Cygna and Lyra (Swan and Harp)
These are the two constellations that I remember from the bonfire at the beach on Friday night-and that was a fire of note, taller than me, full of applewoods, butterfly bush, old decking, lavendar, rosemary, cedar, Christmas pine, and odds and ends. The sun was slipping right behind the Olympics as I started unloading and then Rene came. The fire began to dance and the clouds seemed to thicken, through the smoke, along mountain edges and the emerging starscape. We were joined by a young couple--I thought they were urban campers at first. Turns out he was a journeyman and she was a Ukranian au-pair. They were newlyweds. All went well in the beginning. The it became apparent that he was on alot more than just the rum and cokes he purported to be sipping. And I called him on his bullshit--and he upped and left...which was fine with me...we wanted his wife to stay. She was a farily well-educated young woman and I got the distinct impression that the marriage might have been for reasons other than true love. She and I had been having a fairly articulate and involved discussion on pedagogical models and the new data-driven decision-making in the states. It is very different in the Ukraine although she was very familiar with Montesorri and with Waldorf. I just have no patience with people, esp. men who think that the government and the world owe them an education, a job, a life, ANYTHING--get off your ass, turn off the TV, and go to the library. There pick up some books, open them, begin to read, keep reading, take a break and go build something or find some interesting people with whom to discuss what you have been reading (drug-free, of course), and keep doing that until you have educated yourself...or go talk to someone or read the bio of someone who is living the way you want to live or doing what you want to do and find out how they did it...then go do it...NO ONE OWES YOU ANYTHING_YA BIG BABIES!!! I could keep going and go off on the women (or gay men) who fall for these losers and want to save them but then I would have to look in the mirror and I am having too much of a good weekend to do that....maybe tomorrow.
Saturday involved a workout, a long drive on my favorite kind of cool, foggy October morning with colorful leaves, good music, and a great cup of coffee. I ran an errand for my friend, LIttle Feather, who is down in CA caring for her step-mother.
There was a nap and some work around the house, a bath and some reading.
Saturday eve was spent with Mary J. going to the punkin carving party at the Briners and then to the Gallaghers for the kitchen ceilidh/session. Both were fun and I ate too much. Loved the company. Fell deep asleep when I came home.
Sunday was spent burning things, cleaning things, sorting things, pruning things, tossing things...we're coming up on Samhain and the Celtic new year. Also today was the first time I have handled the ax since Fiona died and I chopped enough wood and kindling to last through Thanksgiving, maybe longer. I didn't hurt myself or anything else. I was mindful and happy during this. Chopping wood is one of my favorite things to do--it means that I am keeping my pack (which means just me for the moment) and my nest warm, even if the power should go out. I also created another mound of good stuff to burn for the next bonfire which may be this next week at the beach. I filled the green yardrecycle barrel with bamboo, elderberry, pear branches, and enough comfrey to tend to a mountain of hurt knees--one or two clumps are plenty for my needs. I stewarded four boxes of books. I wrote some letters and I managed a nap. I like this napping on the weekends. I even watched "Chocolat" encore une fois...now, I'm technically not ready for school this week but I will be. I am more ready on the inside..which means having a Life.