we huddled together
under brilliant stars
by the drum fire pit
no wood, no fire, but wind.
the full moon rose
over the eastern bluff
and bathed the open field
with silver light
and dead composers
thrilled our souls
denying the past
erasing the future.
she watched me wash in the river.
john thomas stood at attention
saluting the past, i guess.
no reason except the breath of
the wind
a tickling zephyr.
it all started when julie called me two weeks ago.
"i want to talk to you about going to big sur…" etc. on my voice mail.
so i called her back and arranged to meet julie at demian's house at six on monday.
i was on time except the bay bridge delayed me another hour.
fourteen lanes i counted; all lanes feeding into four cash
booths and people switching lanes laboriously at a snails pace to
get to the "pass holders" lane.i was stuck for five minutes at a
time with no movement and then julie called to find out where i
was. i suddenly saw an opening and with the phone in my right
hand at my ear did a left handed swoop out of my position behind a
white pick-up truck. i could hear the crunch. i thought my
whole side was scraped. but it was just the side mirror.
don't drive while you're on the phone.
from demian's terrace (the sanfrancisco bay bridge)
after dinner and sleep, the next day we took the scenic route out
of san francisco and down the coast towards monterey.
beautiful drive it was. and we chatted continuously and listened
to james taylor tape and some wild coltrane.
*****************************************************************
my tent was plenty big for the
two of us. without the rain "fly
cover" you could see the night
sky through the ceiling; we had
a full moon and we watched it
rise. and later outside for a
four in the morning saunter to
the outhouse i watched it set in
the west.
**********************************
the full moon
rises slowly
from behind the hill
suddenly the night is illumined
then it sets on the other side of our field
and the sun gradually brightens the day
over the same hill
they go round and round
taking turns dispelling darkness
*********************************
at war with the ground squirrels, in spite of their noble prairie dog stance, artful thieves in a gang. they felt the sting of my stick… eyes behind my head i can feel them surrounding the table. and they are wary of me.
in the daytime they are grazing on the grass like a herd of buffalo. but if i start to prepare dinner it's bait an switch and there goes the chocolate. sometimes i leave them some lemon seeds in a hole in the picnic table. they even ate my plastic sandals.
today the yellow leaves floated
down
became little boats
drifting in the quiet stream
not far now to the ocean
a buttefly parades by me
and a blue/black bird rests
on a nearby branch
over the river
my feet in the stream after a wash
the water is cooling my blood.
when julie was getting rebellious on the third day she actually said, "i should have made love to you last night. then i wouldn't have this problem with you."
she wanted to hitchhike to partington canyon and stay at big sur forever. she denies alzheimers, but every night, "where are we?" and "are we in a boat?"
yes. she's alright. after three nights i had to take her back to san francisco. then i had two more nights alone. it was really too cold for her at night but she enjoyed the adventure immensely… it was a great and very needed little communion with nature. :happy:
Beautiful story and description. The words of your poem make me be there. And it sounds as though you had a great trip. Hope Julie is OK
:happy: I am so delighted to know Julie spend time with you meli :heart:Her memories will fade and making new will keep her mind remembering you :)How is Demian?I am glad your car had small damage 🙂 can you change your mirror on you own?I love the new picture of you above! I wish you hold a pen and not a cigarette, but I am not going to nag you. I simply care about you and want you to stay healthy 🙂
meli :heart: it's healthy to smoke. it's good for the digestion. it also aids one's concentration. but mainly, there are so few real pleasures in life. and finally, i have given up all the other vices. it is incumbent on me to keep at least one. :cool:i'm glad you like the new pic. halldor took it two nights ago with my camera.demain is just fine. he is doing so well. he looks twenty years younger than he should… a regular "dorian gray".did you play the little movie at the end of the post?
Originally posted by I_ArtMan:
:happy: yes, I did. The amazing thing,I was saying "his eyes are watching God" and you said "watching the leaves fall"I had to smile :love:
ata girl… you don't miss much. :happy:
PS I am still absorbing your post meli :heart: you know I I need time 🙂 I was admiring the roots of the tree in the picture above !chances are, I will be coming back multiple times ………
keep on coming meli :heart: yes. the roots… very evocative and symbolic of something deep. the line drawing i did from memory that night by the campfire light and a little candle lantern.
