I drove out the middle of nowhere, "near Sacramento" (which really isn't all that near anything) after meeting up with the cuzzle et friend for coffee and a coffee shop interview. The further I got from the city, the more beautiful and serene the landscape became, removing all signs of hurried-ness out of scope. I arrived at the farm, welcomed by Greg in the wood shop of course, making one of the multitudes of things that I would just run to the store and buy in my everyday life. He gave me a tour of the garden, the greenhouse, the chicken coup, the river, the kale/ lavender fields which brought me right back to our days in Costa Rica with more or less the same removed feeling from society.... just less bugs. Although he did show me the rattler they caught out in the garden the other day... I guess there is a part of him that must be perpetually surrounded by deadly snakes.
We opened a couple beers, chatted by the river, made dinner, poured some dark and stormies and well, just had a really nice time. The serenity of being disconnected, but in fact more connected that most people, is something I have missed ever since being on the ranch in Costa. We ate at a picnic bench down by the river illuminated by Christmas lights strung high in the trees and a candle powered glass chandelier hanging from the branches as well. We didn't talk about television, because we don't watch too much. We didn't talk about technology, or the grind of a 9 to 5. We weren't unhappy. We ate Americanised ratatouille because we aren't traditional, eggs from the chicken coup (well, that was just me) because they were the most delicious I have tasted, beef from a local farmer, and day old salad. Everything was just perfectly nice. We chatted plus en plus because that was all there was to do, and that was more than enough. Even though I could barely sleep due to the fact of a bat flying in my face for a few hours, I could not have asked for a better day.
In this NY Time's Sunday Magazine, there is an article and photo spread about the new 20-something stage of life and what it will do to America. What a grand thought that maybe a 9 to 5 and a child is not for everyone the second they received that ever so tightlygift wrapped diploma. The expectations of that package almost as compact and neat as the paper. Was this the gift that they intended for us? To raise families without further exploring ourselves first, to sit at computers and talk about computers after 8 hours of typing on them? Not that this is bad or good, but it made me smile that the new 20 somethings are seeking a new life in their twenties, something we cant put a timeline on. While some of the older generations are scared because things are changing, thank god we are changing. It just seems like we can afford to stay the same.
I laughed through the read at times, remembering that Greg, at around 40 with no bills and no permanent residence , fit this new twenty something profile to a tee. I guess the concept of finding oneself is so funny. Who else would I find? Do we ever stop searching? I hope not. I know Greg hasn't . Who knows what the decades ahead will bring for me... whether it will be adventures in foreign countries or simply with the local people in coffee shops. But I hope it will be remnant of my days removed, but more connected than ever.
4. I staked my tomato plants with pretty bamboo arches and the squash blossoms are in bloom! My garden is flourishing! (Tip that Im unsure works: Plant magnolias to ward off the bad bugas... on va voir)
