No - in this case Quinn is not an eskimo though at times I have felt like one bundled up in lots of sweaters. It's cold this year in Sonoma county.
So who is QUINN? Quinn is a dog, a super intelligent OCD ball catching dog. I have been Quinn and Mollie's trusted guardian for the last two weeks. They have shadowed me, pestered me to play, ridden in the car and snuggled up in bed with me each night. I have been dogsitting. I will miss them. The homeowner returned yesterday.
In a couple of days I am packing up and beginning my incremental journey southward through the state of California beginning with Santa Cruz. The whole state is colder than usual but the southern counties may be a bit warmer. As long as it is cold up here north of San Francisco I might as well get in my car and check out life and locations to the south. Maybe I will see my bare arms and legs again. I can always swing back up to Santa Rosa in the spring.
BY THE TIME I GOT TO WOODSTOCK
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I thought I should throw that in. Both were quiet for me. I stayed in with the pups and cooked and ate, watched movies and did some internet searches. When it was not raining I would take the dogs to the dog park and then take myself out for longer trail walks and exploring. On one four hour walk between Christmas and New Year's I strolled an hour over to a Santa Rosa labyrinth. It had been cold when I left the house and as the sun more fully appeared it warmed up. Layer after layer of clothing was shed and tied onto my waist. My trusty CANON ELPH sat in the pocket of my fleece vest which I still wore normally. The ELPH sat until it decided not to sit anymore. It fell out some time after the first hour's stop at the labyrinth never to be seen again.
YES - NOOOOOOOOOOOO! Patt has been camera-less for several days and she is sad and frustrated. (insert sad face). I need to go replacement shopping soon. I have been out and about but shopping this time of year with the lonnnnnnng weekends is not much fun. And going over budget from the get go for the year is also not much fun. But I live an abundant life and all is well. A new camera is on the horizon if I can find one in stock. Remember I am on the road so online ordering and shipping is not at present in my repertoire. I like to feel and touch the cameras and also have on-site return options in case I open the box and find my unit to have dust behind the sealed lens.
PATT'S CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS - GOOD GRIEF!
BUT.... not many photos to share this time. Except my Charlie Brown Christmas. As I was alone and the streets would be quiet I decided to do a little fun photo shoot. My house sit is close to downtown and I had been walking around the main library there. I had found statues of Charlie Brown characters and one day I stopped some volunteer police officers and asked where I could find more. When I was living in San Telmo I used to go out with friends and snap photos of us with the cartoon characters. The Buenos Aires city government has placed many all throughout Puerto Madero and San Telmo. The residents and tourists love their photos taken too.
BUENOS AIRES 2015
The officers told me to check with the area tourist office which I did and I picked up a list of locations far and wide. The characters are not centralised like Buenos Aires. To see Santa Rosa's statues one needs to drive.
Christmas morning I got bundled up and donned a red glitter hat and top from my traveling costume bag and also decided to add some clown white face just for a little bit more fun sharing. I headed out in my car to find some of the statues. With my trusty tripod my "selfie" Charlie Brown Christmas began and true to form it ended in a GOOD GRIEF! At my sixth location I checked my previous shots and the camera was messed up displaying just white like a white Christmas, except for the first four shots. Yes - GOOD GRIEF CHARLIE BROWN. At that point I went back to the house, removed the glitter and white face and put my feet up for the day and relaxed. I gave myself an A+++ for effort.
And that's it. No more photos, no camera. More rain is here. I will go shopping later. In the meantime I am getting this blog caught up and engaging in watercolor while I wait for couchsurfing host responses. Oh and planning my next cooksurf too. I should slide this photo in here - before house sitting I stayed a few nights in Petaluma (south of Santa Rosa). My host Michael and I both like to cook thus cooksurfing. :) Delicious!
MICHAEL'S SHRIMP, ROASTED BRUSSEL SPROUTS AND THE BEST SQUASH EVAHHH!
And for listening pleasure from 1967 - Manfred Mann's version of Mighty Quinn...
Coughing, spitting, hesitating - "But Matilda don't you want to get out of the heavy torrential rains and cold?"
"YES - I was ready last week and now I have the flu."
