I'd heard about postsecret for awhile, but just now checked it out. It's fascinating and engrossing, to me at least, but also can be quite disturbing and I imagine addictive!
Cheers
rob
ps thank god I don't have any secrets!!
Sunday, August 28, 2005
Saturday Market
Yesterday we went to visit friends at Eugene's Saturday Market--the very same venue that launched Krista's career selling jewelry 12 years ago. Many of the same folks are still there, selling the same stuff! I wish we had something like this in Sonoma County--the nearest equivalent that I've seen is the Marin County Farmers Market, but that's just tiny. Just the food booths alone at Saturday Market are awesome.
Anyhow, Eden and I visited our wise old pal Ayala (she actually gave us our first break, by sharing her booth with us). She's an amazing woman who has travelled all over the world, learning from indiginous peoples. She owns 13 acres up in the hills and has built up a lovely homestead (with no building inspectors thank you very much) and a subsistence livestyle. If you've ever done needle felting, or enjoyed it's many and varied products you have Ayala to thank, as she basically invented the craft and widely promoted it.
We also visited our potter friend Amy (I splurged and bought two $15 bowls). Her work is incredibly fine. She's on some new kick teaching Nia--some sort of spiritual excercise, and is actually doing a class in the park two blocks away. I'm going to try to check it out today.
And of course we visited Nancy. It was a gorgeous day and sales were good.
Eden and I took Nancy out for sushi after market, she'd never been! Unfortunately we didn't know which resturaunt to choose and ended up at a poor one. It wasn't really bad sushi, but it certainly wasn't good. Sad.
Afterwards I drove us up to Skinner's Butte overlooking Eugene to watch the sunset.
It was a nice day. Back home we ate ice cream and watched Bread and Tulips.
Anyhow, Eden and I visited our wise old pal Ayala (she actually gave us our first break, by sharing her booth with us). She's an amazing woman who has travelled all over the world, learning from indiginous peoples. She owns 13 acres up in the hills and has built up a lovely homestead (with no building inspectors thank you very much) and a subsistence livestyle. If you've ever done needle felting, or enjoyed it's many and varied products you have Ayala to thank, as she basically invented the craft and widely promoted it.
We also visited our potter friend Amy (I splurged and bought two $15 bowls). Her work is incredibly fine. She's on some new kick teaching Nia--some sort of spiritual excercise, and is actually doing a class in the park two blocks away. I'm going to try to check it out today.
And of course we visited Nancy. It was a gorgeous day and sales were good.
Eden and I took Nancy out for sushi after market, she'd never been! Unfortunately we didn't know which resturaunt to choose and ended up at a poor one. It wasn't really bad sushi, but it certainly wasn't good. Sad.
Afterwards I drove us up to Skinner's Butte overlooking Eugene to watch the sunset.
It was a nice day. Back home we ate ice cream and watched Bread and Tulips.
Friday, August 26, 2005
Ancient Snake Tree
North and Middle Sisters are in the background commanding one's attention, but if you look carefully there is a tree, obviously a very old tree, which has grown up out of the lava along the slope, hugging the earth. The trunk is twisted. This is a very windy place. I almost walked right past this wonder, there is no sign. Pretty amazing.
Atop the Observatory
I believe that's Mount Jefferson in the background. We're looking out over volcanic desolation. The signs said that 1500 years ago this was all glowing red hot lava.
Breitenbush to Sisters to Home
Thursday August 25, 2005
Sisters, Oregon... at Mitch and Michelle’s.
I’m sitting outside at sundown at Michelle’s “beach”. She had a gazillion yards of sand trucked in and set up a cool scene out here, with beach chairs and a fire pit. They have a rambling house and a rambling property out here in the high mountain plateau country. The house is especially organic--it grew as the family grew, with new bedrooms and stories added with each kid arriving. And Mitch’s potter's studio is here and his huge brick kiln. Eden is playing with a toy fire truck in the sand.
Our trip has been delightful. We dropped India off in Eugene on Monday afternoon. She was much more relaxed this year, though rather shy when some friendly girls greeted her. She looked good, with her cute new haircut and henna’d hair. I hope she’s having a lot of fun.
