Paths of life, journeys beyond.............

It has been a while since I have had the time or the mindset to write in here about the path and journey I am on. Parts have ended, some may just be beginning. I sit here this morning with just the sound of the waves and the wind in the trees wondering what spurred explorers to venture from the shores of home and go to unknown lands maybe to die alone so far away just to see new things. I must have that gene. I know I could go and see and travel if I had the opportunity. I would love to see how Mother Earth is looking and what she has to offer up to us. I am not into her riches but in her natural beauty and would love to find all the less traveled paths to try.
I used to do them alone, then some with Cal and some I took friends and Shannon with me. It was always good to share them with someone. But I learned more alone. The solitude takes you deeper and I found that the spiritual side begins to come closer and connect with the space you are in. I found it amazing at times how quickly you can be recharged be a short hike alone in a place you love with no distractions. Here it is the vast ocean that does it. I have yet to try any boating yet, but I bet sailing will eventually be one of my favorite things.
Life is full of wonder and surprises, some good some not so good but I am trying to learn from it all and I hope that I will get back in to wandering through my thoughts and trips again now that I have the space in my brain back. Thanks Scott for being such a good person, happy trails and see you on the other side, or if there really is reincarnation, I hope you come back as a dog then I can find you. Remember, white dog and silly looking just like we discussed.

Learning to grow up

Learning to grow up does not mean losing your zest for life, your idea of adventure or your fun. It just means that you have a better idea of how to get to all those things. So as we grow older, we can't (or won't) go hike around Yosemite in the middle of winter to get that perfect shot of Vernal Falls in the snow. But you will still hike up in the fall when the leaves are changing color. I may not want to jump out of a perfectly working plane but I will take a hot air ballon ride and see the earth from another perspective. I may not go out and find the perfect wave on the North Shore (Not even when I was there in my 20's actually) but I may swim and snorkle at Molikini. It doesn't mean you have turned into a whimp or an old person just that you have found other aspects of your life that are just as rewarding. Now if you still want to do all those other things, by all means, please go ahead and do them. Me, I love to travel, and there are still many things left on my bucket list. But Neil Simon once said in one of his plays, "I want it all, I know I won't get it, but I can keep reaching for it anyway." or something to that affect.
So to me growing up is choosing whats best for you and making it your own without losing the essence of who you are. We all have to make choices, and adapt to what life throws at us. Sometimes having a brick wall in front of us, just means we turn a corner to see what's ahead. That's the part about travel that I like most, what is up around the bend. It may be the best it may not, but you just don't know till you get there. So, I am full of silly phrases today, but you can't play the game unless you participate.  People are lonely because they build walls instead of bridges, so I for one will be participating on my bridge out into the world today. And to all of you who are doing the same, I salute you!

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year to all! It's been a while since I had the time to write about anything but I have to say the holidays are not always everyone's best time of year. For me it is a chance to remember all of those who have passed through my life and are now gone. Since there are a lot of them now that I am older it is a hike down memory lane. Some I know where they are, some I don't, some I am happy they are gone, some sad. But I remember the journeys they have taken us on and the things that each taught me at each stage of my life. I did realize early on that no matter, good or not so good that I learned very important lessons about myself from all of them. And for me that is what we are here for is the journey and the learning.
I know that I didn't learn all that I should have by the time I have arrived at now, but I am still open to learn so that must count for something? I need to keep looking at the big picture I guess. I will have to find a way to do that these days with them filled with long hours of work and the philosphies of life and death. I seem to be in a rut. Maybe it's because I am not used to the cold and wet yet. But I am an adaptable creature or so I have been in the past.
I saw an amazing pod of whales on the one sunny day we had this week and it was a glorious sight. I didn't take any pictures because you can't really see anything but a hump if you can distinguish it from the water, but there was a lot of spouting going on. It was great to see the gray whales going down south. Their journey is so incredible that I would love to go to Baja and see where they end up giving birth. That would be on my bucket list. I have one of those ya know. It's just too long to put down on this. What would be on yours? And who would you go with if you could?
Hope that 2011 is a great year full of adventure and lots of life lessons for all of us.