PATRICK AMIOT'S JUNK ART
Not me, not Patt. Matilda. Matilda is the name of my car and she finally short circuited. Thursday I went out to do some errands. The car had sat all day the day before in heavy winds and torrential sideways rains. Soon out of the inn's driveway she began bucking. At first I thought with the severe weather some water had gotten under the hood and was shorting out the wires but the local tire shop where I had my oil changed a few weeks earlier found a spent coil pack. Luckily they could get the part the next morning, make the fix and send me on my way to Santa Rosa.
I pulled into Sacha and John and Rose's house at 6 pm. They have a daughter Zoe and a high school exchange student from China living there PLUS a few more people. This was to be one of my few times in couchsurfing I actually slept on a couch. Sacha had told me that had I waited two more evenings she could have given me a private sleep space but I really wanted to come on Friday so I took a couch. I adored the pellet stove and Charles Eames chair.
MOLLIE
QUINN
Saturday I visited redwood-filled Armstrong State Park. It was cold in that forest. I vowed to come back more bundled up. On my way back to the house the CHECK ENGINE light came back on and the bucking started again. MATILDA! I had to go the entire weekend without knowing why and what was happening. SIGH Monday Sacha's husband John connected me with his mechanic and I got things fixed. The coil pack that they put in in FB was faulty. I got a new one, mailed the old one back to the shop to get reimbursed on the warranty and actually ran into John at the post office. Small world. I then went over to another part of town to meet my two holiday dog wards. I begin dog sitting on Sunday so I will not be alone for Christmas. I will have Mollie and Quinn.
Onward to Sebastopol to stay at Big Bob's house. Again there are many people around this property. I was greeted with a smile and transport to a friend's place for a small dinner of homemade turkey soup, then we headed to a bar with live music and dancing. This helped me to put aside the annoying fact that as I was driving to Sebastopol my CHECK ENGINE light went on again. At least the car is running fine and not bucking. I will be back near the second repair shop tomorrow to have them look at it again. It is driveable this time. In fact, I went over to Bodega Bay yesterday. It was magically beautiful with full sun and no wind. I could have hiked it in a t-shirt. "RUNNING INTO THE SUN..."
STEPHEN SQUARED
I met a few super interesting people of like minds in Bodega. Stephen squared (two fellows with the same love of nature as myself) and Larry the Whale Watcher (he's out there almost every day). All told me I had to stop and eat clam chowder on my way home. I did and they were correct. Even this native New Englander ranks the chowdah as SUPER GOOD!
Ok- so I have to finish this up. There is more live music tonight. Tomorrow I am leaving Sebastopol and going to Petaluma for two nights. It's raining and I am just hoping that the forecast and weather changes for the better. "RUNNING ON, RUNNING INTO THE SUN."
Bob's place has a nice fire too. That's Mocha the black lab and my buddy. This is my office today. I was cold so had someone build me a fire.
Below are more photos of Patrick Amiot's Junk Art. These pieces can be found on Florence St. in Sebastopol. There are more but just how much fun can you have reading a blog? ;) CLick to enlarge at the blog site.
Enjoy!
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Are you Running on Empty? Then get fueled with Jackson Browne from 1977...
But move I must. I have been in Fort Bragg for 6 weeks and it is time to move inland. People ask why I am here and I tell them my truth "I am interviewing California to see if I want to live here." And how did Fort Bragg do in the interview? It ranked quite well on many things but on other uncontrollable or unchangeable things it ranked too low to stay. Plus there are many other places to check out. This is a good time of year for this "interview process" as summer can mesmerize and lure you and winter can give you a huge wake up call. I met so many wonderful people. There is a feeling of small town community. People take care of the homeless and unfortunate and know and trust their neighbors. I felt accepted. I feel that I could grow my business and life here but unfortunately you can't change some fundamental things.
MAC KERRICHER STATE PARK
Last week was just too darn cold for me. Each morning there was ice on my windshield. Walking along the shore in the AM was a joy that I had and then lost. We have had much needed rain and along with it cloudy days and very cold nights. Wearing extra clothes inside the house makes me unhappy. I long to be able to see the skin on my legs for more than that flash of a second between getting out of my jeans and into my jammie bottoms or when showering and quickly toweling dry. I am a native New Englander but remember I run from the northeast in the fall and winter and do not return until May. To tell me that this area is great in the summer isn't enough. So is Massachusetts and I love New England spring through fall. I am looking for a winter place that can extend to full year.
