On the edge of no where

I wanted to take a moment to describe where I live and work; I don't mean the entire rez or even the town of Whiteriver, which I do not live in. I live about six miles south of Whiteriver, the main town on the White Mountain Apache Tribe reservation, in a small community or neighborhood called Canyon Day. After pulling off the "highway" (two lane roads are called "highways" around here), one drives past Apache housing, a few wild, mangy dogs, and perhaps a few horses grazing by the side of the street or in someone's front door. I've even seen a cow in someone's back yard. After driving through this neighborhood stands my school, Canyon Day Junior High, and past that is the teacher housing, a terrifyingly small housing community for district employees and their families.

How small is it? Well, my principal lives two duplexes away; I could hear my coworker outside complaining about something or other two evenings ago; and the football coach could tell you which direction my livingroom window faces!

But apart from that, it's on the edge of the wilderness. From my living room window (which faces north-east, btw) looks out to the White Mountains. I can see Mount Baldy in the faded, distant blue, which is the highest peak in the White Mountains, the seventh highest peak in AZ, and is sacred to the Apaches, being seen as a source of all nourishment. And surrounding our little community are hills and peaks, the rocky sides of which gleam bright red in the sunset, fields reaching to those peaks, and trails that lead to the White River (which is actually quite gold in the sunset).

That's enough for today, me thinks.

Peace,
J.