March 19 2010 - 2pm

its spring
nourooz infact
I'm in Occidental California
first day at school of arts and ecology.
hoping to learn to garden perma culture way....
plum and pear trees awash in white blooms, daffodils springing out from different places, willow trees a light green fuzz, mustard plants yellow and fresh. the drive up from Santa Rosa through somewhat rough back country roads is half an hour of green rolling hills wine country. winery after winery all neatly stacked rows of short grape vines.. not a bud in sight yet.

Emily and Milt dropped me off, gingerly left me in this hill billy looking place...'call us if you change your mind, we'll come get you'. they were going to walk the grounds and see the 'gardens' one look and milt decided he'd rather be playing poker with his retirement home buddies...retired executives, doctors, engineers..than take a tour of this garden like nature meant it to be. she relented and went right back home..though i suspect she wasn't too happy. made me think how unfortunate that you have to tow the line even at 88.....

my camera lens wont open...who knows why - so no pictures for now. my descriptions will have to do.
the course mates..they're all trickling in. in fact are in. from el Salvador, France, all of northern California, Virginia, Connecticut, Vermont and ofcourse some of us form southern California. the youngest is 18 - with a guitar. wants to grow everything on his property and be self sufficient and not have to buy anything ..starting real young. mom dropped him off.
from Virginia - Dona - only eats raw food. extremely helpful..carried all my stuff down to the camp ground while sarah and i schlepped my roll on suitcase. lady from San Jose suburbia - came with blow dried hair and red lipstick. Sebastian from France is here with his chinese american fiance.
the guys - three or four all decided to camp in the back country..i took the campsite closer to the showers and bathroom ..don't want to brush my teeth in the pond!
theres a guy with long hair tied up in a bun on top..Sikh style, no turban..small goatee.

pond can be swum in
bathing suits optional
wood fired sauna takes an hour or so to heat up...
clothing also optional

you get the picture:-)

from raggedy hippies to upscale suburbans, from South America to Pakistan to west and east coasters of this country - were all here!