Friday, July 31, 2009

Endings and Beginnings
















Thinking about beginnings and endings today campers. Endings because Misty, our 19 year old lynx point Himalayan, finally crossed the great divide last week. Misty was well traveled and lived an eventful life, moving from Bend to Portland to the Colestin,camping with us at the hot springs, living on a houseboat, mothering three kittens. She was sweet and smarter than she looked, otherwise how could she have lasted so long? I miss her, but I’m grateful that she passed so peacefully. She had a stroke last February and we thought she wouldn’t last the week. She was in no pain and, at age 19, we saw no point in taking her to the vet; the 45 minute drive to town followed by medical intervention would have been torture. Much to our surprise, she rebounded after that first stroke and spent five months sleeping peacefully in her usual spot until a second stroke laid her low. She spent the last week of her life in her familiar surroundings, feeling no pain, well cared for and surrounded by people who love her. It was a good death.

I’m thinking of beginnings because today Arly Sue’s 23rd birthday and on Monday she leaves for New Orleans to begin the next phase of her life. She has a history of moving on or near her birthday. We moved to Porltand on her birthday, we moved to the Colestin on her birthday, she left for Guanajuato right around her birthday, and now this. It's gotta mean something.

Kiva is madly in love with a young man I have yet to meet, an actor (god help her.) She helped launch a new restaurant last year and has moved up from the pantry to sous chef. She does the ordering, the hiring, and runs the kitchen on her own for hours at a time. She has a close community of friends around her. She still creates art, although she invests a lot of her creativity into her food now. She is, dare I say it, happy.

And me? I’m wrapping my head around the fact that my daughters love me, will always love me, but they don’t need me any more. I raised them to be strong, self-directed, independent women. I’m proud of them. I miss them.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

What Mother Wouldn't Be Proud

Arly Sue drunk and wet at the Country Fair. I raised her right, didn't I?

Monday, July 13, 2009

4th of July
























I haven't forgotten you, campers. I've been taking some serious down time, like "how am I ever gonna get back up" time. June almost did me in, especially since it started on May 29 and didn't end until July 4. That's a hell of a long month and it was action packed, but I had crazy fun.

So, it's back to the grind, working my job, rehearsing some tunes. Hamfist doesn't have a gig lined up until August, but we're looking. Jon, Jesse and I may scout around for a gig. Meanwhile, I've got my nose to the grindstone and my finger to the air. How's that for a mixed metaphor?

Have y'all seen the line up for the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in Golden Gate Park in October?

http://www.strictlybluegrass.com/

After listening to Danny talk this up for years, Sequoia and I finally attended last year and were completely blow away. If you happen to find yourself in the neighborhood of Golden Gate Park on October 2-4, let's rendezvous.

Friday, July 3, 2009

More Photos of Jane & Paloma

Arly Sue informs me that I need to post more pictures of the honored hostesses. As usual, she's right.







Thursday, July 2, 2009

Jane & Paloma Join Hands






Our beloved Jane and Paloma jumped the broom.














































































































































































We had us a good old fashioned hippie handfasting on the South Umpqua last weekend. The last time I was in Tiller, I was pregnant with Arly; that's how long it has been since I was in that neck of the woods. I'd forgotten the mossy, ferny waterfalls, the deep blue pools, the rock channels in the river bottom. It's quintessentially Cascadian and pretty as a picture postcard. Jane and Paloma have one of the nicest spreads I've ever visited in Southern Oregon (and I've visited some pretty nice spreads), an old hunting camp at the confluence of Jackson Creek and the South Umpqua. The shady campground stretches along the bank above the creek, mere steps from hot rocks and dipping holes. The clover lawn was so lush and cushy I walked around barefoot all weekend. A big pole pavilion, maybe 30' x 50', covers a full outdoor kitchen with electricity, running water, stove and fridge. It's downright civilized, and unbelievably beautiful.

The wedding was just as beautiful, if not more so. Jane and Paloma are so well suited, it's like they've been together forever. Energetically, one picks up where the other leaves off, and vice versa. It's a cliché, but one that bears repeating: they complete each other. Those of us who've loved Jane for a long time know that there's no-one on the planet who deserves happiness more than she does. The universe provided in a big way. It does my heart good, campers. Gives me hope for the future when I think of those two women tending their garden in Tiller.

Jane & Paloma: The Higginbothams and Band Camp