The next morning, after breakfast with Nancy, Eden and I headed up to Breitenbush Hot Springs to relax and soak in the pools. On the way we stopped in Corvallis, my hometown, to get biodiesel. I had the idea to check out my childhood home and Eden was into it, so we drove around till we found it. I think that address is the first thing I ever memorized.
The house looked great! The little old lady who answered the door gave us a great tour. They were doing a major remodeling downstairs, so I couldn’t see my old bedroom, but everywhere else was about the same. It was strange and fascinating for me.
She had a huge folder on the history of that house, and all the folks who had owned it. She asked me some interesting questions about my family, but overall she seemed to know more about what they’d done with the house than I did.
One of the strangest moments was coming into the big entrance hall. There are two swinging doors with glass panels. I have a scar on my right wrist from trying to slam one of those doors open (I was running away from my sister) and putting my hand right through the glass. I think I must have been 4 or 5.
The thing that really struck me was how nice the house was. Much nicer than any house I’ve lived in since. My mom always seemed sad that we’d moved and now I can really understand why. That and having to give up their friends and social circle.
Anyhow…. we got up to Breitenbush about four and checked into our dear little cabin. Breitenbush is a lovely place, set up around natural geothermal vents. The lodge seems like it’s about a hundred years old. The cabins are tiny and rustic and perfect--and heated with old fashioned radiators using the natural hot water. It gets cold that high up in the mountains, so we were glad for our heat, and slept with the windows open! The electricity is also geothermal, the whole place is off the grid.
There are four little concrete hot tubs down close to the river, but we never went in them. We love the more natural pools up along the edge of a forest along the top of a sloping meadow overlooking the river. These pools are made of river stone and concrete, with the water cascading into them over little waterfalls. The pools are big enough for maybe eight people comfortably though there rarely are more than four or five. In fact sometimes we had a pool all to ourselves.
Someone was quite creative making these pools, for the stones are set up to provide seats and benches at different depths. In one pool there’s a veritable stone lounge chair. One can also adjust the temperature by moving closer or further from the waterfalls. The furthest pool is always the hottest and is supposed to be a quiet space. It has a great view of the river.
Our first day there was a family with rowdy kids. They took over the middle pool and were splashing and making a lot of noise! It was rather shocking. But they left and the few kids left were like Eden--quiet and respectful.
We soaked many times each day and got to hang out with some really nice folks. I was a little hungry for adult conversation and really enjoyed myself.
Three times a day a gong would sound, summoning everybody to the next meal. It’s awfully nice having someone else do the cooking and the dishes! And it was often nice to dine with folks we’d met in the pools. But our first meal, dinner, was just bloody awful. There was white rice at least, and some tasteless miso soup with noodles, but then we were confronted with heaping platters of horribly over spiced or weirdly spiced glop. I was expecting some of the meals to be challenging for Eden, but this was challenging for me! Yuk. I noticed there was very little conversation happening. People seemed grimly concentrating on their plates of glop, striving to extract enough nutrients to make it through till breakfast without totally wreaking havoc on their innards. I myself lived through the night, but my poor guts! Ack.
The rest of the meals were just fine. In fact many were excellent. And there were always good salads at lunch and dinner. All the meals were vegetarian and pretty much everything was organic. Nevertheless, Eden would hardly eat a bite and I was so glad we’d stopped at the co-op on the way up to get a few snacks.
Last night as we were headed back from our last soak of the night, we heard music coming from the lodge and ducked in to check it out. A man was playing the old upright piano and a woman some sort of Chinese recorder like instrument, while another woman made a steady base note with a didgeridoo. It was wonderful and we stayed on for about an hour enjoying the beautiful scene.
Well, there’s more I could tell you, about the huge river rock labyrinth, the gorgeous alternative structures they’ve built for yoga and such, my encounter with a bat while doing late night yoga and meditation with a crystal singing bowl. But enough! It was a good trip.
Friday, August 26, 2005
Back at Nancy's after a nice visit with Mitch, Michelle and Jann. They are blessed with many kids in their lives, and are wonderful to talk with. They suggested the McKenzie scenic bypass on the way home and it was worth the extra time. We stopped to check out a lava field. Up on the pass an observatory had been built out of the lava rock. On the top a bronze disk pointed to the various mountains, giving their names and distances.
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Off to Camp
Dropping India off for 'not back to school camp' was much less traumatic this year (the kids didn't seem quite so old). A number of friendly girls came up to introduce themselves to my shy daughter. This year we left before they got on the bus!
Avery Park
On the way into Corvallis we had to stop at Avery Park to see the old train. It's such a beautiful park--we didn't want to leave. Strangely enough the biodiesel pump was right next to the entrance and the Co-op right across the street from that.
Driver Eden
I climbed all over this train when I was little, and so did India. Eden's turn, and she really enjoyed it! Wooo wooo....
My Old House!
Eden and I stopped in the town of Corvallis to get biodiesel and we went by the house where I lived until I was seven (her age). It looked great! I actually rang the doorbell to explain why I was taking photos and a nice old lady invited us in and gave us a tour!! It was lovely. My old synapses were tickled by the memories. I have to say, it's the nicest house I've ever lived in (all down hill from age 7).
The Pools
There are three pools up overlooking the river meadow. This was our favorite--the water being 'just right', though here it is only half full (or half empty) after being cleaned. Each pool has a very different character, the far one being the 'quiet' pool, very hot, and over looking the river. The middle one shady and long and a place for great conversations. Unlike so many hot springs, the waters here are sweet, with no sulpher smell.
Our Cabin
Our sweet little cabin in the pines. The cabins at Breitenbush are all geothermally heated with neat old radiators. Which was lucky for us as it was pretty cold at night. The air was scented with pine. This is a place to be happy
Sunday, August 21, 2005
On the Trinity
A lovely time was had by all. No varmints and the water was sweet. I guess I've gained about 5 pounds of much needed fat!! I was able to stay in a long time. At one point a group of six kayakers interupted our skinny dipping. Two of them capsized, either from the rapids, or maybe after glimpsing my manly physique!
Eden is looking a little worried in this photo. Maybe it was the talk of mountain lions? Secretly, I feared that she was the most likely to get eaten, somehow.
Saturday, August 20, 2005
On the road again...
August 17, 2005
I’m in a dingy Motel 6 in Eureka with the girls. It’s the Wild Blue Yonder all over again. Ostensibly I’m driving India up to Eugene for her ‘not back to school camp’, and visiting my sister in Redding on the way. But….I decided to make a detour up the coast and check out the rural landscape east of Eureka and Arcata. And I’m dragging the poor girls with me.
Actually we had a really nice time swimming in the Eel River on the way up here. Very refreshing! A young fellow parked next to us in a big old pickup truck gave us a watermelon he’d grown! His truck was full of them. And we had a nice exchange with a Latino family from Nevada with 4 boys who shared the beach with us.
I was surprised to discover that the motel rates are much much higher here in the Summer. So we ended up in this grungy place--honestly, I don’t know how it got so dirty. Places in Chiang Mai were'nt this gritty. But the beds are clean, and the TV works and we’ll be on our way tomorrow.
I’m debating whether to just drive around, or actually go see a real estate agent. There’s also the North Coast Environmental Center in Arcata, we might go have a chat with them. I’m just wondering what sort of arable land they have East of here and if there are nice communities--mini Sebastopols. We’ve only ever just driven through.
The girls are apt to be bored half to death tomorrow. I’ll try to make it up to them somehow.
I’m doing this, of course, because of the Peak Oil material I’ve been reading. I just want to explore some options, apart from waiting for the housing bubble to explode in Sonoma County.
So far, I have to say that Eureka is pretty damned ugly--except for the old town. And it’s awfully gray and it kind of stinks (from the pulp mill, I’m told). And there are lots of bums!
Wish me luck,
Rob
Friday August 19, 2005
I’m sitting on a big rock, which looks something like slate, all dark gray and covered with yellow green moss, here on the banks of the Trinity river. The sun has just risen over the canyon wall and is turning the water deep translucent green and sparkling white on the rapids. Across the river from our sandy beach a waterfall courses down through boulders and a thriving colony of plants. Stunning.
We got here last night about 6:30pm. This is a place Krista and I discovered 21 years ago. We've been here many times off and on, but this is the first time I’ve been here without her. I remember being here when India was in Krista’s womb. And Eden was here when she was about two, though forest fires made the Trinity Alps so smoky we couldn’t stay or even go in for a swim. I don’t think she remembers at all.
