Rain-Washed
It’s a brand new era and we even have some yearned for and refreshing rain. Yesterday it pooled on old wooden chairs and dashed itself against the windshield as I drove. It awoke the fragrance of the chaparral and muddied up the roads and made its music through the night. Even now I can see beads of water sparkling on the leaves of the ironwood tree outside the window, and the world is sweet again.
I saluted the morning with a cup of robust coffee, (Paradiso blend from Green Star) and I have a hope of jumping on my bicycle for a quick look-about before theplans of the day unfold. It occurs to me that working a regular Monday throughFriday job has brought back the enchantment of Saturdays.
But then again, the weekdays have their magic, too. On Tuesday, of course, we watched the inauguration of President Obama, a proud moment and a shining beginning, and it feels so good just to type those words. Monte’s favorite portion of the Inaugural address, and I’m inclined to agree: Our challenges may be new, the instruments with which we meet them may be new, but those values upon which our success depends, honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism -- these things are old.
I have heard so much talk about being a part of history…but all of us are, whether in its small stories or the big screen, epic ones.
We just need to keep acting upon those fundamental values.
Speaking of small stories, middle school world is filled with interesting and amusing moments daily. Here’s a sign that was posted on campus about the advice column in the new student newspaper: “Leave your letters in the advice box.Your cry for help will appear in the next issue.”
When I’m not crying for help, I’m laughing, but for instant succor, one need only watch the play of clouds through the branches of the carpe diem oak tree. (I guess you can't quite see 'em, but the words on that yellow sign really do say CARPE DIEM.)
And speaking of signs, yesterday I noticed one taped to the door of a thrift shop in the valley: a senior citizen was in need of a mechanic to work on a 1994 Celica in exchange forbuilding a website, three home-cooked meals, new window drapes, or letter writing.Creative. The barter system reappears.
Last night I went to a talk about the history of this ranch. It was in the old house, with a fire in the hearth, and people gathered round to listen and share stories. It felt like something intimate and old-fashioned that we will do well to rediscover.
I sure wish I had brought a tape recorder, but I close with a couple of random quotes from cowboy John McCarty:
“What the fog didn’t get, the wind did, and if that wasn’t enough, the wild pigs did.”
“He made us sweep the road. He said, ‘I don’t want ‘em comin’ out here and gettin’ that green stuff on their cars!’”
“I came out here a young kid.I had no idea that a place like this existed. It was Western out here. I’ve had the pleasure of riding these hills over and over. But the reason I’ve stayed is because of the people. I've stayed because this is a community.”
“And then there are the rain stories…”