Lolling and Rolling on the Mattole - Comin' Up, but First...

Yesterday was a camera-less day, which is sort of like going butterfly hunting without a net. Sometimes stunning, sometimes less, always a smile bringer, the only thing brought home is memories.

You'd think after 'the Roll' which went on until it was officially not only the next day but the next dawning (though I left long before that)that people would be having a lazy Sunday. But then yesterday, activity started so early, I never had time to write a post. And I'm still working on it. True.

We went a'visitin', starting out around 8ish. First to some good friends of Elijah, who live up yet another twisty turny steep drops and farms along the way road. Their home is a yurt, with a great wood kitchen and bathroom on the side. They also have chickens and ducks. A beautiful book on exotic breeds was brought out and we talked fowly with pleasure. They are raising quite a few breeds, but the beauty stars have to be the Seabrights. Not only are they startling in their almost Esher like patterning, they have a history through their 'creator' Sir John Saunders Seabright that includes some of the more interesting thinkers of the day.

After that was a trip up another road (see above) to another friend's for brunch. Sprawling gardens full of veggies and outrageiously big, beautiful and fragrant roses among other flowers I've never seen before, more chickens in yet another coop and run I lusted for (all well enclosed with chicken wire and electric fencing both; there are bears out here and they like chickens too. And I thought iguanas were a bother...). From quiche to berry cobbler, a seemingly bottomless supply of mimosas, fresh whipped cream for berries picked a few hours earlier and a mixed bag of interesting people with interesting stories. This time, I'm the tourist asking, how did you end up here? And the stories are just as interesting, with a Western US theme running through most of them.

It was hard to leave for awhile to go down to the Indian pools, but we did. Down the road, down a path, down a small series of almost slide on your bottom drops to deeply shaded and deeply COLD pools, the rocky high walls worn smooth through eons of steadily rushing water, it was indeed the scared place it had been described as being. I only got my feet wet, but that was fine. 

Back at the brunch site for a while more of talk and nibbling, then on to thei summer Sunday activity, volleyball. More twisty etc etc roads, high rocky mountains to one side, endless drops to the other; then suddenly, there it was. A big meadow, set up with a sand (yes sand) volleyball court, complete with lights for night play. On and off through the afternoon, late into the night, probably 50 people or so joined in the ongoing series of games, players rotating in and out with energy and laughter and 'you have the point because that was such a great move!' rules. Schmazin' way big fun. A woman my age told me this tradition has been going on for 30 years. Wow.

And that was yesterday. The day before, the Roll on the Mattole, is coming up. Stay tuned.

Have a meandering Monday. Do something motionfull.