GREEN MOUNTAIN HIGH

               Every morning I take McGee for his poo-poo-pee-pee walk and this morning was no exception. When we stepped outside, a pock-marked half-moon glowed in a lavender sky and the air was as crisp as the snow. We usually walk to a nearby lake but because of the heavy snowfall yesterday, we headed the opposite way towards Green Mountain. Since cancer hit about 3 years ago and ever since then, I've had one foot on the grave and the other on a banana peel, Green Mountain looked as ominous as Mount Everest. 
              Clayton Clark's house is situated on the top of Green Mountain and I used to visit him occasionally when we were both in about the same condition; a light breeze could have blown us over, and come to think of it, when I was undergoing treatments and stepped out of a car in St. John's, a gust of wind blew me over. There I was lying flat on my back counting raindrops falling in my face. I used to kid him about having a race to the top of the mountain and we figured it would take about a week for either of us to get to the top and like sherpas on Everest, someone would have to carry us. 
                   Now Green Mountain isn't anything like the toon portrays; quite the opposite in fact. And, it's hardly a mountain, more like a steep hill with a road that stretches up it and beyond to Forest City (hardly a city - doesn't have one store or even a gas station) more like a subdivision on the US border.)  But fortunately, it's still green, that is until it's clear-cut like a lot of land around here. (Sniffle, sniffle) Makes my heart break every time I see semi's rolling by with a load full of baby-trees - they certainly haven't matured.
                      I don't know what possessed this achy back and stiff legs but as I planted one foot in front of the other towards Green Mountain, next thing I knew they just kept on a going, McGee happily pooping and peeing along the way.  When I reached Clayton's place and looked at the window where he often sat, sadness surged through me like a burst dam because my friend is no longer with us - he passed away less than a year ago. He had a heart of gold and was the first person who greeted us on the day we moved in - even helped us get the pump working so we'd have water. 
                       The view from the mountain is quite spectacular. East Grand Lake lies below and camps (hahaha - if that's camping, I sure did something wrong when I hiked the West Coast Trail with a pup-tent on my back) they circle the lake like settler's covered wagons.  I like the way it is at the lake now - don't have to listen to the continual drone of seadoos, party boats and motor boats and then if you can believe this, fireworks at night. What I don't understand is why cityfolk always bring the city with them and it's odd when I hear them say, "I like to get back to Nature."
              Not sure when I'll walk up Green Mountain again - I know it won't be on a windy day - why hell, I could get blown clean away...cheers, eh!  ​

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