When we arrived last night the sun was off the water and beach, but the air was still quite warm. I decided to go for it and stripped off my clothes and (for me) got right in. Actually, my way of entering wild water has been consistent for about 30 years--I wade in up to my knees and turn around and lay back into it. A process which may take quite a long time depending on how cold the water is. Last night the water was surprisingly not-cold. I can’t say it was warm! I reckon the sun had been beating down on the river all day warming it up all up the line. I was surprised anyway, and very pleased. The beach is on a broad deep spot with white water just above. I love to swim out to the rapids and ride the strong current down, past the waterfall and the huge rocky banks on the other side. Heavenly.
There are a few big rocks down low in the water, but mainly it's just sand, which makes getting in and out very nice. And the sand feels very clean and it has gold (pyrite) flakes in it that glitter in the sun. I love this place.
The girls were enchanted and India finally got in and swam for a bit. We were all thinking that it might be rather nicer sleeping on the beach instead of some musty hotel in Weaverville, so I tramped up the hill, dodging the poison oak, and brought down our sleeping bags and pillows and that’s what we did.
We went to bed with the sun and amused ourselves by watching the stars come out and guessing which ones were planets. And there were bats swooping overhead for excitement. Occasionally headlights from a passing car would shine on the cliff face across the river and slowly glide across. Just as the girls were drifting off to sleep I woke them up, making that sort of gasping ’whoa!’ sound one makes when seeing a shooting star. It was a big one! Biggest I’d ever seen.
The sand seemed much softer when we were walking on it. Once I was laying down it didn’t really feel so much like sand anymore. More like cement! And it did get a bit cold right before dawn. Both girls said they got cold in the night, a bit, but made it clear that they didn’t mind. We were all glad to wake up on the beach.
I woke up often during the night and could see that time had passed by how far the stars had moved. Once India actually got up sleepwalking! She stumbled down to the river (dreaming that her shoes and sleeping bag had fallen in). She actually started to step into the water! Weird. I had to shout to wake her up enough to get her back to bed.
I was afraid of two things as we were setting out our bags and going to sleep--I was afraid of bad men breaking into our car, or bothering us down on the beach. And I was afraid of a mountain lion coming around (and eating one of us!). So we left all our food in the car, and I made a pile of rocks to throw and got a good stick, and the flashlight. I also said a prayer for white light around us. I could easily have given into that fear and we’d have ended up in a motel. I’m so glad I faced it down.
Now the sun is really warming up the air (though the breeze is still cold) and the water is waiting. The girls are collecting white ‘crystals’ while I type. We had French bread and cheese, grapes and almonds, baby carrots and chocolate soymilk for breakfast. Now it’s time for cookies and soon to swim.
About a year ago Krista discovered that one can buy old stone farmhouses in rural France for really cheap. We spent some time looking at different ones on the internet. We had just read a book by an American lady who spent had bought a funky old house and spent time there every year, slowly getting to know and be accepted by her neighbors and getting to know the surrounds. It was an enchanting story and I was enjoying fantasizing about the good life in France. I ordered a book for about $25 all about moving to France. It covered every aspect of relocating from the ins and outs of buying property to adjusting culturally. By the time I’d read the 10 page introduction titled something like “Is France really for you?” I knew that No! It wasn’t! I considered that $25 well spent.
Such was my little side trip up to Eureka-Arcata. Land is certainly a lot more expensive than rural France, but about half the price of Sonoma County. Meredith and Steve had recentlly visited Arcata and had given me a real estate brochure to look over. It seemed do-able. We could go in together on some farm land. Krista was getting worried and depressed--was I going to try dragging her off to the gray Northlands again?
But no. After touring about and taking the back roads, burning through a quarter tank of biodiesel, and talking to folks at the North Coast Environmental Resource Center and in shops and cafes, and even sitting down with a real estate agent---No. No way. Better to keep waiting for the bubble to pop. I want to stay in Sonoma County. Peak oil or no. If we’re going to die at the hands of starving marauding cannibal suburbanites, well so be it!
