Speaking of normal – normally this time of year I’m starting to plan one of my favorite annual adventures. It involves traveling into a very remote desert canyon, and floating through one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen.

Out there where the canyon walls seem to come alive in the first light of the day.

Out there where the sunset lingers over camp, perhaps wishing just like us that the day would never give way to night.

Out there, where fish return from the ocean, to complete the great wheel of life.

Out there where you can’t help but be reminded just how small your problems are, and where you eventually just tend to forget they even exist at all.

And we can’t get out there this year. The drought in the West is real, and unprecedented – and this beautiful wild desert river is feeling the burden of it all… as are all the species that depend upon or live in this unique landscape.

We are still making plans to get out somewhere instead – but my heart longs to get out there.