I am here

(These are actually at the botanical garden)

I feel at home here already.

The “comforts” I value are at hand - nice people to talk to, alone time, easy access to the outdoors, a place to cook and fresh ingredients, a cozy place to sleep, a cold tub of water to dunk in when it’s hot. And the not so comfortable hasn’t really been too much of a bother - brushing my teeth out of my car, getting a few bugs in my tent. Today when I got into my tent I said aloud, “I have a feeling there won’t be any bugs in here today.” Then I looked up and saw a massive cricket above my head. Hallelujah.

Hello, cricket

Some of what might be seen as discomforts I’ve actually found to be wonderful - being dirty all day long and taking a nice hot outdoor shower at the end of the day, sometimes even in the dark. Sleeping in my tent has become very comfortable. Having a mountain lion in the area the first week allowed me to get used to fearing the worst and then getting over it. Now at most sounds I can just think, well that doesn’t really sound like a mountain lion, and that’s good enough for me.

It helps that there’s a routine here, and I’ve fallen into it quickly.

At 6:45am wake up to my phone alarm. I brought a separate digital clock which I use during the day, but the alarm is just too abrasive to start the day with. I do yoga outside my tent while the sun rises and try to fend off mosquitoes as best I can. Then I brush my teeth by the car, change into my work clothes (aka hiking pants, a sun shirt, and a big hat), and eat some breakfast at the community house, which is basically a one room cabin housing a kitchen and a lofted library.

Beautification by flowers!

At 8:00am I meet Laura and Justin (the other WWOOFer) by the garden and Laura tells us our tasks for the day. I’ve been collecting lots of seeds - parsnip, coriander, calendula, celery seasoning, grindelia, kale, parsley.  I also worked on some beautification (leveling soil, weeding, rearranging pots, transplanting flowers) and planting new seeds! I am learning so much. If Laura doesn’t have work at the hot springs that day she’ll work with us, otherwise we’re on our own for the day.

At 12:00pm it’s time for lunch and a few hours of break while it’s hotter out. I usually make some grub in the community house and then read for a few hours at the “view spot” and maybe write. I also embroidered a very cute tomato on my bag!

I picked these tomatoes with my very own hands!!!!!

Right now we’re in a heat wave (Ukiah has been in the 100s but luckily it’s about 10 degrees cooler up here.) Still, I’ve been grateful that Andreas filled the ever-leaking giant redwood tub which stays cold even in the sun and makes the afternoon not only tolerable but very pleasant.

"View spot." The beloved tub is on the far left.

Around 4:00pm I start watering. We water at the end of the day so it doesn’t all evaporate and has time to get drunk up by the plants all night. There are two orchards to water, switching off daily between the two, and then the entire garden. Between Justin and I (or Laura and I if Justin has the day off) watering takes about two hours, perfect to get us to our six hours of work a day.

By 6:00pm I’m done watering and it’s time to take a shower. I’m usually either totally muddy or totally soaked from the leaking hoses, or both, so this is a welcome reprieve. The shower is a total reset and feels warm and wonderful. I get in my cozy clothes and make some dinner and read/chill in the community house for a few hours.

My evening look

Between 8:00pm and 9:00pm I’ll head up to the car to brush my teeth and burrow into my tent. Then I read some more, journal, and off to dreamland before doing it all again.

My “weekends” are Tuesday-Wednesdays, but I don’t wait for those days. I live my life every single day here, one moment to the next. Just how I like it.

(Mendocino is beautiful though.)