Getting there – being there – living! Great post Scott. Thanks for taking us with you, carried by good words. :happy:
I couldn't stop reading and watching this once I got started. It is so fascinating – a piece of art-work in itself! :):up:
Originally posted by I_ArtMan:
please say "hello" 🙂
Originally posted by I_ArtMan:
exactly my thoughts….memories can fade but the roots always will stay in the heart :)have a superb Saturday
you are such a poet, Scott. a good one- excellent one. in your words and art (and cooking…) I imagine your approach is always this way? and you execute it well. you have taken a couple ordinary pictures and drawn them to a perfect state "zephyr". I love your journal- even the picture of the moon is great. do you really believe that, "He flies highest who flies alone?" I cannot believe it.
well, jill, i have my doubts about that, of course. for me, i am sure it depends on the right companion. i know what you are getting at. no man is an island. also, i don't wish it. i wish i had a good girlfriend now. but i can take care of myself with no problem… just that i am the type that functions artistically better with the inspiration of real love. as it is, i have to make do with mining the 'gold' alone. :smile:i do appreciate your glowing comment… makes me glow. 😎
I'm reading, and reading, and again it's marvellous..Like Your soul, Scott. Thanks
:heart: Originally posted by I_ArtMan:
as I said, a poet
Originally posted by studio41:
o.k. i admit it. although i consider the poet to be the highest one can attain. so i am reluctant to think of myself as that. paint chiseler, word wrangler… that's what i am. 😆
Originally posted by ayalen:
ania, it's so very nice of you to extend yourself this way. i love your comment. :happy: by the way, welcome to opera community. :coffee:
😀
An engrossing trip, most beautifully described and illustrated. Just a hint of bittersweetness to keep it real. I would have enjoyed being there too. :yes:
:love:meli,I am delighted to see this post in the "community weekly watch" a very much deserved recognition :yes:http://my.opera.com/community/blog/2010/10/06/opera-community-watch:yes:
thanks richard for taking the time to read well. :happy: i appreciate the comment. 'bittersweetness' caught that.
ahhh meli :heart: you are a gem of a girl. i never would have seen that. i didn't even know of the 'community watch' before.i sure got hung up browsing the other watched posts. i am so distractible… learning learning learning… 😎
Originally posted by I_ArtMan:
it started when you were away meli :love: and we all love it!
cool. it's a great idea. i found them all very entertaining. i will make it a regular stop from now on. :up:
yeah. i was lucky that all i lost was my side mirror. it sounded like the end of the world.yes, lots of birds singing all the time and the wind in the trees. :happy:
Lovely. I was surprised that nature there is so noisey. How sweet to take care of your friend. Now I understand about the driving. 😛 Take care.
Originally posted by ellinidata:
congratulations, Scott!
so grateful for the honorable mention, jill. i am not used to official recognition. 😆
Anonymous writes:I see your blog is nice.You want a best
😀
:heart:
yep. and i am glad of your comment. :happy:
Wow that view from Demian's apartment is a great one!Glad you had a good holiday, even more glad you shared it. :up:
Interesting shot of the SF bay bridge. My cousin lives around that neighborhood somewhere…. 😎
tyler,coincidence. :smile:it's very convenient for getting to demian's pad, but not at rush hour. never again. my side mirror is still dangling there. tried duct tape and liquid steel, no go. have to get professional attention.
$225.00 should fix it. That's what it cost to fix the left mirror on my Lumina anyway. :no:
ouch, but thanks. at least i have a figure to compare estimates. i want to get two long machine screws and just screw it but i might drill through some important wiring.
'denying the past / erasing the future" Take a bow, Sir. :yes:
bowing humbly. know the past/repair the future. 😎
You didn't say if your mirror had an electric motor or heating elements in it. That is what made my mirror cost $110. The rest was labor; they had to take the door apart, just to change the mirror. Bad engineering! :down: :coffee:
yeah, i know. i studied it hanging from it's wires and after the duct tape failure and the liquid steel fiasco, i came to the conclusion that i would have to do it from inside the door panel, tap a new thread through the broken screws etc. etc. don't have to buy anything because the mirror popped off intact.and i wonder if anyone were to pay me $225 to fix it, if i might not do it. hmmm thinking about it. but i think i will pass. :coffee:
That cousin I told you about? The one that lives in S.F.?He is here right now visiting. 😎