MAC KERRICHER STATE PARK
MAC KERRICHER STATE PARK
Fort Bragg is also not high enough in the location category. On one hand it is incredible being along the ocean and near so many state parks and redwood forests. On the other hand Fort Bragg is isolated. To get to any medium sized city takes hours of traveling. You can't go by what your GPS or google maps quote for travel times because they calculate the miles at 55 mph which is false. Very little of the road is at that speed with most being from 15-30 mph due to the curves. There are winding roads to the north, south and east. The Pacific Ocean is to the west. I had to take a day trip to the closest town of Ukiah just to buy a few turtlenecks a few weeks ago. It explains why the prices on food and merchandise is so high here. Goods need to be hauled over the same 15 -30 mph curvy roads that I have to drive to do my errands.
So what do I want? I ask myself that question often. Ideally I want to settle up into a place that has an abundance of nature, a community of like minded individuals, a place where I can re-open my private practice and teach, create my art and collaborate with other artists. A place with soulmates that dig what I dig (Can you dig it?) and want the same things as I do and... know how to say "Yes lets go. Do you think we should we bring the tent?" A place where I can expand my passions. A place where the sun shines more than it is obscured by clouds. A place where ice doesn't need to be scraped from the car windows EVER. And a place where I don't have to leave every 90 days to get a re-entry stamp in my passport, where I am legal to work and more. A place where I do not have to count out my change to make ends meet and most important - a place that I KNOW is the correct one - for me - for now - because I change and I grow and nothing is permanent.
STARDROPS
Where to next? Not far really. I am heading inland and a bit to the south to Santa Rosa. I am leaving Mendocino County and moving over to Sonoma County for a bit. I have some couchsurfing hosts lined up and a house/dog sit for the days before Christmas. As for Christmas Day and beyond I don't know - south somewhere. And that is OK. I am not supposed to know yet... because life is an adventure.
WINDSTAR
I could post the lyrics from West Side Story's "Somewhere" but it is just ME, no place for US. And that is quite OK too. Instead, thanks to my Newton High School friend Eli, here is a youtube video of the Sir Douglas Quartet performing Mendocino. :) Yup - that's where today's post's title came from. I am still keeping with the 1960/70's lyrics theme. It's fun. Also I have spattered this post with more cool photos. I hope you enjoy them. And since it is gloomy again I thought I would post some of my recent mandala watercolor and ink 8x10s. I don't plan on participating in any art shows as I am moving around a bit too much this season so if you wish to purchase simply mail me and I will send it off to you. Paypal and BOA bank transfer are accepted. :)
Onward to Sonoma County. I am really excited for the change of scene, the opportunity to meet some great hosts and their families and to get some of those awesome salads that I discovered in San Diego from Trader Joe's. There ain't nothing like that 'round here for the price. Maybe I will also purchase a package of sport socks for hiking at Walmart too. It will be my Christmas present to myself. Ah the simple pleasures of sub/urban life. and Ya - I know - It is wine country too. ;)
BOLLYWOOD
UPDATE: I am leaving for Santa Rosa to stay with a family on Friday for three nights, then Sebastopol for four and a Rotary Club lunch, then two or three nights in Petaluma with another host and then back to Santa Rosa for the house/dog sit. Actually all these places are less than a half hour of from one another. This gives me a nice chunk of time to discover the vibe of that part of Sonoma County. It is a tad bit warmer and drier in Santa Rosa and the adventure will do me good. I already have google searched the addresses for all the Walmarts. Targets, Trader Joe's, Dollar Tree Stores ( I get some art stuff there) and TJ Maxx (I need new yoga pants for short people). The house/dog sit just got extended until the 29th so I will not spend Christmas in a motel. I am sure that I will find a place to celebrate with people.
