The Fence

I had to get away from Headwrapping School for a while so I packed some lunch into my backpack and strolled out across the meadow to the woods. I walked among the trees, climbing steadily upward through manzanitas, white thorn, madrones, fir, and redwoods. Finally after a couple of hours or more of huffing and puffing I reached the top of the ridge. I sat down and rested my back against an old fir snag. A gentle breeze caressed my skin. The view was magnificent.

After a slight repast I continued down the other side. I hadn't been over here in years. Everything looked different. Had I taken a wrong turn? The trail was hidden at times under tangled vines and gnarly fallen trees. Occasionally I had to get down on my hands and knees to get through the underbrush. The ground was dark, cool, and damp. The earth smelled good. Above me sunlight bathed the top branches of the oaks highlighting a squirrel scampering here and there. I crossed a few narrow streams. A small deer stood looking at me for a spell with large soulful eyes. Butterflies darted in and out of the shadows playing hide and seek. There was a magical feeling in the air.

Then suddenly the trail came to an abrupt end. My eyes blinked adjusting to the light. Before me was a sun drenched green field, on the other side of the field, a fence and then the road. I walked across the field to the fence. I put my fingers on the wire and stood motionless, checking out the traffic.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxcars 1 -- 6 x 14in. -- acrylic/ink/canvas
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx