Tau Central

The Hills Around Us

A while back, I went to the Four Corners area of the Southwest. It was not my choice, but my brother was arranging the trip and he wanted to get in some rock-climbing.

The local Ute tribe had, a long, long time back, named one of the hills in the area with the moniker, "the sleeping Ute". I did not see it. I looked at the hill and could not see where it came from. One day I happened to be at the right place at just the right angle and I saw it. After that, strangely enough, I saw it everywhere I went. I could look over my shoulder to check lanes while I was driving down the road and, if I was glancing in the correct direction, I would see it.

I cannot imagine being aware enough of my surroundings to see these things without trying. If I had not looked for this shape, many times, I would have missed it. Yet, it was so obvious.

I think about the shape of the hills around the South Bay, where I live. I know that the Mount Hamilton Observatory is sitting up on one of them. That's about all that I can think of.

posted by Tau Central @ 11:04 AM