“The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.” J.R.R. Tolkien†
Always loved that poem. It’s especially apt now, as I’m getting out of the house in somewhat random directions every day.
I don’t want to do once-a-week posts, but that’s how it’s falling out. I swear I’ll try to do better.
So I got my pick-up stick this past week. It was hard to get all those great pictures last week without the bunches and bunches of trash showing up in them. I thought “someone should do something” and quickly realized “I’m someone!” So I turned to Amazon to figure out what I wanted (reviews are so much more trustworthy than ad copy) then ordered off Amazon when I couldn’t find the right tool anywhere else.
I meant to do some walks with the dog, some with the camera, and not take the pick-up stick with me every walk. But I am, for an hour or three every day. Evenings during the week, morning and evenings on the weekend, and at least three bags of trash every time. Yesterday and today I saw dead turtles. It makes me sad. I grew up around lakes, ponds, streams, swamps, springs–tons of places turtles lived and never saw a dead one. I’m going to argue the garbage has something to do with their deaths, since these are not large old turtles.
The good side–15+ plastic bags of trash picked up! I take at least three empty bags when I leave the house, and usually find more as I go. I pick them up, drag them out of cactus, pull them out from under rocks, stuff them full of garbage, and toss them in the nearest garbage can. I think you could blindfold me in the middle of the park next door, spin me round and let me go, and as soon as I got done yakking (I don’t do dizzy very well) I’d head straight for the nearest can. Still blindfolded.
I’ve heard kids ask their parents what I’m doing, which starts a conversation. I’ve been thanked by strangers. Best of all, I’ve seen people look at me, figure out what I’m doing, and stoop to grab a piece of trash on their way by. Kids. Well-dressed adults. Homeless people. Little Leaguers. Birthday celebrators.
Guess they’re somebody too. 🙂
In Other News
On the Road to Rivendell, I’ve traveled 240 miles and I’m standing on top of Weathertop as a Black Rider appears on the road below.
After a brief quarrel with my new scale, it and I have agreed that I’ve now lost 24 pounds
Got a haircut yesterday. As the housemate put it, it’s very cute, but it’s not me. Oh well. The hair is out of my eyes and that’s good enough. (God save me from adorable and enthusiastic hairdressers. >_> )
I took these with my phone this morning. Remember the dove in the cactus last week?
Eggses! 
I cleaned this beach yesterday. I think she appreciates it!
† You knew that, right? Please tell me you knew that.
I DID know that. In fact, I’m now humming the song as it was sung in FOTR.
You are indeed someone, and an awesome someone to boot! Go you for actually doing something about the trash. Meant to tell you this on Twitter when you first posted about your pick-up stick.
Weathertop! Good for you, but WATCH OUT FOR THAT BLACK RIDER!
I’ll be careful, I swear! No fires, and I won’t put the Ring on. No matter how I…really…want…