Just climbing into bed and ...

Richard was reading me his latest installment on his blog ("Poultry Chronicles" for all you birdy set) and in my mind I saw one of those old timey movie calendars with days being ripped off, time passing by, and I thought to myself "It's been AGES since I've written something for my blog so sit down and concoct something." The sandman has already sprinkled a goodly amount of magic dust on my eyelids, but before I go to Sleepytime Village, I'll just whip through some of the things that have been filling my days:

- Put together a HUGE vat of Green Tomato Chutney, a recipe from my dear friend Lisa's New Zealand mother, thus putting to good use the many tomatoes I snatched from the jaws of blighty doom last week. Victory! So 10 pounds of green tomatoes into the chutney vat and jars and about 4 pounds I let ripen in the sun on our front porch and then tossed into a spaghetti sauce.

- Attended an inspiring town hall meeting for Health Care facilitated by our independent Senator Bernie Sanders which resparked my desire to champion the cause of Single Pay Insurance. Because our representatives and senators (and, sadly, President) seem reluctant (and afraid) to allow Single Pay to be looked at as an option on the national level, it seems that the state level, especially in Vermont, would be a viable alternative. I'm looking into educating myself much more on this topic and seeing how I can best be instrumental of service in this process. I'm also fascinated about the boogie man fears that are festooned onto the word "socialism." It seems to me that America's brand of democratic socialism has spoken more for the common man and his rights and privileges then any other party. Why would that be demonized? Very interesting.

- Realized from the drop in the temperature to the high 30's at night during this last week that autumn is at hand, so we've redoubled our efforts and energy toward finishing up some building projects before cold weather really sets in. I'm a little bit bummed that fall has fallen when I feel we haven't even had summer yet, but it's hard to not love these gloriously beautiful, nippy mornings. And more warmth is still in store. I can feel it in my bones.

- Writing, working on several projects, letting them have their own time, sometimes down time, and then joying in them anew when they get back on an active track again. I love that I write.

- Delight and gratitude for friends and family visiting, for creativity, for running with our geese, for daily walks up our road, up our rise, for the change of weather, change of season, still feels like "back-to-school" weather to me.

And aprospos of nothing, we've found several piles of bear poop on our land. Good sized piles at that. Wow! Cool!

And 30 Years Ago on my bicycle trip - I was in San Francisco, visiting friends, having a little romance, and looking back over the entire adventure. Wow. On my way back to Providence, RI where I was living at the time, I would stop down in Alabama to see my mom get remarried to my soon-to-be stepdad Joseph O'Hara. It would be a fine time.

San Francisco was swell. It was good to return to the city in which I'd spent 2 years while attending conservatory. And the city was dazzling that August, extraordinary weather. And on one of these days I met a beautiful blond man from Minneapolis, Ron Beese, and we spent a wonderful 3 days together. One of those days we had a picnic in Golden Gate Park. It was a gorgeous, laid back day, we were in shorts, our shirts off, getting some sun, enjoying each other's company, the buzz of a romance we probably both knew would only last for a few days. We started to make-out. And in the middle of making out, I realized "Oh my God, we're in public, there are other people around, kids playing nearby." But for the first time I think, that thought didn't freeze me up. 'This is right,' I thought, "this is natural, I'm having a great time with someone I really like and I'm enjoying being affectionate with him. I'm not doing it to prove anything. I'm not doing it to rub someone's nose in it. I'm doing it because I love it, I enjoy it, it gives me pleasure, and I'm not hurting anyone." That was such a freeing thought. What a gift. What a beautiful gift that was. And after those 3 days were over, I never saw Ron Beese again. I've often wondered what happened to him over the years. I often wished him happiness, a good life. Who knows if he's even still alive. But he brought new life to my life and I'm grateful for that. Thank you, Ron, for a wonderful time. Be well wherever you are.