Is the ongoing experience of living and working along-side-of and within the High Park fire area (Colorado 6/2012) offering us yet one-more-chance to look at, and evaluate seriously, how we operate day-to-day; how we choose to live; and how we grasp what is facing us as well as telling us - straight out - "You've got to 'get it' this time."

Today I "had to" (really?)  drive down to the Denver area. I did so under blue skies and high temperatures. I ventured out wondering, "  I think the High Park fire is under control? My thoughts were dashed when I departed hasitily from north Denver area and headed back up to Fort Collins.  I saw the long plumb of smoke extending from the foot hills to far east. I became worried about air quality. Melody was outside. Would she know enough to go under the shade of the apricot tree? Did she observe my placing cool, clean water out on "her eating mat" at noon? I felt paniced, needing to return home.

In what seemed as a shroud of smoke, with the sun looking pumpkin orange, I arrived back to Fort Collins.  Melody and I went right inside. Mercifully, I had closed windows before I left.

The High Park fire has consumed 55, 000 acres of nothern Colorado in 1 week; many homes, barns, and additional edifacies of rural living are gone; animals have hopefully been relocated; decision-makers are being tested, wildland firefighters seem like genuine heros, and land owners are loosing patience and we are not finished.

So I again ask: "What is it that we are 'to get' from this experience?" Have we gone too far? Have our lifestyle choices, as well as our governmtnet decisions turned on us?  The learning curve seems steep.