Love
rob
August 17, 2005
I’m in a dingy Motel 6 in Eureka with the girls. It’s the Wild Blue Yonder all over again. Ostensibly I’m driving India up to Eugene for her ‘not back to school camp’, and visiting my sister in Redding on the way. But….I decided to make a detour up the coast and check out the rural landscape east of Eureka and Arcata. And I’m dragging the poor girls with me.
Actually we had a really nice time swimming in the Eel River on the way up here. Very refreshing! A young fellow parked next to us in a big old pickup truck gave us a watermelon he’d grown! His truck was full of them. And we had a nice exchange with a Latino family from Nevada with 4 boys who shared the beach with us. They were heading south from Reedsport in Oregon.
I was surprised to discover that the motel rates are much much higher here in the Summer. So we ended up in this grungy place--honestly, I don’t know how it got so dirty. But the beds are clean, and the TV works and we’ll be on our way tomorrow.
I’m debating whether to just drive around, or actually go see a real estate agent. There’s also the North Coast Environmental Center in Arcata, we might go have a chat with them. I’m just wondering what sort of arable land they have East of here and if there are nice communities--mini Sebastopols. We’ve only ever just driven through.
The girls are apt to be bored half to death tomorrow. I’ll try to make it up to them somehow.
I’m doing this, of course, because of the Peak Oil material I’ve been reading. I just want to explore some options, apart from waiting for the housing bubble to explode in Sonoma County.
So far, I have to say that Eureka is pretty damned ugly--except for the old town. And it’s awfully gray and it kind of stinks (from the pulp mill, I’m told). It was depressing looking for motels too. Reminded me of New Zealand.
Wish me luck,
Rob
Friday August 19, 2005
I’m sitting on a big rock, which looks something like slate, all dark gray and covered with yellow green moss, here on the banks of the Trinity river. The sun has just risen over the canyon wall and is turning the water deep translucent green and sparkling white on the rapids. Across the river from our sandy beach a waterfall courses down through boulders and a thriving colony of plants. Stunning.
We got here last night about 6:30pm. This is a place Krista and I discovered 21 years ago. It's the first time I’ve been here without her. I remember being in this place when India was in Krista’s womb. Eden was here when she was about two, but forest fires made the Trinity Alps so smoky we couldn’t stay, or even go in for a swim. I don’t think she remembers at all.
When we arrived last night the sun was off the water and beach, but the air was still quite warm. I decided to go for it and stripped off my clothes and (for me) got right in. Actually, my way of entering wild water has been consistent for about 30 years--I wade in up to my knees and turn around and lay back into it. A process which may take quite a long time depending on how cold the water is. Last night the water was surprisingly not-cold. I can’t say it was warm! I reckon the sun had been beating down on the river all day warming it up all up the line. I was surprised anyway, and very pleased. The beach is on a broad deep spot with white water just above. I love to swim out to the rapids and ride the strong current down, past the waterfall and the huge rocky banks on the other side. Heavenly.
The girls were enchanted and India finally got in and swam for a bit. We were all thinking that it might be rather nicer sleeping on the beach instead of some musty hotel in Weaverville, so I tramped up the hill and brought down our sleeping bags and pillows and that’s what we did.
We went to bed with the sun and amused ourselves by watching the stars come out and guessing which ones were planets. And there were bats swooping overhead for excitement. Occasionally headlights from a passing car would shine on the cliff face across the river and slowly glide across. Just as the girls were drifting off to sleep I woke them up, making that sort of gasping ’whoa!’ sound you make when you see a shooting star. It was a big one! Biggest I’ve ever seen.
The sand seemed much softer when we were walking on it. Once I was laying down it didn’t really feel so much like sand anymore. More like cement! And it did get a bit cold right before dawn. Both girls said they got cold in the night, a bit, but made it clear that they didn’t mind.
I woke up often and could see that time had passed by the stars having moved. Once India actually got up, sleepwalking! She stumbled down to the river dreaming that her shoes and sleeping bag had fallen in. She actually started to step into the water! Weird. I had to shout to wake her up enough to get her back to bed.
I was afraid of two things as we were setting up our bags and going to sleep--I was afraid of bad men breaking into our car, or bothering us down on the beach. And I was afraid of a mountain lion bothering us. So I made a pile of rocks to throw and got a good stick, and the flashlight. I also said a prayer for white light around us. I could easily have given into that fear and we’d have ended up in a motel. I’m so glad I faced it down.
