There is so much music in the mountains. Some of it comes from me. I often sing to distract myself while I make my way up steep trails.
ELBEE That is not music. She’s tone deaf.
Actually, for me, the sounds of nature truly do create virtual music. Some mornings there are so many birds chirping, it’s like a choir. There are even some wild parrots in one of the canyons who lend their voices. Not to mention the ravens cawing overhead. I’ve always thought the loudest one was Elbee’s spirit animal talking to me.
ELBEE Then why doesn’t she listen?
Sometimes the birds soar so low that you can hear their wings flapping. I’ve shared that one time a hawk flew so low, it’s talons brushed my hair.
ELBEE Personally, I think it was looking for nesting material and got confused. Honest mistake.
The wind adds it’s own notes. You have to listen for the gentle breezes, but on a 
truly windy day it can be deafening. Since all of the rain, there is also the sound of water rippling in a creek bed that has been dry for years.
Recently, there was literal music in the mountains. I was heading up to one of my regular trails when I heard someone playing the guitar. It was Montana, a singer/ songwriter whom I haven’t seen since before Covid. He loves the dogs and was excited to meet Henry.
What are the chances that as I got closer to the top, I heard a keyboard. A young man was playing on an overlook, enjoying the view and hoping to meet other musicians. I pointed him toward Montana.
This week there have been two special notes. They are silent but add to the harmony. The first is the view of the snow covered mountains in the distance. Like the water flowing in the creek, it’s a rarity but an absolute gift. I’m only sorry for the residents who have to deal with the storms. I remember the blizzards in Syracuse.
The second was on March third, my late brother Stan’s birthday. Although he’s been gone over 25 years, his spirit resonates in me. Walking in the mountains that day, I heard some music that no one else could hear. It was the sound of Stan’s laughter.
