Eye of the Beholder ~ Sept 28, 2012

I was on my way to Graton yesterday to help my friend Maureen prepare for a major open house at her FUNERIA's Gallery and for the artists in residence at Atelier 1 on Bowen Street this weekend.  

How many times have you driven past something photo worthy and not stopped? Too many times for me. I didn't have my camera, but I do pack an iPhone now, so I actually turned around and pulled over to take a photo of this rose wistfully leaning over a garden fence.

Always stop to smell the roses

Pituophis catenifer catenifer ~ Sept 17, 2012

El Gopheristador

Introducing the King of the Hill

Dirty Harry in a snakeskin suit

 He's the long silent type

A 44" magnum dressed to kill

He patrols the garden

With silent aplomb

When you got jaws

Don't need no stinkin' gun

We once saw a gopher

Standing tall at his door

Spit a hiss at Harry

Like he's gonna settle a score

I wonder if he thunk

"Do I feel lucky?"

Harry with a flick of his tongue

"Well do ya punk?"

The poor stupid varmint

Was in way over his head

His next stop was a slow ride

Down one dark tunnel bed

Our only complaint

And it's really quite meek

Is that our ole pal Harry

Only eats once a week

Tales of the City ~ Sept 09, 2012

Last Sunday we drove down to San Francisco for an adventure with our friend Margo Metegrano, the proprietress of www.cowboypoetry.com. The first stop was to meet up with Margo and friend Tam Adams (www.emandalfarm.com) at Greens Restaurant for a leisurely lunch. It’s located on one of the Fort Mason piers on the Bay and the weather was on its best behavior, about 65 and sunny with a light breeze.

Golden Gate Bridge

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We arrived early and had a chance to explore the farmer’s market and the Book Bay (used) Bookstore. We had a fabulous lunch, but only had about half an hour to spend in this great little bookstore, so a return trip to both is definitely in order.

Ah, but the real reason for the trip to SF was to attend the premier performance of Stephanie Davis’ Trail’s End Ranch Radio Show. The original project was first introduced at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, NV several years ago and it’s been a dream of hers to take it on the road.

This performance was the culmination of a weeklong workshop of extremely talented musicians, singers, songwriters, cowboy poets, reciters and sound-effect genius Fred Newman from The Prairie Home Companion, overseen by a gifted director and visionary producers. Scripts, songs and jingles were written by Stephanie, with a little help from DW Groethe on the “10 Questions you’ll never hear in the bunkhouse”:

#10 - Are you really going to wear that hat with those boots?

I loved the story of Sierra Slade, CLD (Certified Livestock Detective) and my favorite jingle:

Drink Western Brew ~ Lose your need to be right

It is one thing to listen to live radio; but we were transported into a different dimension - watching live radio being created. It was a delightful two hour extravaganza packed with songs, poetry, stories, jingles, and laughter.

Americans have a less-than-stellar image around the world due to the self-centered images, bad choices and all-too-often sensationalized events projected abroad by the media. This generalized misconception has bred resentment and built barriers to trust, respect and friendship. Let’s face it: the old script needs a rewrite. The truth of the matter is that people are people and we have more in common than not.

Poetry for Your Table

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Cowboys around the world have been a constant in ever-changing times and provide valuable lessons for us all: a respect for nature, a responsibility to family, community and the animals in their charge, a strong work ethic, courtesy and humility. The Trail’s End Ranch Radio Show has been reborn to take the “Cowboy Way” on the road for performances around Europe in summer 2014. It will perhaps introduce another side of America, the one that reflects most of us.

The Cowboy and His Dog

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Stephanie’s vision is to continually rotate our cowboy poets through the review and showcase guests from the countries visited: sort of a Rolling Thunder Cowboy Goodwill Traveling Medicine Show that shares the “take delight in the now” side that is within all of us. Learning is a two way street.

Wednesday Wonders ~ Sept 12, 2012

There was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope

Bern Williams

Just a Thought Series ~ Sept 11, 2001

Tuesday's road held a unknown journey

Beyond thought or imagination

Though life continues to move on

The day and the heros

Should never be forgotten

Tuesday's Road

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Dustis Bunnitus ~ Sept 5, 2012

I've always been one to eschew housecleaning. Life is too short to be fussing about a little dust, webs, pasture detritous or the small posse of food particles that gather under the kitchen center island. 