Now the sun is really warming up the air (though the breeze is still cold) and the water is waiting. The girls are collecting white ‘crystals’ while I type. We had French bread and cheese, grapes and almonds, baby carrots and chocolate soymilk for breakfast. Now it’s time for cookies and soon to swim.
About a year ago I discovered that one can buy old farmhouses in rural France for really cheap. Krista and spent some time looking at different ones on the internet. We had just read a book by an American lady who spent had bought an old house and spent time there every year, slowly getting to know and be accepted by her neighbors and getting to know the surrounds. It was an enchanting story and I was enjoying fantasizing about the good life in France. I ordered a book for about $25 all about moving to France. It covered every aspect from the ins and outs of buying property to adjusting culturally. By the time I’d read the 10 page introduction titled something like “is France really for you?” I knew that No! It wasn’t! I considered that $25 well spent.
Such was my little side trip up to Eureka-Arcata. Land is certainly a lot more than in rural France, but about half the price of Sonoma County. Meredith and Steve had given me a real estate brochure to look over. It seemed do-able. Krista was getting worried and depressed, thinking I was going to try dragging her away up North again.
But no. After touring about and taking the back roads and talking to folks at the North Coast Environmental Center and in shops and even sitting down with a real estate agent---No. Better to keep waiting for the bubble to pop. I want to stay in Sonoma County. Peak oil or no. If we’re going to die at the hands of starving marauding cannibal suburbanites, well so be it!
Love
rob
Saturday August 20, 2005
We had a lovely time at the river, with lots of swimming. I decided to change my ways and plunged straight in. Somehow the water doesn't seem as cold as it used to--I think I've actually put on some weight.
We had a nice HOT drive over to Weaverville and took in the Joss House museum there, and lunch and ice cream sandwiches. I saw lots of ads for the Trinity Tribal Stomp that we're vending at in a few weeks.
Now we're here, at my sister Andy's house. It's cool inside, hot outside. I was lucky to latch onto a neighbor's wireless network so as to send this emai. I think today we drive up to Weed to see Andy & Joe's new property up there--5 acres they want to build on. In the meantime there are 3 big dogs to keep Eden on her toes.
love
rob
I’m in a dingy Motel 6 in Eureka with the girls. It’s the Wild Blue Yonder all over again. Ostensibly I’m driving India up to Eugene for her ‘not back to school camp’, and visiting my sister in Redding on the way. But….I decided to make a detour up the coast and check out the rural landscape east of Eureka and Arcata. And I’m dragging the poor girls with me.
Actually we had a really nice time swimming in the Eel River on the way up here. Very refreshing! A young fellow parked next to us in a big old pickup truck gave us a watermelon he’d grown! His truck was full of them. And we had a nice exchange with a Latino family from Nevada with 4 boys who shared the beach with us. They were heading south from Reedsport in Oregon.
I was surprised to discover that the motel rates are much much higher here in the Summer. So we ended up in this grungy place--honestly, I don’t know how it got so dirty. But the beds are clean, and the TV works and we’ll be on our way tomorrow.
I’m debating whether to just drive around, or actually go see a real estate agent. There’s also the North Coast Environmental Center in Arcata, we might go have a chat with them. I’m just wondering what sort of arable land they have East of here and if there are nice communities--mini Sebastopols. We’ve only ever just driven through.
The girls are apt to be bored half to death tomorrow. I’ll try to make it up to them somehow.
I’m doing this, of course, because of the Peak Oil material I’ve been reading. I just want to explore some options, apart from waiting for the housing bubble to explode in Sonoma County.
So far, I have to say that Eureka is pretty damned ugly--except for the old town. And it’s awfully gray and it kind of stinks (from the pulp mill, I’m told). It was depressing looking for motels too. Reminded me of New Zealand.
Wish me luck,
Rob
Friday August 19, 2005
I’m sitting on a big rock, which looks something like slate, all dark gray and covered with yellow green moss, here on the banks of the Trinity river. The sun has just risen over the canyon wall and is turning the water deep translucent green and sparkling white on the rapids. Across the river from our sandy beach a waterfall courses down through boulders and a thriving colony of plants. Stunning.
