Happy Halloween!!

I'm a bad blogger... I left for the San Juans and didn't write a thing after I returned, until now. Life has ramped up. I got a job teaching a biology class. I'm working on the second chapter of my dissertation. But mostly, I am daydreaming about how to make my way north for good. Every trip to the San Juans makes me consider the idea of moving there, but for some reason, after returning from this trip, I can't let the idea go. It may be that I'm just so burned out from 5 am commutes and 12 hour school days that I need a permanent vacation. It most likely has to do with the fact that I turned 50 this year and I keep thinking of how short life is and how I don't want to get near the end of it and regret not giving life on SJI a shot.

This year's vacation was different in that I stayed two weeks. The first week was spent with an eclectic group of friends, from Berkeley and Washington. We had a full camp with a semi-circle of tents, and we saw orcas every day but one! It was the first year we had a baby come... my dear friend, Annaliese, brought her little guy, Ronan... who is quite the charmer, smiling at everyone he sees. Regardless of who accompanies me on these heavenly vacations, we always end up making friends with other campers, particularly those who stay in the hiker/biker camps. This year was no different and we met folks from Holland, Hawaii, and various other places, sharing meals and stories and watching orcas from the bluff.

I said goodbye to everyone after a week and my best paddle buddy from Maine, Erika, joined me for the second week. Erika has become my soulmate in orca watching, orca chasing (by car up and down the coast, lest any of you think I meant by kayak!... not that I'm above that...!) and she often sings while we paddle down the west side toward Limekiln Lighthouse, making the experience a very spiritual one. Though I've only known Erika for 4 years, I can hardly imagine being there without her.

Like the first week, Erika and I made friends with the campers around us. One older man, in particular, Richard, came riding in on his bike alone and pitched his tent across from our tents. We ended up spending time exchanging life stories and opinions, sharing meals and campfires. Richard seemed very happy to hang out with us, content with life and, like us, in awe of the beauty around. Our second day with Richard was Richard's last day on earth. An aortic aneurysm burst and he died being med-evac'd off the island. We later learned that he lived very simply and that most of his gear was all he possessed. He had good friends in Oregon where he worked at a bookstore, and we were fortunate to share with them memories of his last days.

For me, it was a powerful lesson of how important our daily interactions with one another are... whether we are interacting with friends or strangers. We don't know at what point in someone's life we come, but we have the power within us to make the moments we share positive moments. Though I only knew Richard for two days, I will never forget him or what I've learned from him. And I hope that, whether I make my home here in California or up north tucked away on an island, I will cherish each day and each person that comes into my life.

That was my trip this year.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

I thought I'd revisit the garden theme in this post and show off a few pics of my ever-growing garden. The tomatoes are outta control! They aren't ripe yet but coming along with flowers and some fruit. I've also got blueberries on the bush and have now eaten a total of 2 ripe raspberries... very tasty ones, I might say.

I was taking care of John and Eileen's garden and harvesting (and eating) the sugar snap peas and became addicted... so I've got seeds started and am going to build a structure for them to climb so they can give me lots of peas! No fruit on the fruit trees but I am not expecting any this first year. The squash has numerous baby squashes on it and I'm afraid I will miss the first harvest as I leave on a 2 week trip to the San Juans this Tuesday. Hopefully the kids will eat them.

We've enjoyed the lettuces and some spinach but I did have to deal with a nasty little pest, the leaf miner, and I've noticed aphids on my broccoli! Still, I think I am ahead in having a pretty successful first garden. Even the corn is beginning to grow. More in a couple of weeks when I return from kayaking with the orcas, my favorite thing to do each solstice.

birthday presents

the night before my birthday, i was treating my two chinchillas to some craisins, their favorite treat. they've gotten in the habit of reaching out and grabbing my fingers to pull close to them, the better to reach the craisins. while they were happily eating from my hand, i saw out of the corner of my eye little gray things and immediately thought mice had gotten into their cage. but no, we had chinchilla babies!!! okay, i knew it was a possibility being that i was housing a male with a female, but the female is older and has never shown much interest in the male.
apparently, she did at some point.

anyway, they are the cutest things ever. we had 3 but lost one. the two little ones are doing well and, as they get bigger, are hopping all over. there's nothing quite as cute as a baby animal!

Life at 50

Okay... well, I won't be 50 until next week, the very thought makes me tremble a little. It's not like one week matters but it's really difficult to think of myself in an age group I've always considered old. I know. I know. 50 is the new 40, but tell that to the body! I know. I know. It's only a number. Your age is in your mind, spirit, soul, but again, I kind of wish it was in the body too!

