "Spring Celebrations", but for the first time in a while squiggly letters just seemed more fitting for what I'm feeling

おめでたい (omedetai): auspicious, celebratory, joyous, happy.

It's springtime and I'm looking around at all the things to celebrate as life ramps back up.

Master Maciej

Just about every friend I have right now can be traced to two things: Maciej Pike-Biegunski and Japanese. Maciej and Jenn Hess were there when my life pivoted from indoor pursuits to outdoor adventures (fact: I was a 1337 raid leader and dungeon master). I was pretty happy to be there with his family when Maciej's life had its own major pivot recently: his gradua-mation with a master's.

Also, his nephew is cute as a bucket.

Are buckets cute? That may have been a bad simile.

You say out of focus, I say "baby soft"

Sheridan

Another thing I'd like to celebrate is my family up in Sheridan, and their generosity in giving me room and board all while helping me with my summer project.

I did my best to split my time out there between work-work, van-work, and life-work.

Life-work was mainly sunset bike rides in the rolling foothills of the Bighorn Mountains. On one ride I was paced by a rabbit; then startled deer; next a cowgirl rounding up a stray calf, lasso rolling overhead; and finally, two nervous antelope. All in the golden sunlight, all while laughing with joy up and down the country hills.

The very first bit of work done to the van

On another ride a whitetail matched my speed and direction so perfectly that we just ran together for ten long seconds. When it leapt the fence of a ranch the lie of our matched speeds made it seem more like it simply levitated up down again, legs tucked elegantly underneath.

Mawwaige, Mawwaige

I left Sheridan on a Friday night and slept near the bridge in Fremont Canyon. I awoke, rope-soloed three pitches before the nearby campsite had pressed their first load of brown water, and was on my way to Laramie for an old friend and adventure partner's wedding.

This was the first time in years and years that a group of Laramie friends had all been in the same place at the same time and I was there with them.

The day of the actual celebration I put my camera away and just enjoyed being with my friends - and the free booze.

I couldn't quite help myself but photograph this character before we headed to the reception though.

Thanks Emilene and Andy for bringing us all together again, and congratulations. (Or should I say, おめでとう?)

Whose Birthday Is It?

You may have seen this photo of mine before.

That's my Creeksgiving family member Reese on Fatted Calf, an 11- thin-hands crack at Sacred Cow Wall in Indian Creek. You can read all about that trip here.

What am I doing resurrecting this photo?

A week or two ago, Reese's other half Emily asked me for a full-res version of that image so she could make a metal print of it and give it to Reese for his birthday. I sent it to her right away, with only one stipulation.

You have to send me a picture of this on the wall. Happy birthday to the Reeser, see you guys in November.

I maybe cried a little when I got those photos. Happy Birthday Reese, and thanks for the present Emily. It feels like my birthday too now.

Summer

My final Spring Celebration is... summer. It's summer. Picnics, wine, sunshine, climbing.

Oh right. Climbing.

I'm climbing living again.

See all these images + a few bonus ones in the gallery