Road Trip Day Twelve and Thirteen: Palo Alto, CA.

This is a smattering of images from the Palo Alto Cultural Center.

Wispy branch huts, ferns made from fabric and charcoal drawings,

paper ferns made by children, and colorful tumbled pottery used as a ground cover.

Road Trip, Day Eleven: Return to the Family Home, Palo Alto, CA.

There is nothing quite like solo travel and exploration to bring you back to yourself. 

There are so many thoughts that have come streaming through, so much pure clarity, 

so much ease even in the midst of change. I've been thinking about the difference between vacation and travel. Vacation to me summons trying to escape from one's life, 

to leave it all behind, to "relax" and push it all away. And then there is travel, 

where we take it in, we ask for more input, more experiences, newness, 

we see another culture, another town, another way of life…and for a minute we try it on.

And even if we don't stay, we carry a bit of it with us. I am carrying so much input, 

and so much gratitude. There are so many visual moments to take in when traveling 

that you wish your eye lenses were indeed the lens of a camera, that to just look 

you could capture those moments to share with others so that they might understand 

why you are changed. There is the magnificence of redwoods bursting from flat forest floors, towering…truly towering over everything. I know that I feel small when standing 

at the edge of the sea, but the sea seems like a collection of so many things, 

while a redwood seems like an "it", a singular being. Those sweetly scented trees 

feel like history and hope. I wish I could show you how it looks to drive down the 

windingest road of the coast, where two feet from your right side tires is a cliff 

plunging down to a teal sea, the broken grapevine fence on the left is roughly containing

white sheep with black heads who are content in green pasture with bright yellow 

wild mustard flowers dancing in the breeze, you pass the second cemetery of the day, 

this one with a rough white picket fence. There are the barns, the homesteads, 

the shacks, the cabins that all call to me, saying "you could have this life." 

And me calling back, not yet. We could all be so many things, we could lead 

so many lives, we could do so many jobs. And I hope that in my life I will be lucky
 enough to try on a few more lives. For now I am clear, MAKE ART, make a home,
 see the world, be in nature deeply and often, and share all this with the many in
your life you are truly blessed to call friends.

Road Trip Day Eight, Nine and Ten: Anderson Valley.

What is there not to enjoy about a redwood tree?

Or a clump of mushrooms? 

I've been slightly obsessed with photographing and painting

our little mushroom friends. There just are so many, so varied, so fun

to treasure hunt for. I think mushroom hunting is like thrift store haunting,

you just never know what you are going to find.

Road Trip Day Seven: Anderson Valley.

Spent the day wondering the Anderson Valley and hiking on my friends ranch.

Twisted oaks, fields of ewes, dormant apple orchards, moss, lichen, mushrooms,

ferns, dogs to walk with, birds to watch burst from evergreens, collections of old

special things...all things to enjoy and ponder over. It's a good life.

Road Trip, Day Six: Glass Beach, Fort Bragg.

Glass Beach in Fort Bragg, CA is the most amazing beach ever.

It's a sad history really, as the beach was the local dump for the town

in the early 20th century. Who knew that all the rubbish would eventually

tumble in the waves to create such glorious results.

Literally you can dig your hand into inches upon inches of colorful sea glass,

broken pottery and even some worn down metal bits.

I felt like I was in the scene of Amelie where she is dipping her

hand into lentils, but in my case colorful sea glass. So amazing.

Go back to the first photo...that beach is literally ALL glass!

Road Trip, Day Five: Caspar, CA.

What a day! Drove from Trinidad to Caspar California through redwood forests,

sea cliffs, and eucalyptus groves. Passed old farms, ancient cemeteries, 

and ended at Jug Handle Creek Farm. Stayed the night in a rustic little

cabin overlooking the farm. Made friends with a fellow traveler,

cooked dinner in the old farmhouse, read in bed next to the wood stove.

Painted another mushroom to add to the collection. Good day.

Road Trip, Day Five: Morning at Emerald Forest Cabins.

I think I'd like to move in. Spent a relaxing night at Emerald Forest Cabins in Trinidad.

Highlights: Sweet funky cabin, peeling wallpaper, wood stove, clawfoot tub,

time to slow down, make art, cook a warm meal of mushrooms, kale and beef.

I've been painting mushrooms and enjoying working in watercolors again.

I'd like to bring a large group here and cabin up with everyone, make art,

play games, gawk at trees, go on hikes, and drink mug after mug of warm tea.