I had planned to be on the road and reading park brochures, but somehow I still seem to have fallen off the reading path. I finished February reading two more mystery killer lawyer books – Killing Time and King of Lies. I started March with Retribution and the story made me sick – to think these things actually happen. To get on a more positive side of reading I chose to reread Desert Solitaire: A Season in the Wilderness by Edward Abbey. He’s a guy that sees trees for branches and leaves; rocks for sediments that have flowed and settled over time; and the desert as a place to call home.

This isn’t his only novel. He has written plenty of fiction and non. I will get around to reading them all one day. I enjoy experiencing the desert he so lovingly describes – if only through his great details. I will one day hunt for the same beauty and sounds he roamed for in his long hot treks through the ever-amazing canyons and creeks. There is something profound to be learned about oneself when living in a harsh environment. Whether drought or flood, hot or cold, the author chooses this place for its simplistic difficulty – rocks, sun, and poisonous critters.

I’ve read some 7,000 pages this year. I like that parts of the stories stick with me and become a part of my story. With that in mind I want to make sure only books that urge me to think and smile become a part of my reading repertoire to keep me happy and learning. My Dad was kind enough to ensure that I had reading material for April. His selections include cook books – important, and books of nature – my favorite, and others of codes, objects, and science.  And in an emergency my new library is only 0.6 miles away.