Looking Back, Looking Forward

In ancient Rome, Janus -- a god depicted with two faces -- governed the realm of beginnings, transitions and endings. The month of January, named for this deity, is the first month of the new year in the Gregorian calendar, established in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII. It has come to be a time to reflect back on the year past and look forward to the year ahead.

This "year in review" is now a custom, as many cultures take stock, while projecting what lies ahead in the next 12 months. My "year" in this review actually begins in December 2021 with the birth of my second grandchild, Carlotta Eline, and the publication of my first book, a memoir titled Bird of Paradox: The Seasoning of Birdie McInnes.

As luck would have it, Carlotta was born on my birthday, December 11, the best birthday present ever. Henceforth, we shall celebrate our birthdays together. Both Sagittarians, we are optimistic, honest and intellectual. In terms of personality, we are spontaneous and fun, and great lovers of adventure and freedom.

Bird of Paradox: The Seasoning of Birdie McInnes, was also published in December 2021 and is available on Amazon and in bookstores. The memoir recalls the trials and tribulations of growing up Catholic in the turbulent time that was the 1960s. The story evokes elements reminiscent of Lord of the Flies by William Golding and The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. Birdie struggles with the realization that life is a paradox, and that his destiny will be determined by his own reckoning, for better or worse.

In January, Moxie -- our golden retriever -- turned 10 years old. We found her at a breeder in Florence who specialized in the English creme variety of goldens in 2012. In early spring, it was time to begin hardwiring our tiny home at the Owl Conservatory (below) with a more reliable electrical system, including an electric space heater for those cold winter nights.

Summer was a time of reunions, transitions and gatherings. In July and September, the Owl Conservatory in Shugart Flats, in the heart of the North Cascades, hosted two reunions of former Forest Service colleagues from the Aldo Leopold Society. In August, my father, Ralph Cameron Mitchell, passed away suddenly at age 93 at his home in Payson, Arizona.

In September, the Lincoln High School (Portland) Class of 1971 (above) held its COVID-delayed 50th reunion at The Eleanor in downtown Portland (below). An afterparty was held at the Brix Tavern with entertainment by The Bloozers, a band comprised of celebrants from reunion. I stayed at the Hyatt Centric Hotel, mere blocks from "our old school."

By December, we celebrated two birthdays: granddaughter Carlotta Eline's first birthday and my milestone: birthday number 70. My second memoir, Wilderness Strangers: Adventures in Shangri-La, was published by Luminare Press. The story follows the exploits of two unlikely friends who become kindred spirits, alter egos and soul mates. In spite of their differences, they share an abiding friendship and obsession for outdoor adventure, music, literature and the arts.