MYSTIC
Well that's it. It is 3:30 PM and I need to put another layer on so that I can type at the dining table of the inn. I already am wearing one turtle neck and sweater. Soon my fingers will freeze when the sun goes completely under the horizon. I will need to find a space near a portable heater.
Until the next installment of THE ART OF ADVENTURE ON THE ROAD - STAY WARM and DRY all you teenyboppers.
Oh My that's Michael Caine across from Hugh... Everybody's Groovin' and Movin'
Two weeks later... It is Thanksgiving Eve and I have three places to go for the holiday. The first in the morning at the Seventh Day Adventist Church for brunch and games, the second at the Presbyterian Church for turkey fixings (both I found in the area's notices) and then, after hearing that I am an orphan in town, my yoga instructor invited me to her home. That is so nice. I have only met her twice in class. Yes - yoga class. Patt is taking some yoga classes and actually likes them. Will wonders never cease? Diana reminds me of Mrs. Claus and I love her cheerful style of yoga.
OTIS R. JOHNSON PARK, FORT BRAGG, CA
So you are reading and I am writing and therefore I survived my stint as weekend innkeeper. (See the last post). All went smoothly. I did start to feel TRAPPED and tethered to the property though. The owner forgot to tell me how to forward the inn's calls to my cell phone so that I could freely roam around part of the day. Oh well, no matter. She is back and I am no longer the innkeeper. And also now I am not allowed to do anything except bookkeeping. Oh it is not that I didn't do a good job. Quite the opposite. I am of the highest value of the helpers and the logical angel from above (or actually the east coast) to get the books organized. If we had a plumber, carpenter and tile setter on board we could all compete for the most valuable helper of the week. The inn is big and old and needs work.
MONTGOMERY WOODS, UKIAH, CA
What am I doing exactly? The owner has more or less forbidden me to help out with any tasks involved in repairing and maintaining this place. My 24 hours a week in exchange for accommodation can get eaten up easily by activities that any other unskilled helper can do. This is good but sometimes difficult. I see them overloaded some days and I want to help but I can't. I am getting OK with it as time goes on and I had wanted a routine. Now I have one, It is of my own design and it comes with the freedom that I need to be happy. If the sun is out so am I. I am out and away from the inn discovering new places and taking AMAZING photographs. I arise at dawn before everyone else and I get a few hours of work in before heading to the gym or cliffs and beaches or redwood forests. Later in the day when the sun is near to setting I come back and do a bit more work in Quickbooks. It is a new software for me but easy. All those years in my own sole proprietorship filing schedule C's and categorizing things into a Chart of Accounts is coming in handy again. The inn owner is getting a fantastic deal. This room is marginally ok but certainly not worth my going rate. It does serve us both though as it gives me a place to bunk while checking out the area and couchsurfing over the holiday season isn't the best.
JUG HANDLE STATE RESERVE, FORT BRAGG, CA
Anyway... I am going to cut this off here and post some nifty photos shot this last week. I am dabbling with the idea of another photographic book. I am not making mandalas lately. I feel as if there isn't enough time during the day. I get to a magic place and then the sun starts to dip in the sky. It makes for fantasful lighting but limited time and I don't want to be out in the woods or on a cliff in my personal ART ZONE and lose track of time.
Time is fleeting...
I want to wish everyone a wonderful, happy and safe Thanksgiving.
Big Hug and Kiss from the Holiday Orphan.
And fro your listening pleasure "Here's a Thank You Song" from Liv Taylor circa 1970... Enjoy!
"..And it appears to be a long - Appears to be a long - Appears to be a long time - Yes, a long, long, long, long time.."
Yes it does seem like I have been a long time not blogging but that is the way it goes sometimes. I have been settling in slowly here on the figurative island of Fort Bragg, CA (not to be confused with FB,NC which is military). I call it an island as the only ways into this coastal town are long and winding and time consuming to drive. To the north and south are cliff drives along Highway 1 and to the east Route 20 winds through redwood forests. All are incredibly beautiful but you best allot plenty of time and keep your wits about you. There's no room for error on those curvy roads. So yes, I feel at times that I am on an island. If I am going to make friends they have to be here in this town of 7,000. This is the challenge I have undertaken and I am getting on it this week.
