Dipping My Toes In The Waters of Home

Up with the sun to let the chickens out then back to curl in under the sheets. No need or desire to get up just yet. . Nothing feels so good as a shower and a bed after camping. Although it would be nice if the bed was a bit fuller. Greg didn't get the opportunity to sleep in his own bed last night as he had an early flight to catch out of sj as he heads on his way to Boston for the week. He will land just as game 6 of the Stanley cup begins, I'm hoping his added presence give the hawks some cosmic advantage! Regardless.. I have an awesome timing story.. This weekend we went camping up along the crystal blue waters if Whiskeytown lake. I always wanted to camp there when I little as we would drive by on our way to more rustic camping in the trinity alps.. But anyway.. Saturday night comes along. I have no clocks or radio or anything of that nature but I know it's about time to hike to the car (small hike).. Plug in the phone.. Turn on the a/c.. Sit back and see if I have range enough for my radio ap to work. Sure enough it does and Greg and I listen attentively to determine where we are in the game. We listen for a minute.. and only a minute.. before we hear "He shoots. He scores. Blackhawks win Game 5"  My psychic alarm bells were ringing right on time.

Whiskeytown lake.. Summer Solstice.. We have camped on the Summer Solstice every year for years but this was the most relaxing trip yet. The campground was decent. Yes. It's stacked site against site but the views are decent (The pictures are mostly on Gregs phone and will have to wait to be uploaded) and the people staying were quite and respectful, the bathrooms were disappointing considering the 40 price tag but then again it's not like we were using a stinky outhouse..  anyway good peaceful times were had once the set up rush was accomplished. Watched the fire burn all night. Listened to the wind before feeling it. Sort of like hearing the rumble of an earthquake announcing it eminent arrival. Woke Sunday feeling the weather shift and as most slept began packing up the site slow and steady then took a dunk in the water with willow to cool off before eating and wrapping up just in time to feel the sky begin to unzip. It was pretty damn perfect.

As to the title of this post... From eureka to redding and all points between is the land my parents grew up in, met, married and eventually conceived me (on a sheep farm no less!!). It is were my brother and I learned to fly fish rivers and fight river currents every summer through our teens. It is the land where my father is buried. Where my grandparents are buried. It is home.

It's been a long while since I have stopped long enough to catch my breath for more than a few seconds. This lounging in bed with a cup of tea and my writing utensils in the early am light is nice and pleasant! Anyway.. Rewind...lets go back to the last I wrote...

We moved smack dab at the end of the school year. We didn't all finish out  as well as I would have liked but we finished out and homeschooling ( with the exception of having to mail back some materials) is all done. The prospect of getting life rolling again is a good one. We have been sitting socially isolated for too long. We need an influx of new ideas and energy. But that's to come.. Summer isn't over yet and I'm getting far ahead of myself. It took about two weeks to get our feet back under us and after that it has been filled with running ... Greg off for a week. Friends of Greg' s in from Vermont. A hectic but wonderful trip to Reno to deliver Willow to her cousins for a week of play to be returned by them the following weekend. We enjoyed the aquarium and a short visit but our energy levels were low and our visit was more mellow than usual. After that it was pre camping prep week and well.. Now you are just about caught up.. Well without the details of my trip to other waters I call home..

So.. Willow and I took our first real road trip together. She was quite excited about her adventure. Really the first of this kind.

 We arrived in Reno and stopped in on grandma Mary and aunt Linda for a nice long visit catching up on all the small details of life and celebrating family. Grandma imparting valued wisdom.  It was lovely and we wish we lived closer.

Then off to the cousins. After settling in I arranged a visit with D.  We changed lighting fixtures in the dark with flashlights.

We talked about life and the fact you don't know how many days you have on the planet so make everything you do count for something.  She is facing the concept of her own mortality and she is taking it well.. embracing life to its fullest and running off to second dates in Germany. We all die. Can't do anything about it. But you can try to leave a legacy. She has certainly got a hell of a good start on hers. She is in my prayers.

Then it was time for bed.. The heat taking its toll and zapping my energy.. I've gotten used to 60 degree weather. Anyway, after a wonderful big breakfast with the cousins, I said good by to Willow  (Don't leave me!! Actually she wasn't the one crying.. but I never let her see the tears! She was very missed!)


From there I  headed to Auntie M.s artist studio for a tour of what is developing at "the valley"... essentially a old abandoned mill just off fourth street (next to where I used to find my scrap metal for welding) that is being repurposed for artistic endeavors. It is a neat vision and I look forward to seeing its development. From there she took me to a communal home to show me the gardens and cob buildings that were being built.




We then sat in vigil on the porch in respect for a woman ( a friend of melissas whom i have never met but have heard stories about) who was passing away inside. Yet again on my trip I am facing a reminder about the fragility of life and how life must carry on along side it.














Then we grabbed brunch.

Later I was off to moms and to see the grandparents. Grandpa was celebrating his birthday.

It was a good time filled with discussion about coffee and guns and all manners of subjects from WWII to the present. Then I returned home with mom in time to see, visit and catch up with my dads cousins who live back east and were driving through on their way to Eureka themselves. I come from good stock. But by this point my camera battery was dead and I don't have any more pictures.

I slipped in a visit also with Terri. Our time spent sipping wine and talking books and life. She recommended Quiet.  It is a examination of introversion in today's society. I've been listening and it is interesting and a good reminder to heed and nurture my natural inclinations. I recommended ape and essence .. another story that delves rather fictionally but no less accurately into the human condition and the natures of good and evil.

And then my very quick turn around trip was over and I was heading up over the Sierras again. But not before stopping at 7000 feet and drinking in some solitude and charging my battery in other waters I call home.

 Now to unpack and get the gear ready again for our next adventure coming soon. Also in the cards a visit or two with Double H this up coming month and Disneyland.