We live in the country ~ you could spit shine the house, seal the doors and windows and leave for a week and stuff would still magically appear where it always does. We invite company over a couple of times a year to force us into some sort of deep cleaning mode.

It's September which means our local Renaissance Faire "Much Ado About Sebastopol" is only a couple of weeks away (September 22-23 at Ives Park). I've been pulling out costumes and all the drapes, flowers and props we use to take our set up back to Elizabethan England. I haven't been able to locate the material that drapes around the top of our canopy so I tore apart the storage above the closets and under the beds. My organization goddess kicked into high gear and the world was at my mercy.

In the storage area above the closets I found items that haven't seen the light of day in years because we no longer use them: 2 down sleeping bags, 2 back packs, 2 foam pads, 4 extra blankets, 3 down vests, 4 heavy shirts, and 3 sets of winter gloves. I called the Sonoma County Task Force for the Homeless and made arrangements to deliver all of the above yesterday. They were delighted and I now have space. We also found an artist's proof of a print that we purchased in Four Corners on Rod's 55th birthday trip. Considering he turns 65 this month, we thought it might be time to get it framed. We just received a coupon for 60% off custom framing at a local shop so once again timing is everything.  

Under the beds: an extra glass shelf for the TV stand, a leaf for dining room table, one emergency kit, one bolt of material (wrong stuff) and three 2' x 3' plastic boxes with emergency gifts, wrapping paper and ribbon. The boxes of ribbon and paper went up into new space over the closet, the emergency kit is within easy reach in the closet, the glass shelf and table leaf went down to the barn and the emergency gift selection was donated to Forgotten Felines.

Dust Bunnies

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Then the grand discovery: herds of dust bunnies the likes of which I've never seen. If you store things under beds you tend not to adventure there with any sort of cleaning implement. And having carpet instead of hardwood floors makes it really easy to overlook.

Got to end that bad habit now, so no more stuff stored under the beds. We hauled out the big gun vacuum and wrangled those varmits into the cyclone, humming Ghostbusters the whole time. The amount of sh** we removed was astounding. Maybe I'll ask Santa for a once a month housecleaner. There comes a time in life when you hire a professional, right?

Just a Thought Series ~ October 8, 1976

Full moon cradled

In a pin cushion sky

 

Cradled Moon

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Autumn's subtle ways

Warm the soul

Night air surrounds me

Like a hug

The crackle of a warm fire

Bakes my toes

Campfire
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The mystery of a season change

Forever intrigues me
Creative juices
Are once again nudging their way
out of the box

A Perfect Day for a Parade ~ Sept 2, 2012

The Petaluma National All-Stars enthralled baseball audiences around the world for a couple of weeks in August at the Little League World Series. From the special section in the Press Democrat:

"Their remarkable mix of aplomb, quality play, and vibrant enthusiasm coalesced into a series of stirring comebacks that captured the nation. This was the sport at it's most elemental, stripped of the adult trappings of money, ego and posturing and highlighted instead by innocence, joy and camaraderie."

These are middle schoolers, ages 12-13; who never quit, never lost focus, made incredible plays and new friends from around the world. We watched the National Playoff against Goodlettsville, TN when we were visiting friends in Arcata. News up there comes from the ABC affiliate in Los Angeles. Though Petaluma lost the game in extra innings the two sportscasters said "this was the best game in the known universe today" and we had to agree.  

 

Today we went to Petaluma to participate in the parade honoring these kids. We had lunch outdoors on the river at Dempseys Brew Pub and then walked over the bridge to the parade route packed with an estimated 20,000 fans.

 

 

Vintage war planes did a flyover and there were two confetti cannons from the Superbowl going off every time they introduced a player. It was quite a scene. Fortunately we got there early enough to find some shade across the street from McNears. 

     

Once the parade was over everyone stepped off the sidewalks and walked en masse down the middle of Petaluma Boulevard North to Walnut Park. I don't think there was an available square inch of lawn for standing or sitting. 

 

We stayed long enough to get some bottled water and then toddled back to the car grinning from ear to ear. Home to a cool breeze from the coast and some world class chili leftovers from our friend Linda who spent a couple of days visiting before she headed out this morning for home. Sonoma County is very proud of this little group of ambassadors! They have inspired a whole crop of youngsters to believe in themselves ~ look out world there's a new posse in town.