well writtenFebruary 29, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Well collected thoughts and words that flow from the page in a language that a reader understands.
Feels like homeFebruary 28, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
As a former resident of Ft Collins, Colorado now living in California, this book really brought me home. The author paints a vivid picture, not only of the beautiful scenery surrounding him, but also the internal landscape created by being in such a magical place. Reading this book is almost like a meditation, allowing us to connect with the solitude of nature, and the stillness within us. If you read it in a very quiet place, it can transport you there, where the only sound is the wind in the trees.
ReflectionsFebruary 5, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This book made we want to go to Medicine Rock. Only a few pages into the book and I found my mind wandering to all the wonderful wild places to which I traveled, especially in my childhood (parents were rock hounds). Kyle's book brought all of this back, and even a month after reading Medicine Rock Reflections I find myself "reflecting" on my time in the wonderful remote places in this land.
BENEATH THE SURFACE SHADESJanuary 28, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
If we're lucky we have something like a Medicine Rock in all of our lives. To have it on the scale of Kyle Gardner would be quite a coo.
During his time L.W., Kyle's grandfather, no doubt raised a few eyebrows as he lived the rather unconventional lifestyle of a wanderer, working a variety of jobs, gathering untold wisdom along the way. His life became the beginning of a legacy.
That legacy was carried on when Kyle's parents purchased Medicine Rock, a wild and rambling 80 acres northwest of Ft Collins, Colorado. While raising their family they couldn't quite pull off the reknown wanderings of L.W., so they chose a place where they and their children could move about with the freedom of L.W. but on a somewhat smaller and safer scale.
But, oh, the opportunities to commune with all that came to be their world at Medicine Rock. Kyle's reflections on their visits will have half of you grabbing your pack and heading for the trail while the other half sit spellbound by his descriptions that leave the air intense with scent and nearby colors heightened.
A heart that comes into contact with nature becomes a heart that sees more then just the surface shades we glimpse as we speed by in today's suburban world. Offered the chance to view things from the ground up and the treetops down, Kyle's heart seems to have expanded with each visit. Sharing all of this with his family in their truly off-the-grid cabin made him yearn for more then just the occasional ramble around the yard.
Insightful, well written, and thought provoking.January 22, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Kyle Gardner's foray into "nature writing" is exceptional. If you have a love for the outdoors, you will find something to relate to in "Medicine Rock Reflections". Kyle puts a new spin on some of those ageless questions, and the "journey" to Medicine Rock is inspiring.