Still, how can I complain? I may not be the same person I was 20 years ago, but I am happy and grateful for all that I've gotten to do in this life. I have four amazing kids. I have the best friends and family anyone could wish for. I kayak with orcas every year. I live in one of the best towns in the U.S. (Sebastopol) in a house with a huge yard to garden (not to mention redwood trees and oak trees). I go to UC Berkeley and travel to Argentina every year to do fieldwork. I'm getting my first chapter published this year... woo hoo! (see pic below)

And before I turn 51, I will get my PhD. The first half of my 50th year will be spent feverishly finishing my thesis and the second half will be spent begging for work (so I can keep the house, garden and the ability to go kayaking!).

I've had a good ride... certainly with some serious rocky moments, but overall, life at 50 is, indeed, pretty spectacular. Here's to the next 50, um... make that 30+ or so!

p.s. yes, that's me with a kayak paddle, a hoe and a hand shovel in the top picture, showing off my garden with my favorite tools (though I only use the paddle in the ocean).

Kayak Zen

For the last few weeks, I've wimped out on my Sunday morning paddle... for several reasons. One, it's been rather cold in the morning. It's hard to pull on all the gear in 40 degree weather. But mostly, the tug of spring gardening has tempted me to stay and play in my own backyard. I've loved it, but I realized, especially after today's paddle, that it's not the same as taking those two hours to lose myself on the sea. It truly is my meditation, my re-centering, my zen... as Sebastopolian hippy as that sounds.

Today was no different as the day started at a cool 39 degrees but quickly the temp began to rise and I knew that I needed to get out to the ocean. The sea was nearing the end of its flood and ready to pull out again. The water was ripply, not choppy, and the swells were just right, lifting and dropping, lifting and dropping. Out near sea lion rock, the waves came in sets of huge breakers between small splashes. I coasted between it and Bodega Head, enjoying the feel of the moving sea beneath me. Sea foam was everywhere. Sea foam results from kelp being broken up. The "goo" inside makes a soap, which foams up in wave action. I love paddling through it, especially with the sun shining on it. While I was looking out at the great expanse, I suddenly saw two spouts, very distinctive plumes rising much higher than the splashing of waves. "Gray whales", I shouted aloud, though no one was around to hear it. I was so excited! Two whales were cruising around the Head on their journey north to Alaska where they will feed all summer after having bred down in the warm winter waters off the coast of Mexico. I am always grateful to paddle where whales are near.

Finally, I turned to head back in though the jetty to the harbor where I started. Gulls, cormorants, willets, surf birds, oyster catchers, and black turnstones were hanging about, warming in the sun's rays. A sea lion was headed out with the tide, probably to join his buddies at the rock. I love taking people kayaking, but these Sunday mornings are special spent alone. My thoughts have had a chance to follow their path until nothing is left but the pure pleasure of being. How fortunate I am to be able to do this. I'll try not to forget what it means to me the next chilly Sunday morning.

Spring-Like Inspirations

Yesterday, I journeyed up to Sacramento to visit a friend, who actually was my invert zoology teacher when I was still an undergrad at Berkeley. Marlene is a great teacher, but she's also a fantastic friend, who I don't see enough of. I call her my laughing friend, because there's no one who I laugh with as much as I do when I'm with her. That's actually saying a lot... because I laugh with a lot of you! Anyway, our day together turned out to be, not only full of laughter, but inspiration for gardening this spring. I've been talking about turning my backyard into a "food basket" by growing lots of vegies and herbs and maybe a few fruit trees. When I saw that Marlene had put 22 fruit trees into her backyard, one that's half as big as mine, I was astounded! Plus, she still grows herbs and vegies and flowers too.

She took me to her favorite nursery and with the help of some very knowledgeable nursery guys, I purchased 3 fruit trees, some raspberry canes, and a few flowers. This morning I woke up to beautiful blue skies and sunshine and an eagerness to plant. I only got the fruit trees in but will hopefully get the rest in sometime during the week. Meanwhile, Jack, the dog, took a great interest in all my digging... and I'm afraid I will have to watch him closely so that he doesn't undo my hard work.

The goal is to eventually have enough fruit trees so that I am picking something ripe and ready every season of the year. Do you think it's possible? The nursery guy said it was!


Above is a picture of Beth, playing the role of Vanna White, pointing out the Peach, the Pluot, and the Plum trees... oh and Jack, the dog, wistfully wanting to dig!