Of access and eagles

The Douglas County Commissioner meeting room was filled with many residents from Fish Springs last Tuesday afternoon. Other interested people were there from the Back Country Horsemen, the Carson Valley Trails Association and the Pine Nut Preservation League. The issue before the planning commission was the abandonment or reduction of a portion of a 50-foot road easement from Windmill Road to Bureau of Land Management land in Fish Springs.

The owner of this property wants it to be reduced to a 20-foot easement for pedestrians and equestrians only. That means no motorized vehicles would be allowed to use this easement to access BLM land, but that's not what the people want.

We, the people, want to maintain the access to the BLM land to all users. That includes hikers, mountain bikers, jeeps and even off-road motorcycles and quads.

The public's access has been diminishing rapidly and this easement is crucial to the preservation of access to BLM land. We've already lost many access points to BLM land and it's imperative that any existing legal access easements remain without changes and without exclusions to any groups.

Our thanks to the planning commissioners for not approving alteration of the easement in any form.

Beautiful birds around us

Wow, was that wonderful weather we had last week. After so many days of freezing cold and wild snow storms the temperatures finally hit the mid-60s. It was even warm enough to wear shorts and bask in the sunshine on our south-facing deck. Hundreds of birds paid no attention to us as they chirped loudly and sang some harmonious songs.

The California quail is my very favorite bird. Not only are they beautiful, but they also talk to me with lots of clicks, cackles and calls. There were a dozen black and white noisy magpies flying from tree to tree while scolding some songbirds. There are two weeping birch trees near our house and they always have birds perched on their branches. That's because my husband fills the bird feeders up regularly. Most of the time we see finches, robins and sparrows eating the wild bird seeds.

Last Monday around 11 a.m. a pair of gorgeous golden eagles came to visit my husband and me. They soared gracefully in circles with their wings uplifted, circling right over our heads over and over again. We just stood there quietly watching them as they looked back down at us. Old eagle-eyes were watching us.

It was a kind of spiritual experience for me and I feel blessed whenever I'm close to such wildlife. There's a large golden eagle that hangs out at the north end of Fish Springs. We see it perched on top of power poles and fence posts along Windmill, Juniper, Finch and Bobwhite roads. We believe several golden eagles are year-round residents of our area. There are falcons, hawks and owls here too. Fish Springs is a great place to live.

Memorable

marriage proposal

It was the night before Christmas and my boyfriend gave me two beautifully wrapped gifts. I opened the largest one first and I was thrilled to find an exquisite blue and gold music box playing the "Anniversary Song." It was a very sentimental and romantic gift and I knew that this was the man I wanted to spend my life with. That's when I first told him that I truly loved him.

Then I opened the little box and saw the sparkling diamond engagement ring. That's when he asked me to marry him. He was almost 19 and in the Navy, but I was only 16 and still in high school. I knew my parents would not allow me to accept the ring as I was much too young to be engaged. Tears ran down my face as I told him I was too young. I wished so badly that I was older.

I was very sad when he returned to San Diego where he was stationed, and where he sold my ring to another sailor. The following summer, when I was 17, he again asked me to marry him. I was ready and this time my parents gave their blessings. We were officially engaged and he gave me another beautiful solitaire diamond engagement ring.

The Navy sent him to Texas and we wrote love letters to each other every day for one more year and then we had a big, beautiful wedding and celebrated our love forever. The Vietnam War was starting and my husband was called overseas. Before he left we opened and read every letter that we had ever written to each other all those years. We laughed, we cried and then we dropped them in the fireplace. There was just too much baggage to store. But oh, how I wish I had kept at lease one of those beautiful love letters.

I still play the music box "Anniversary Song" every July 9. We got married on July 9, 1960, and here it is, 48 years later and we're still madly in love, just like when we were teenagers. We have been blessed.

-- Linda Monohan may be reached at 782-5802.