We got here last night about 6:30pm. This is a place Krista and I discovered 21 years ago. It's the first time I’ve been here without her. I remember being in this place when India was in Krista’s womb. Eden was here when she was about two, but forest fires made the Trinity Alps so smoky we couldn’t stay, or even go in for a swim. I don’t think she remembers at all.
When we arrived last night the sun was off the water and beach, but the air was still quite warm. I decided to go for it and stripped off my clothes and (for me) got right in. Actually, my way of entering wild water has been consistent for about 30 years--I wade in up to my knees and turn around and lay back into it. A process which may take quite a long time depending on how cold the water is. Last night the water was surprisingly not-cold. I can’t say it was warm! I reckon the sun had been beating down on the river all day warming it up all up the line. I was surprised anyway, and very pleased. The beach is on a broad deep spot with white water just above. I love to swim out to the rapids and ride the strong current down, past the waterfall and the huge rocky banks on the other side. Heavenly.
The girls were enchanted and India finally got in and swam for a bit. We were all thinking that it might be rather nicer sleeping on the beach instead of some musty hotel in Weaverville, so I tramped up the hill and brought down our sleeping bags and pillows and that’s what we did.
We went to bed with the sun and amused ourselves by watching the stars come out and guessing which ones were planets. And there were bats swooping overhead for excitement. Occasionally headlights from a passing car would shine on the cliff face across the river and slowly glide across. Just as the girls were drifting off to sleep I woke them up, making that sort of gasping ’whoa!’ sound you make when you see a shooting star. It was a big one! Biggest I’ve ever seen.
The sand seemed much softer when we were walking on it. Once I was laying down it didn’t really feel so much like sand anymore. More like cement! And it did get a bit cold right before dawn. Both girls said they got cold in the night, a bit, but made it clear that they didn’t mind.
I woke up often and could see that time had passed by the stars having moved. Once India actually got up, sleepwalking! She stumbled down to the river dreaming that her shoes and sleeping bag had fallen in. She actually started to step into the water! Weird. I had to shout to wake her up enough to get her back to bed.
I was afraid of two things as we were setting up our bags and going to sleep--I was afraid of bad men breaking into our car, or bothering us down on the beach. And I was afraid of a mountain lion bothering us. So I made a pile of rocks to throw and got a good stick, and the flashlight. I also said a prayer for white light around us. I could easily have given into that fear and we’d have ended up in a motel. I’m so glad I faced it down.
Now the sun is really warming up the air (though the breeze is still cold) and the water is waiting. The girls are collecting white ‘crystals’ while I type. We had French bread and cheese, grapes and almonds, baby carrots and chocolate soymilk for breakfast. Now it’s time for cookies and soon to swim.
About a year ago I discovered that one can buy old farmhouses in rural France for really cheap. Krista and spent some time looking at different ones on the internet. We had just read a book by an American lady who spent had bought an old house and spent time there every year, slowly getting to know and be accepted by her neighbors and getting to know the surrounds. It was an enchanting story and I was enjoying fantasizing about the good life in France. I ordered a book for about $25 all about moving to France. It covered every aspect from the ins and outs of buying property to adjusting culturally. By the time I’d read the 10 page introduction titled something like “is France really for you?” I knew that No! It wasn’t! I considered that $25 well spent.
Such was my little side trip up to Eureka-Arcata. Land is certainly a lot more than in rural France, but about half the price of Sonoma County. Meredith and Steve had given me a real estate brochure to look over. It seemed do-able. Krista was getting worried and depressed, thinking I was going to try dragging her away up North again.
But no. After touring about and taking the back roads and talking to folks at the North Coast Environmental Center and in shops and even sitting down with a real estate agent---No. Better to keep waiting for the bubble to pop. I want to stay in Sonoma County. Peak oil or no. If we’re going to die at the hands of starving marauding cannibal suburbanites, well so be it!
Love
rob
Saturday August 20, 2005
We had a lovely time at the river, with lots of swimming. I decided to change my ways and plunged straight in. Somehow the water doesn't seem as cold as it used to--I think I've actually put on some weight.