My first Aloha (well,actually my 2nd)

My first real trip to Hawaii was to visit two of my girlfriends that were living there. I was lucky that one living on Oahu worked for United, and lived on the windward side of the island with her daughter. Francie and I had become friends while we both had a stay in the hospital in Concord. We were roommates and needless to say the hospital staff was very happy to see us go when we were released. Ah the good old days.......
But back to Hawaii. So, I planned to go spend a week on Oahu with Francine and her daughter Christy and then over to the big island of Hawaii to see my friend Mimi who was living with her brother Mike.
I loved seeing all the tourist sights of Oahu. We went to Waikiki and Hanama Bay, up to Punchbowl Cemetary and of course out to Pearl Harbor to see the USS Arizona. We drove all the way around the island and saw the North Shore that is famous for surfing and saw the Ioloni Palace where the last of the Hawaiian Royalty lived. She really did take me everywhere. We also went to Christy's Girl Scout island rally and I was in a three legged race with her and other sundry things that her mother couldn't do. (She has a bum knee) I had so much fun that I had a hard time leaving the island but flew over to Hawaii to Kona where Mimi and I began our adventure there.
Mimi is very tall and exotic looking and attracts everyone whereever she goes. Men offer her things every time we go out and she just smiles and politely says no thanks as she meanders through her life. She is a stunning woman with a classy way about her and one of the nicest women I have ever been friends with. She and I started by hitting the local hangout called Huggos and the party began. Oh we did plenty of sightseeing. She had found a local boy that she had fallen for and he came with a huge Hawaiian family and when you come to visit you are Ohana (family). So, Aunti Tio would take me shopping, and Uncle Keke would take me to the Beach. I had a luau in my honor on the Sunday after I got there. The pig and all. It was about 30 people asking if I wanted to go with them to see this or that? Did I have a car to drive me here or there? Take theirs, they wouldn't need it on Thursday. It was a wonderful feeling of love and community that they gave me. For a Howlie I was ok because I was Mimi's friend. They made it so easy to fall in love with them all. I got to see the volcano erupt while hearing one of the Uncles tell tales of Pele, the goddess of the Fire. He even brought a bottle of Gin to throw in the Volcano to appease her. You bet I did too!!!! Everywhere we went there was someones cousin or realtive that lived close by and we needed to stop and say aloha to. I learned so many phrases while I was there that it was amazing I could talk english when I got back.
I saw the island through their eyes. And it was the only way to see it.
I know a lot of people who say they don't want to go to Hawaii.That it isn't that big of a deal. But I am here to tell you that the Aloha spirit once you see it up close, never leaves you. I can honestly say that I don't go back to Oahu anymore. I don't like the island as it is too overpopulated, but I do love Maui, Kauaii, and Hawaii as they have that same spirit and people there are willing to be friendly and helpful if you are respectful of their culture and island. After all they were there first.

All that white stuff and it didn't stick!!!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! Last Tuesday I was home cooking our Thanksgiving since we both had to work on turkey day, and all day long it snowed.Sometimes hard, sometimes lightly but little soft flakes fell all day long. It made the roofs all white and the streets just barely covered in white and just enough at one point to make our back yard look like a winter wonderland. It was very nice while I was indoors not having to get out in it. I have to say I was worried about Wednesday morning when I would have to get up before the sun and drive to work. But it was dry and clear and you wouldn't have known it had snowed. There was no eve-idence of it anywhere.
I had made Cal take all of us (the dogs and I) down to the beach to get pictures of the snow there, but there wasn't enough there to get in the picture, just the arctic wind that they had been talking about. Needless to say we weren't out but a minute or two. Damn but it was cold!!!!! So, I have to say I really would not take up skiiing or snowboarding anytime soon. I really don't like the cold at all. I love to look at it from a warm dry place.
Cal and I had talked about going to Yellowstone in the winter. I thought that it would be beautiful to see with all the snow. Now, I am rethinking that idea. I think early fall would be nice. See the leaves change color? Don't you think? Me too! Much better plan! I will rent a film about it in the winter if I want to see all the snow.
Hmmmmmmmmm, perhaps this is a sign I am getting old and will not be willing to try all those things that in my youth I wanted to do? Has time finally caught up with me and I will not be willing to go an explore as much as I still want to? Nah! I won't run with the bulls in Spain, but who would be that stupid? No, I just won't climb K-2 or Everest or go to Machu Pichu. No, I will stick to Italy and New Orleans and places that are warmer climates. There is still a lot to see that I haven't and I can see them all when there isn't snow.
I am pretty sure of that now.
I will sit here and have a nice glass of wine, maybe a Frogs Tooth Temparnillo, or maybe a Willamette Valley Pinot, choices seem to be in my favor today.
Wishing you all a happy turkey day and that you are safe and warm as I toast you from the cold region of Oregon.

