Random Thoughts

Maybe it due to the fire, or is it just coming together with old friends that ignite my memories of days past.
One of the first visits to Los Rios and Riley's that I remember vividly, was Thanksgiving weekend, about 1987. Timothy in his baby backpack, Christopher in his Stroller. Obviously flat landers in this scene of Mountain Men.
Funny the people I remember well to this day. Jim and Brenda, Doug, Cindy, Dennis A., Lighting with his dogs, Bill, Eleanor, Ray, Barbara and Turtle.
We walked the historical time line that was presented using both ranches; it was titled "A Walk Through History". It started with some Celts and ended with 1899.
We started up at the store, walked down the hill to the meadow, on to the grove, down the back hill across the road (Oak Glen Rd) over to Riley's Apple shed and ended at the barn.
Over the years Los Rios became a favorite hang out with friends and my children. Traversing all of Oak Glen road to a point that I knew it as well as the back of my hand. Then that fateful day that we were invited to camp at Los Rios historical encampment.
Huge thanks to Little John and Val.
As life often does, it sets you on a path that can have benefits far reaching. Shaun and John reconnected at a Pow-wow in Lucerne Valley. Ironically, they had seen each other a few times at pow-wow each telling their spouses "That guy looks familiar, I know I know him". They both pointed to each other until they made the connection to La Puente High and Shaun's sister, Michele.
We camped at Los Rios for many years on Memorial and Thanksgiving weekends, often causing some resentment from blood family members. We felt at home at camp, made many friends which became family.
Rusty and our family attended a wedding in the grove that had some very interesting things happen on a spiritual level. They participants could not get a flame to say lit to lit the sage, there was a 4.5 earthquake during the women's ceremony and the groom eventually ended up in jail, guilty of murder. Sometimes you need to listen to those signs, all of them.
All in all lots of great memories, sitting around campfires, listening to Bill play his guitar, Turtle on his washtub bass and Timothy with his pit noises. Subtle murmurings into the wee hours of the morning, laughing, smoke rising in the meadow making the present feel and seem like the past.
Way to many people to forget, Rusty, Marley, Mario (rip). Dennis A (rip), Doug, Ann, Cindy, Bear walker, Jim, Brenda, Bill, Eleanor, Little John, Val, Steve, Melody, Half Blanket, Brown Hand, Terry Tall hat, Ray, Used Bead John (rip), 2 Hawks, Lightening and Dawn. So many more....

Although most see only the destruction of a forest fire,the loss of life of wild animals and the destruction of cabins and homes.

I see so much more.

The fire itself is beautiful, the flame as it leaps,
stretching as far as it can to reach it's next target.
With it's hues of red, orange, yellow, sometimes blue.
Yes there is destruction, but there is so much more.
It is the forest purging itself of the deceased, the infected, the weak, clearing the ground for rebirth, renewal and tender balance, forever making way for the strong to survive.

In California as well as in Australia, the native peoples of the land, burned it for just those purposes. It had been noted in several history books, of the "park like setting" of Southern California.

It has only been when we, who thought we have the power to control and manage our forests, created unbalance. Upsetting natures natural balance, cycles, seasons of life, which in turn have proven to be deadly decisions.
We plant more trees than the land can support, introduce invading species that strange out the indigenous and keep insisting that we know better than Mother Nature.
Then the dreaded day comes when Mother Nature just reaches out and smacks us back, putting us in our proper place in this life.

After the fire, springs to life species of plants that were thought to be extinct, the production of seed, nuts or flowers which needed it to reach the plants full cycle. In some cases it will take many years to see the true benefits of the fire.

The animals, well that old thing called "natural selection", I believe has much to do with whether an animal survived or not. Again, purging the animal species of the sick, weak and carriers of negative parasites.