We had a nice HOT drive over to Weaverville and took in the Joss House museum there, and lunch and ice cream sandwiches. I saw lots of ads for the Trinity Tribal Stomp that we're vending at in a few weeks.
Now we're here, at my sister Andy's house. It's cool inside, hot outside. I was lucky to latch onto a neighbor's wireless network so as to send this emai. I think today we drive up to Weed to see Andy & Joe's new property up there--5 acres they want to build on. In the meantime there are 3 big dogs to keep Eden on her toes.
love
rob
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Uh Oh!
Krista and I went to see Richard Heinberg speak on tuesday, about Peak Oil. He's written several books on the subject--The Party's Over and Powerdown. We'd heard him speak two or three years ago and it was rather distressing. Sort of like the Y2K thing, only much bigger and for real. We wondered what new info he might have for us and he didn't disappoint. It seems that 2007 has been pegged as the absolute peak in oil production (not his own conclusion, but rather a date chosen by a large organization studying the problem--he had some pretty convincing evidence). Okay. So 2007. So what? I think we can sum it up in just two short words: we're fucked. Seriously, if you haven't been thinking about this issue you might want to start.
In other news, literally on the front page of our (NY Times owned) local paper The Press Democrat, the lead Sunday headline reads: "Betting Big On Home Loans". It seems that more than half of the homes sold in Sonoma County (where we live) last year were financed with interest-only loans. More than 3000. But wait, there's more. Alot of these apparently are loans with no money down! It gets better...they seem to be mostly adjustable rate mortgages!! So what does this mean? I think it means we're soon to see an astonishing surge in defaults and foreclosures. As soon as interest rates go up. As soon as gas prices skyrocket and the economy starts to slip (see above). A sudden and dramatic increase in real estate inventory is the start of a deflationary spiral. The psychology of the buyers does a 180. 'Gee, there sure are a lot of places for sale. Prices seem to be going down. Maybe we should wait'. The more folks start waiting the more pressure on sellers to drop their price. The more the prices drop the more folks want to wait. You get it. This is what happened in Japan where the home prices dropped 80% over 1o years. Oops. We're told it can't happen here, in the gorgeous wine country. Too many rich people who want to live here. Maybe. I think we'll find out soon enough.
So what happens when you combine Peak Oil with the housing bubble popping? It seems like the next Great Depression is right around the corner. What to do, what to do?
Personally, I'd like to own a little land somewhere quite rural. Own it outright. Needs to have water and some arable land. Needs to be within a days drive, at the most. I want to start building a straw bale cottage--an ongoing building project. And have solar and wind power (mini-hydro if we had the water). Water catchment systems with cisterns. Wood cookstove. You get the idea. If you see such a place drop me a line!
love
rob
Monday, August 08, 2005
The Eel River
We went camping with the Tumbleweeds playgroup (we were thrilled and honored to be invited!) at Standish Hickey State Park along the Eel River. The water was oh so cold and the sun oh so hot. Perfect. We trekked down to this awesome spot and hung out all day. There was a cliff to dive from! And 'rapids' to shoot on our floaty toys. It was SO fun!
Shade Oasis
Thank god for the shade we brought. Dave M lugged the pop up tent all the way down--it seemed like a mile or so over river stones and rubble in the hot hot sun.
Mystical Camping
Are the Tumbleweeds actually a cult? Is Napolean Dynamite their mysterious guru? And what's with the white mini-vans? And how do you join??
In the Summertime
We took turns making meals, so each family only had to cook once (albeit for 26 people). It was wonderful.
Monday, August 01, 2005
Energy of Dragon
This is a painting Krista did last year when she was first getting into abstracts. It's a very potent image and when her dad saw it he said "wow, it's a dragon!"-- hence the name 'Energy of Dragon'. I love this one and it's hanging on the wall over the Quan Yin statue in our tiny 'house'.More recently Krista was experimenting with photoshop, making mandalas with some of her paintings. I think they are so cool, and you can see them at www.devaluna.com, but I had not seen this one below until this morning. Check it out.
Doesn't it seem like there's a dragon's head here? And the dragon is sitting in full lotus with those trippy energy hands. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I mean, it really really looks like a dragon to me. And this was a total 'accident'--unplanned and unexpected. How cool is that?
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