Contrary to popular belief, the world is not small. It is big. Really big. I heard the other day that the moon is shrinking. Just where it is going, was not addressed. Nothing was said about the earth shrinking. I haven’t experienced any shrinkage near or around me. Dang it, not even my waist. Must have something to do with the Costco blueberry muffins I keep a supply of in my freezer. That the earth is not shrinking is comforting. It brings me to believe that the horizon I view is just as large as it has always been. One of the things on my bucket list is to see a clear sunset on a flat horizon. I can only imagine how that might take my breath away. Sunset vantage points I have included, mighty mountains and the colors are something to see for sure. But. Yes, a flat view of a “but.” I still strive to see the sunset along a flat horizon. I read somewhere that just as the sun squeaks its last squeak on a flat horizon, there is an amazing emerald green flash. I want to see if that is true. I got a note from a guy not long ago, who told me he lived in Africa for a while before landing in Las Vegas where he lives now. How does that happen? I am a native Nevadan. I’m very proud and happy of that fact. Getting to meet people who have lived places of far-off lands grabs the nosey in me and I want to know more. The further away or the more convoluted the story, the better. Remember reading about the rest of the world in school? The explorers, Magellan, Columbus. What stories they must have told. What silver tongued devils they must have been to get the much-needed shekels to afford to sail away. Oh, such another story all together. I really enjoy seeing the mass movements of snowbird couples and families heading south like the flocking geese I see squawking overhead in the fall and then squawking back to summer placements. The joy-filled voices of coming and going. Or would that be going and coming. Depends I suppose on which horizon you are looking forward to seeing when you look. Looking forward to summer horizons would be my preference. I know of the somewhat mass exodus to the south as many of my friends do it. It’s somewhat all the rage as years and retirement are added to life. Something looked forward to annually. I never really looked forward to leaving the comfort of my home just because snow was on the way. Oh, sure I want to stay warm and go outside all year long. I am not without that desire of a perpetual summer. I just never got all giddy about missing the glazed shine of snow on Diamond Mountain out my window glistening from a December or February full moon. That’s why there are so many of us humans. We all get to be different. Just like every horizon. Different, but still the comfort of sameness. Speaking of the snowbird phenomenon. There is this thing. It’s very evident if you have ever traveled on one of the snowbirds “run from winter” adventures. It’s to get all of your toys to your winter haven, in one fell swoop. Oh, I know of what I speak. This goes way beyond golf clubs and “Honest honey, I’m just taking a FEW books to read.” There is a possible boat, 4-wheeler AKA side by side. Dog or cat and all the toys and luggage a dog and cat could have. Fishing everything! Clothes for any and all kinds of relaxing, hiking, walking, exercising, dressing up and dressing down. Blenders and now air fryers. Gotta eat healthy, you know. Tools and craft supplies and a sewing machine. And extra car. Well of course an extra car, or truck and trailer to haul around that side by side. Computer, cords, phone chargers for phones and iPads and that music thingy that I don’t even know anything about. And that’s just the first trip! In taking inventory of it all, I can absolutely see why some now have taken the plunge to have two houses. One for winter and one for not winter. The best of both worlds really. Most of all? The ability to have two horizons to stand in awe of. I still stand by the desire to always see my best of the west horizon. Seeing that flat horizon though is still floatin’ around in my bucket. Trina Machacek lives in Eureka. Her books are available online or email itybytrina@yahoo.com to get a signed copy.