Stormy weather

Now that I live here in the great Northwest, I am learning about the new weather that I get to live in. I have always loved to experience the different seasons. I love the changing colors of fall, and I really don't mind the rain and cold of winter. But, I have to say that I love a good storm, when I can stay in and watch it rage around me. I am not so happy about it when I have to drive to work in it. But I must say it does afford some amazing scenes to unfold. This morning was a full moon that was setting over the ocean when I left for work at 6:30 (yes, AM) It cast a glow to the water. It's too bad that I was really busy trying to keep my car from sliding on the icy roads. They were frosted over from the rain. I slipped and slid everywhere!!! Ah the joys of it all. Then after I got to work, and unwrapped myself from my coat and scarf and gloves, I then got to hear that they are predicting snow tomorrow here at the coast. SNOW!!!!! AT THE COAST! What happened to the west coast being warm I ask you? Oh yea, I am in the Northwest(Sigh!) I am not missing the sun, I am not missing the heat or the dust or the oak trees, but I am not ready for snow. Uh-uh! No sireee, no way jose, that is not what I wanted at all. The up side is that I am off the next two days. So, although I am going to be going out in it if it does, it will be on my terms, meaning Cal will be driving, not me. And I will be bundled up just like the transplanted California girl that I am, from head to toe, cuz I don't like the snow!!!
Although it would be pretty to see in on the beach...............Ok, as long as it goes away by Wednesday morning when I have to go to work I guess it will be ok, but I will not stand for it any longer than that, do you hear me Mother Nature??? I am just voicing my very vocal opinion!
Now, if all of you don't mind, I am going to go see if Overstock.com has an electric blanket on sale. I need one for my bed if we are going to be having the white stuff around here. The dogs can only keep me warm for so long then I need a little help. Everyone have a great Thanksgiving!!!!!!

Adventures in driving

Moving to the Northwest has become an adventure in itself for me. I am learning all the ways to stay warm in the cold and damp. And I have to tell you I am not bad at it. For the most part I like it. I can bundle up and I can go inside if it gets too cold. I have always loved rain and storms as long as I didn't have to drive in them. Well, now I get to learn that too. I only work about 10 miles from my house and most of it is driving through town so it isn't bad. I only have to get on Highway 101 which is about three blocks from my street and follow it to the turnoff for my work and I am there. There is a stretch that takes me over the Seiletz River and Bay. Now, I used to commute to San Francisco every day over the Bay Bridge, so going over two very small bridges shouldn't be any problem right? But I have always had an overwhelming fear of drowning or being trapped in a car in the water. So, of course, for those that know me well, I learned to sail, and love to be on the water in a boat. Am I a good swimmer? No. Am I strong? No. But I keep putting myself out there subconsciously I think to do those things that I fear most. Like crossing bridges every day. Living at the ocean. So, now I am reading up on all the defensive driving techniques when driving in the rain. I must admit, at 6:30-7am in the morning there is very little traffic to worry about here. In fact, before 7am, the only place to get coffee is at the 24 hour Safeway that has a Starbucks, every other coffee drivethru place doesn't open until 7 or after.
So, I try not to get distracted when driving in to work first thing in the morning. But some mornings it is hard when the fog or clouds begin to dissipate and the pinks and mauves and orange begins to blur together to make this collage of colors that light up the sky and the calm straits by the bay reflects it while the drift wood creates this drama of textures. I had to pull over and watch a group of migrating birds come together in a V shape and head south over the water while the reflections of colors changed from pinks and purples to firery reds and ocher smudged with brilliant coppers as the sun made its debut. The waves in the distance began to come alive from just light shadows to white flashes that caught a bit of color themselves as if hearlding the coming day. I sat there watching without thought of anything but to remember how vivid it all was at that single moment. If I had spent the time pulling out the camera and adjusting the lens, I would have missed the play of colors as they quickly changed from one to another.

I am sure that people passing by me wondered at what I was doing at the side of the road, but sometimes, that is where the magic is. It isn't always on the rim of the Grand Canyon, or standing in a forest of ancient trees. Sometimes it is in a moment of time that comes from nowhere and leaves just as fast. Sometimes you are the only one to see it. Doesn't matter if no one else does, it just matters if you feel it in your soul. Something clicks and it feels right. I know that I have always found that even the smallest of drives have divulged some great wonders and there is always something to be seen and learned and be in awe of  if only we take the time to look. So stretch out your wings, your feet, and your tires and see whats in your neighborhood, or around the next block from you. I would love to know what you have found.

I once found a big purple house when I was driving around. I was amazed at how very big and very purple (I mean grape colored purple) this house was! Then there was a time when we (Cal and I) got lost and found a great craft fair in a tiny little town in Nevada. Cal still doesn't let me live it down, but we bought some wonderful handmade Christmas ornaments. We also took the loneliest highway in the US. Highway 50 I think it was across Nevada to Ely. We learned that the trantualas were giving birth and that they then migrated to somewhere(That's another story!). They were crossing the road by the thousands as we were driving over them! Yuk! But it was very interesting at the time that we found out. So, there can always be an up side to driving to your destination.
I truly believe the old saying, It isn't the destination it is the journey that makes you wise.