Hips, Spines, & Secret Places of the Earth

Grasslands National Park, SW Saskatchewan: This land curves to the horizon — hips, spines, bellies of the Earth open and exposed. No trees, no buildings. Only wide, lonely rolling to the edge of sight.

No, look closer  — secret places still conceal, Earth's creatures safe, protected.

Antelope. Bison. Prairie Dogs. Deer. Rattlesnakes:

Right. Now I feel safe... © SB 

Grasses, yes, but no suburban lawn. Here prairie fox-tail swishes, flashes in the slanting sun:

June evening. Wind. Prairie fox-tail grass. © SB 

Walk until the prairie drowns in deep green-shadowed coulees:

The land rises and falls. Near the West Gate. © SB

No need to believe — you know that sky goes on forever, blue until the end of light:

Old fence: Sticks inserted into wire. © SB 

Grass, sage, distant hills,  © SB

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Ah, southwest Saskatchewan. So beautiful, so soft after Spring's excessive rains. This land reminds me of the north – Yukon, Alaska, far above the tree line where Earth's swells and curves are also bare, exposed, and magnified by summer light. 

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