The Awakening of Russell Henderson


Every Sunday, I try to post an excerpt from my novel, The Awakening of Russell Henerson. Here’s another. The book is available at http://www.amazon.com/author/edwardlehner.

A few minutes later I got another text. At a retreat center outside Ashland, Oregon. Would Ashland be on your way to warmer climes?

Knowing she was at her phone, I called her. I wanted to talk, not text. She answered.

“Russell, Hi —”

“Hanna, what’s going on — ?”

“I’m sorry, really sorry for . . . sorry for just taking off like I did. That was wrong. You deserved better. I couldn’t . . . just had to — ”

I heard her voice start to crack. Neither of us talked. I sat there, not knowing what I wanted to say. I desperately wanted to go to her, to see her. Yet, I was angry and wanted to scream at her for running away like she did.

“Hanna, why couldn’t you trust me enough to tell me whatever you don’t think you can talk about?’

“How do you — ?”

“John had mentioned something to me. Then I talked with your mother about a month ago. They both told me you had a hard time a while back. I knew something was wrong. Nobody would tell me. What could be so bad? Why couldn’t you just tell me whatever it is?”

I heard her voice now begin quiver, “Because, you’d hate me. You’d leave and I couldn’t, I —  ”

Colorado Trail


The Colorado Trail goes around 500 miles from Durango, Colorado to Denver over several mountain ranges, starting in the La Plata Mountains bordering Durango. Then through the San Juans, the Collegiate Peaks and into the Front Range mountains over some areas over 12,000 ft in elevation. MAny have hiked the trail either in segments or all in one fell swoop. Many have done it on mountain bikes. We did a little hike out and back from the trail head in Durango this morning and here are a few photos. Spring has not quite gotten to this area yet, albeit, flowers and trees are blooming down in town. There seems to be a different micro-climate every mile or so in our area, depending on elevation and other factors such as exposed mountain sides that capture the heat of the sun which heats the valleys below.

Things are still thinking about spring here. Of course, we are in the throes of an extreme drought so everything is very dry.

Junction Creek flows out of the La Plata Mountains and is usually flowing much heavier this time of year.

More underbrush.

Thanks for looking.