Chapter 162
The month of love of martyred Valentine. This piggy-backs on an ancient seasonal celebration, morphed from the fertility- focused Roman Lupercalia, reproduction being significantly more important then. Romans were not the most delicate folk by historical accounts, modern familes may be appalled by the goings-on of the ancients in their festivities.
Flying home as the wildest cold snap of several decades made it’s exit, I’m relieved it’s only minus 20! Goodbyes painfully pull me back to my Hawaiian friends. I miss the circles of colourful folk playing music and sharing stories, poetry, laughter, insight… without a biting wind playing across our backs.
A Mad Hatters Tea Party: Extraordinary Chai from fruits and herbs growing abundantly, sweetened with oat milk and local honey. Delicious in whatever vessels we could gather. All sported hats of varying eccentricity from Fantuzzi’s ‘wall of hats’. Each contributed to creating a ‘chain story’ where one person begins, then hands off with a cliff-hanger to the next person, progressing around the group to involve all. Even crowd-shy Angel contributed a humorous ending to our non-sensical tale. The tea-table then laden with potluck offerings; including hot food we cobbled together from anything suitably edible. It amazes me how we create deliciousness out of what appears so little… when the land is spitting out food, it’s easy.
Everyone’s avocado trees are going off right now. Angel has two trees dropping about a dozen avocado bombs daily. One smaller variety, still double the size of those seen here, another producing rigid-skinned giants as large as a football. Opened, they reveal great buttery bowlfulls of flesh. Almost daily, I’d create a large bowl of guacamole pungent with garlic and cilantro to share, and take boxes of avo’s to our friends.
Yellowing papaya and bananas, pendulous spikey Jackfruit, alien Cacao pods, Longan, Breadfruit, Eggfruit, Lilikoi, Coconuts galore. If you’re a fruit-eater it truly is paradise. If you’re reducing sugar intake it can be incredible torture. Perspective is everything.
My last afternoon was spent lounging at our friend’s Banyan Tree Sanctuary. Meditation in the hot tub and sauna between swimming many lengths of the cool blue pool. As the sun descended, the last Hawaiian sunset of this trip spread with glorious colour and drama, invoking tall tropical silhouettes against the horizon. A fond farewell indeed.
The flight was an endurance effort. Hard seat, packed flight due to weather-induced cancellations. I spent much of it head wedged against the seat in front and fingers in my ears. Entertaining in a less than fabulous way, but here I am, gathered by my good friend into a toasty car, driving towards the stunning Rockies standing bold and clear against the lucid blue sky.
I cleaned, unpacked, reorganised, drove to collect groceries and was graced by a herd of elk, group of deer and a lone coyote on a serious hunting expedition. All three in the same few acres mere moments from home. How fortunate to be able to return to this natural beauty and harmony of life and death.
We have been celebrating death, life, the passing of many, the memories and moments enriched by those with whom we have shared this land. As we age, the number of friends graduating to the next phase steadily increases. I spent NYE sleeping in the study of a dear friend who left us just over a year ago. On rising, I walked with my harp to his nearby grave and played to the wind, sky, ocean and to his beautiful soul.
My harp has been a boon. I’ve been lucky to jam with excellent musicians, making me feel like I can do this, something that others might also enjoy, sharing the magical sounds of harp on the beach, at firesides and circles, as background to the beginning or end of a party. Before, I kept it pretty much to myself and those mad enough to be close when practicing. It’s a good thing to share music. LIVE music, and to feel the appreciation of others.
I wish you a genuinely beautiful February of life, laughter, sharing and much love.
Be peaceful, Kat Dancer
bodymudra@gmail.com
403-931-3866 (h) +1 415 525 2630 (c)
