Call Of The Mountain

Have you ever thought about disappearing into the wild? Follow the tracks of author and adventurer Sam Ainsworth on his journey deep into the harsh reality of survival. Spending his life savings on a remote piece of land in Canada, the author confronts hungry bears, giant moose and extreme isolation. Alone in the forested mountains of Cape Breton, Sam attempts to build a wilderness cabin before the deadly cold of winter freezes the land. Call of the Mountain is a magnificent ode to the natural world, a thrilling story of resilience and a journey of a man searching for meaning. Sam writes beautifully about the struggles of the road less travelled and how we are all shaped by our aspirations and dreams. If you enjoyed Into the Wild, you will love this book! Excerpt from Chapter 7 "This was different. I was not camping for a night or two. This was my home. This was my kitchen, dining room and living room. My whole living zone had crumbs and faint traces of food everywhere. The last months of living, outdoor cooking, dishes and compost had created a buffet of smells that were going to be irresistible to Bobo. Also, he had already eaten my butter and eggs and would associate my camp with lip-smacking treats. I needed all the fuel I could eat to continue the hard physical work to build my home. Between cutting wood, building, hauling water, cooking, cleaning, and getting supplies I could not afford to pack up my whole kitchen and food three times a day. Good warm food was also the highlight of my long days. I cooked a meagre supper as night fell and the reaper held dominion over the valley. A large branch snapped out in the darkness. The entrails of clouds had cleared and a scarlet crescent moon hung over the western valley. I threw a rope over a branch of a maple and hoisted a pillowcase of dry goods and my food bucket high into the night sky. I washed my whole cooking area down with hot soapy water. I heard noises in the dark and knew Bobo was out there somewhere. I began preparing to defend myself and my home. I sharpened my long spear of rock maple and practiced throwing it a dozen times. I placed five solid heavy rounds of golden firewood, that I could grasp firmly with my hand, inside my half repaired tent. I put five more outside the door. This was going to be a very primitive defence. I was preparing for a battle I knew was coming."

The Call of the Mountains is a collection of the author’s adventures and encounters with people, fauna, culture and ideas as they persist amongst the rough and at times hostile mountainous terrains of the Indian Himalayas. “…Amongst the rolling forested hills – plying the terrain over the many ridges and ravines – one could run into sambhar, kakar, wild pigs, and even now, sometimes a stray leopard or two. I had plenty of time at hand, no schedule to keep in the world, and my mind had spiralled down to a quiet, to a stillness, to a sort of singularity with being; when all of a sudden, inexplicable and without any perceptible sensory input that I can recall being aware of, I got a very strong feeling that something was watching me, and that I was not alone...” – ‘Snake’ “…Amongst the clump of trees that lay at the base of the hill, crouching low, almost on its belly, and with its right paw extended but airborne in line with its whiskered cheeks, was a spotted leopard. It stood in that bent-down position, its shoulder bones sticking out, neck extended, and its head inches above the ground; its left hind leg was extended behind it, and its right paw was frozen in mid-air. Absolutely still in that position, it was staring intently at a spot I could not see...” – ‘A Leopard on the Prowl’ The Call of the Mountains Close your eyes and in your mind If you can feel the cold chill of morning dew If you can hear the rush of water and smell the pines Then it is calling out to you too “Charming, entertaining & intelligent - A full bodied Mountain Wine!” - The Himalayan Commission

The Mountains are Calling was first meant to be a poetry style work. Then it began to turn into a teaching guide about the spiritual things that life has to offer. What do we miss when the world is screaming by us at a rate of speed that is just blinding to the humanistic approach? The answer is not much, we will always miss more than we see mainly because there are millions of things going on all of the time, and our focus is set on the things we are directed to have a part in. Many of us fail in life not because we don't have the needed requirements that the world is calling for, but we lack the intensity of spiritual drives that gives us the needed fire to be strengthened when we find ourselves at our weakest points in life. Life requires us to take action, but so does the true nature of the Spirit, Genesis 1 revealed that we are to take action in every area of life so that our prosperity is assured, but, at the same time we are also to continuously seek out rest as well.

