First days
My first couple days working have been good! Yesterday Laura showed me how to water the garden which has lots of different flowers, medicinal herbs, food herbs, tomatoes, zucchini, watermelon, and honestly tons of other stuff that I don’t know what it is. Banana trees, pumpkins, cucumbers (did you know cucumbers are related to watermelon??? It makes sense). Pineapple strawberries, blueberries, blackberries. Tons of stuff.
Tomatoes!
There’s apparently a bear out and about and some of the garden has been trampled and ransacked by it. Hollow watermelons, etc. Luckily I’ve mostly surmounted that particular fear, though I did sprinkle black pepper all around my tent which should supposedly repel it if it gets near enough to sniff around. There’s also a mountain lion in the area which is honestly much scarier than a black bear but as Laura says, a mountain lion isn’t trying to see what’s inside a tent. And I figure if it does, there’s really nothing I can do about it. So wish me luck.
Yoga spot
Yesterday I woke up at 7:00 and did the yoga video I saved as an audio file (good foresight on my part because I have zero service) to the rising sun. Got dressed and organized and ate some yogurt and granola in the community house with Justin. Interesting and strange guy, but very nice. At 8:00 we met Laura in the garden and got to work watering. It is satisfying going through watering each bed and then looking back and having a visual of what’s been done. I wonder how the repetition will be, watering pretty much every single day. I do feel that patience is not one of my finer skills and I think this experience will either test or teach (probably both).
After watering, Laura took Justin and I on her version of a “three hour tour” (we were warned). I didn’t mind the length though—we got to see nearly the whole property which is pretty huge! It’s 88 acres but it’s on a ridge (I learned that acres work aerially so if you have 88 acres on a hill it’s actually a lot more ground area than you’d think). There are two orchard areas, a little cabin thing Laura built and another that was left by the previous owner, multiple former grow sites, Andreas’ “compound” complete with motorcycle workshop, music room, and the trailer they both used to live in. Another strange trailer/house in which we saw a tiny bat. And the “view spot” (where I sit now) featuring two empty bathtubs, a big redwood tub that leaks, a firepit, two chez lounges, and three plastic chairs, all surrounded by a half-dome view of the pine tree coated valley.
I didn't take a photo of the view spot so here are some flowers
After the tour we headed back to the main house for lunch (leftover tostadas). I came back up to the view spot for a nap and some reading time (Ishmael by Daniel Quinn). At 5:00 met Laura back at the garden to water the orchard.
The shower was again so nice like a total reset. I went back to the house for dinner, chopped and made a yummy lemon tahini sauce and then we ate, just Laura, Andreas, and me (I think Justin was tired). I really enjoy eating with them, lively and deep conversation about family and human nature. They are both very open about their lives and experiences which I appreciate.
I became suddenly yet pleasantly tired when dinner hit my stomach, so I headed back to my tent-home to cozy up for the night.
Big day. But also a chill and good day. I like it here. It feels like the right place for me to be right now.
