Adrian van Fraassen
Thursday, September 4, 2025
What Dreams May Come
Tuesday, September 2, 2025
Where the Grass Starts to Grow
Beyond the Baldan Highlands,
I prayed today on the heather
overlooking the ocean,
and lay down in the sun
where I enjoyed the cool breeze
and seagulls flying by, and a kittiwake
and the waves down below tall granite cliffs
terraced with fir trees gold in the sun.
It's a long walk back to the harbor where
I saw a young man sitting just past the houses
where the grass starts to grow.
His golden retriever looked happy
looking at the seaguls in the water below.
I used to enjoy sitting there
and a breeze was in the grass
and a sunset light was on the rocks.
I made to say hello
and suddenly felt shy,
but he offered me to pet his dog.
Its just on the edge of the Atlantic
and just on the edge of town.
Sunday, August 31, 2025
Dressing and Gravy
First stop, Chess's Fish and Chips, got to try the fries with dressing and gravy.
First first stop though, even just moving from the plane to the terminal, I can smell and feel the ocean air. It is a rainy ish evening, maybe that adds to the salt and humidity in the air, and its breezy, too.
Taking deep deep breathes, as I was walking home from the Fish and Chips, I was enjoying the sweet air. Phmmmm, Aaaahhh, going deep into my lungs. Nothing quite like it.
Monday, July 14, 2025
Excuse Me, Can You Please Cheer Me On?
They say it is harder for guys to ask for directions.
I was at the climbing gym today, and a particular guy caught my eye. I wanted to watch him climb, and yet not seem weird. I continued with my climbing routine, but kind of kept stealing glances, and I think maybe he noticed. The gym is in the shape of a circle.
My routine is to go around the circle. Near the end of my routine, I happened upon a route that my man and the lady he was with were sitting close to, So, I asked them to watch out ere I would fall and crash upon them. They politely moved to the other pad, though I never fell.
After that we shared some Beta. So to say, I had further made his acquaintance discussing a V.5 we were both working on, and another climber with a tuque and a grey beard- a long one and very full- offered some advice as well.
Then, they climbed one and I climbed another. Therewith, I suggested that we all go look at a steep V.4. I had been working on it for a few weeks and I was hoping, perhaps, they could enlighten me on how to finally ascend it. However, after looking at it they decided not to try it, despite the favorable grade. Therefore, I could gather no clues from their endeavors.
Alas, I jumped forward to try it at once with them both looking on. Lo and behold, their audience helped me to give my best effort yet, however not quite to the top could I ascend. They consolidated me with some encouraging remarks, and I was glad for their company.
Hence I realized, I could simply have asked from the outset, 'Excuse me, can you please cheer me on?'
The Month of May
Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Lake Louise with Kate
Had a very nice weekend at Lake Louise ski hill with Kate and Sofie and Markus and Kevin and some of their friends. It was a good chance to do some fun skiing, hit some ski jumps and enjoy the spectacular mountain views. We also had a big group dinner with live music and NHL playoffs in the explorers pub at the Lake Louise inn with all the kids and parents having a good time together. I stayed two nights in the Hostel next door. On Monday after everyone went home, I had a nice backcountry cross country ski up to Bolder Pass on the way to Skoki Lodge. It was a moody day with wind and falling snow and misty mountains. Saturday and Sunday on the ski hill were sunny and clear. Temple Mountain and the surrounding peaks and glaciers of the continental divide clear and blue and white for me and Kate, and together we both yelled out Hello to Dad and We Love you Dad from the top of his last ski run called Eagles Flight.