I have already joined the community center where there is a pool, gym and many workout classes. Yesterday I went to the Ranger Headquarters for the many State Parks in the county and asked about hiking clubs - no luck on that. There are no MEETUP groups around. I have been to the Chamber of Commerce and have gotten the numbers for the Rotary, went to the local winery and brewery shops, farmer's market too. I am not shy. I am just running out of ideas. I am on Mendocino's listserv (an old fashioned kind of forum) which is dumping hundreds of emails into my inbox each week. Soon when I get my act together I will be posting too. Right now I don't have a billy goat to breed or a washer for sale.
I would really like to get a routine going for myself. That too is challenging. I am talking about the HELPX sort of routine of 4 hours of work a day in exchange for accommodation and food. HELPX is the website/tool that I am using to hang out in different places for extended periods. (Remember the villa in Umbria, Italy that I stayed in in 2013? I had my own cottage for two weeks in exchange for landscape cleanup.) I am in this area of the country to see if I like it enough to move here. Spending a week in a place in not long enough for me to make a commitment of changing my car registration, tax returns and mess up with my MA Obama care records. HELPX and other sites such as WORKAWAY connects me to local stays that last more than a week and sometimes for months.
So why no routine yet after 11 days? The owner of the inn recognized that I am not a usual helper. I am a mature (older) experienced business owner and manager. She wanted a long weekend off for herself to go to San Francisco and dance Argentine Tango. (Not kidding). Last week I received a crash course in "INNKEEPING 101" and I was "on" 24/7 for 4+ days greeting and serving guests and handling situations. The other helpers here for the weekend don't handle the guest side of things. They are making renovations in the TOWER. The historic inn's tower is the highest point in Fort Bragg and is located about a block from the shore. Being attached to the property to take phone calls kept me from the routine that I had started at the gym. There is no excuse save for a badly sore right elbow from doing dishes (they appear from nowhere and the sink is too high for me) for not starting classes up again now that the owner is back but when I got time to leave the inn I went eastward to check out Ukiah instead. What the "routine" desire really comes down to is my engineer brain wants things to be black and white for schedule and responsibilities and that is just not going to happen here. I don't have to clean rooms. Angelina, our one employee comes in and does that a few days a week. What I need to do is be flexible. Some days there are guests and others days there are projects, extra helpers from around the world to manage or get to the bus stop at the crack of dawn when they leave.
HIGHWAY 20
This inn is going on the market very soon. I have been asked to stay on for a couple of months during preparations. I am not sure if I will agree to that yet. I have to wrap my mind around the idea. Is there enough of a benefit if I stay? Right now I am cold. I am not being housed in one of those lovely rooms. I have a drafty spot in the back. The inn however is just a few blocks from Glass Beach. When the sun is out and I am outside it is beautiful. And there are coastal hiking trails and redwood forests all around. But nature gal needs some friends. I really need some socialization so that I do not feel so isolated. Any new young helpers that arrive I am now in the position of being a manager so I can't get too close to them. And I am cold - yes I wrote that already. I don't like cold. I went Ukiah the other day not only to see what the town was like. I went because I needed slippers and turtlenecks from Walmart. The biggest store we have in FB is the Dollartree and they don't have everything.
FALL COLOR - INLAND IN UKIAH
Goals - make some friends to get some balance in my life then see if I can get some workshops happening. I have such a passion for my work, especially LIVE workshops. Money flow is nice on the inbound as well. In fact it is necessary. Holiday season is traditionally not the best time of year to organize workshops but who knows in Fort Bragg. Ranger Dave told me yesterday that harvest season is now finished (and we are not talking about corn baby - this is pot growing country). Maybe people will have more time available to come to a workshop - maybe.
... Hear you must hear what the people say
You know there's something that's goin' on around here
The surely, surely, surely won't stand the light of day...
PS - I had the oil changed on Matilda the car. When seeing her the mechanic said "Oh she fits right into Fort Bragg." Maybe I really am a bit of an old hippie. One that truly hates the smell of pot but still wears tie-dye on occasion. Onward!
CABRILLO LIGHTHOUSE SOUTH OF FB
And it appears to be a... youtube music interlude from 1969 and Crosby, Stills and Nash...