This devotional has tried to present God the loving Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit as our personal friends. God cares so much for us that he is interested in every part of our lives. No matter what we do, Jesus is walking with us. Even though it may appear that Jesus is not there, Jesus is really walking beside us all the time. In our journey, we have to listen, to learn and be ready to speak to those people Jesus brings into our life. It is not the start or the end of the journey that is as important as the journey itself. It is in our journey that we will touch people. We have a chance to tell people how much God loves us. We have a chance to speak of God blessing our life.

In this dark romantic fantasy trilogy opener, a young woman discovers she may have the power to save a society that shuns her. Tales are told of the mysterious, powerful Mountain where the gods—powerful beings in the form of white horses—live. But Valeria knows no woman has ever been called to the Mountain. Until she feels a strange pull and answers the call—as a boy. . . . When her secret is discovered Valeria loses all that she’s won. Her anger and frustration with the Empire might be enough to give the barbarians a way into the Mountain. And so, the Empire now depends on the will, the strength, and the loyalty of one Rider. A Rider who has been rejected by all but the gods . . . Praise for The Mountain’s Call “Animal lovers and romantic fantasy aficionados alike will appreciate this . . . coming-of-age story and an exhilarating romantic adventure.” —RT Book Reviews

Although Southern California's mountain ranges are only partially wilderness, they bring wonder into our daily lives even from a distance. I wrote this book to remind us of this wonder, to champion the mountains' beauty and inspire their protection. In addition, I wrote this book for people around the world to know a seldom heralded dimension of Southern California. Several years ago I couldn't find such a book to show Swiss friends. Also I've always wanted to show our mountains' beauty to friends and relatives across the country, to come and visit them vicariously. Call of the Mountains is for you who can't get to the mountains, but glimpse them from afar and feel their wonder. Last, I wrote this book for you who already know these streams, canyons and peaks. For you, the following pages will jog memories of special places and occasions that are yours alone. My Story -- and the stories of people I met - takes us along trails to historic areas, sparkling waterfalls, pristine meadows and the highest peaks.

Keeping her son safe on this epic journey may be harder than she imagined. Caleb Jackson is on a journey. And not just the mission he and his friends have embarked on to fetch the Nez Perce chief’s runaway daughter. Maybe someday, he could also find God’s plan for his life. He’d once thought being a small town minister was the Lord’s will for him, but he’d proved a failure at living under the scrutiny of his congregation. Yet the chief’s niece and her feisty toddler accompanying them on this expedition make him feel like he might be able to make a difference yet. Otskai is eager to take on a challenge. She’s lived under the shelter of other’s choices her entire life, especially when she was betrothed to one of the village braves at the tender age of eight. Now with her husband dead, she’s finally found the freedom she always craved—even with a two-year-old to raise. She’s built her camas root harvest into a thriving trade to provide all she and her son need and more, yet she can’t seem to keep her active child safe. When she agrees to accompany her new friends on a trip to bring back her wayward cousin, she knows she’ll have her hands full managing her boy. The journey turns out nothing like Otskai expects, and for the first time in her life, she’s thankful to have others around to help. Especially Caleb, whose gentle attentions captivate her son and occupy him for hours at a time. But as the danger escalates and her worst fears come to light, she must find the courage to choose between freedom and a love more liberating than she imagined possible. From a USA Today bestselling author comes another epic journey through breathless landscapes and adventure so intense, lives will never be the same.

"Should appeal to all rugged individualists who dream of escape to the forest."—The New York Times Book Review Sam Gribley is terribly unhappy living in New York City with his family, so he runs away to the Catskill Mountains to live in the woods—all by himself. With only a penknife, a ball of cord, forty dollars, and some flint and steel, he intends to survive on his own. Sam learns about courage, danger, and independence during his year in the wilderness, a year that changes his life forever. “An extraordinary book . . . It will be read year after year.” —The Horn Book