The days have been long and hot. Perfect for summer time chilling. I was getting a bout of cabin fever up in the woods. It's gloriously quiet. After 10 months in the woods, I have wanted to commune with good folks, dance barefoot, have a drink, see diverse faces, talk a lot.
I had no clue I had the 4th, 5th, 6th off. So, I made no plans. I could have gone to the Sierra's with my cousin or out of town or on any number of adventures. But here it was a holiday and I had no plans.
I was hit with a little wave of loneliness. Fourth of July was always a big deal at home in Chicago. It's the only place I ever really celebrated the holiday as the rest of the years, I was out of the country. But, even then, I longed to be with my family on the boat, watching the fireworks over Lake Michigan.
I racked my brain over what I could do until I finally decided to just let it go, follow my nose. I am a little OCD about making plans and have been practicing going with the flow, being care free like on the road.
I hiked all morning and by evening I was hanging out at work/home with my co-workers and the guests- a super cool artsy couple from San Francisco. It was all local oysters and locally made (Bolinas) Sean Thackery wine. It turned out. Who needs plans.
The next day, I was off to Oakland for Art Murmur. I have been trying to get to this art walk for 10 months and just as it happened my Evanston friends were going too and invited me down to stay the night in their sweet Oakland home. So, it worked out again and being with my hometown people is always soul satisfying and good.
Happily over stimulated. There were people everywhere at the art walk, culture abounded, neat little spaces with music and art. The above picture just about sums it all up.
The following my nose continued the next day and lead me to bare foot dancing to the Wailers at the Marin County Fair with one of my girl friends. This is what I needed. Dancing outside to live music! Friends! Community! Rasta vibes! I was brought back to my days living with the Rasta's and many happy past lives spent living on some chilled out beach somewhere. Perhaps, I have been zen-ed out in the woods a little too long.
The finale to a great weekend was one last stop at the local bar in town. Where I meet many of the locals for the first time. I guess there are some younger folk in our sleepy little town and they like to get down.
Sometimes you need a peaceful retreat, to be out in nature and live simply but when that is your life, you need the opposite. These days, I am renewed by people, music, art, stimulus. When my co-worker saw me on Sunday, she said I looked lighter and happier.
To think, this amazing weekend started out completely unplanned. I went from having nothing to do,to having good times with some kick ass folks, all just by following my nose.