How can I visit San Francisco and not use a line from the Jefferson Airplane as a post title?
"You're only pretty as you feel..."
I had such a great time with my friend Tom in SF. He has been living in the area for decades and can drive a stick shift because I will tell you something, I am not negotiating those hills if I do not have to. Oh my goodness they are steep. I was doing fine (ok I was white knuckled) until two blocks from his apartment when I had to stop at a stop sign and someone drove right up to my tailend. I wish I had a flashing sign that screamed "OUT OF STATE PLATES - STICK SHIFT - BACK OFF!" It was an ugly squeal. I feared for my sweet little Matilda (the car). The odor of burning terribleness was painful. I prayed and begged her to forgive me. I pulled up to Tom's HILLTOP apartment emanating car fear odor. "Where can I park? I am not driving her again until I am headed down the hill and over the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito.
San Francisco approaching Halloween... how fun! I get to wear my jester hat in Castro. Many lovely comments were heard complimenting me and Cowboy Tom. Tommy was great showing me all around the town and driving me to places that I had never been before. Matilda liked him too. He was much better on those hills than I. Good. We went to museums and landmarks and parks and ate Shrimp Louie, vietnamese and thai food, took photos and had stupendous weather. I am really grateful for friends.
Saturday I headed up north to Fort Bragg to the inn where I am to exchange 24 hours of work per week for accommodation and food. I started on Route 101 and then in Santa Rosa got off to get some tourist information. The lovely woman there gave me a wealth of good information and suggestions. Although SR it is not in the same county as Fort Bragg I wanted to collect reference materials for a later date. Remember I am on an exploratory mission. As I had extra time she gave me a routing suggestion that I really liked. From Santa Rosa I took 116 along the Russian River driving past vineyards and redwood forests. Beautiful. I then hit Hwy 1 and took the hilly winding roads up to Mendocino. YES - AGAIN WITH THE HILLY WINDING ROADS. My GPS only calculates the roads at 55 miles per hour so I cannot count on time references to the next destination. The roads switch back and forth from 15 miles per hour to 55 mostly at the lower speed limits. When I got to Mendocino (what appeared to me to be a small township) I stopped and called the inn to let them know that I would be there in a half hour.
When I drove into Fort Bragg I was surprised. Many people along my path had spoken of it as a small place but it is not. It has a DOLLARTREE store and a SAFEWAY and an awesome community center with top notch facilities. Today I became a member of the center for the next month. There is a pool, tons of exercise classes and a full gym. After all the driving I have done these last 8 weeks plus my not normal diet I need some structured exercise. This afternoon I began with a low impact Zumba class, earlier I took a beach walk and after I practiced poi and flow wand in the ballroom which is the top floor of this bed and breakfast.
Saturday late afternoon I arrived to a bit of chaos here. Vivien, the inn owner was in full swing setting up for a political fundraising/halloween event. I was put right to work creating a silent auction, plating up food, opening champagne bottles, greeting guests and then clearing empties throughout the night. The ballroom is three flights up so I began my exercising before I joined the gym! After the bulk of the guests left a milonga began. That's right, Argentine tango at my work exchange. I find that quite ironic or perhaps divinely appointed.
Sunday one of the other helpers, Paulina from the French Alps and I did the rest of the clean up. I then drove us to various places in and around town exploring. She leaves Wednesday which is sad because I really like having her smiles around.
This coming weekend I am to be the innkeeper. Is this a quick promotion or what? Actually Vivien is going to SF to dance tango for four days and someone needs to be responsible for things. I guess that would be me. We have three more helpers coming. I have seniority already! Since I am "IT" I have a few days totally off. GOOD. I have a huge list of "TO DO's" now that I will be in one place for awhile. I have even taken my clothes out of all the ziplock bags in my backpack and folded them neatly and placed them on shelves. WOO HOO.
Ok, that's enough for now. This is a little room in the tower next to the main house. I went up to the top of the tower this evening but missed sunset by just a few minutes. It was a busy day. Maybe tomorrow I will get there in time. Relax and chill with the post title song from 1971 and the Jefferson Airplane...
