I've been reading John Muir, Nature's Temple.  I did not know that much about him, only that he was an icon of literature and he was a naturalist, woodsy person.  Now that I am immersed in the woods, I'm ready to listen because I am hearing my own heart through his words.  In this book are paired Muir quotes along with Religions from around the world.

I'm also listening to an audio book, the Religions of the World by Huston Smith.  In this audio book I am learning about the Hindu religion and it's four stages of life.  Right now I am in Vanaprastha, which starts when a person hands over household responsibilities to the next generation. 

Literally I am ready to sell my house.  The responsibility of cleaning, collecting and upkeep of that physical space I tended to for years is no longer serving me.  In reading that this is an actual developmental stage in life, helps me to feel peace with my changing inner landscape.

I want to move to Seattle because it is here I have found the forest where trees and plants grow large and lush and it nurtures my heart and soul.  Vanaprastha  means "retiring to the forest".  

 The only way to get to the forest is to leave what I "have" behind.   To step into the boat and let it (the flight of the bird) direct my course is a leap of faith.  With a bit of trust, it will take me where I need to be when I need to be there. 

Once I entered the forest I found Muir, and in expanding my own upbringing of religion, I am seeing all religions hold a piece of light I need in order to understand my journey now.  That others come before me and greet me at this time in my life, showing me the way: Muir, the Hindus, is comforting. 

I don't want to be right anymore.  I don't want to know everything like I used to think I had to.  A coffin, a boat and a bird...what could they mean? One day disappointment and frustration, another enlightenment and joy. 

​I love being stuck at home and feeling the calm, grounded energy of my neighbors having to stay home too.  It feels stabile, even though there is a virus on the loose.  This is a time of quiet reflection and contemplation for everyone.  A time to be caring, to come together. 

I am in bed and instead of being productive and making art videos for you and your children to watch, I am resting. I woke up in the morning with a cough a few chills and at slight temperature.  I am learning that I can have fears without being fearful.  I wasn't sure if I was just feeling ill or coming down with "the virus". 

Before I confined myself to the bedroom, Andrea and I were in the process of making a vision board.  We looked through an accumulation of clothing and travel catalogues, tearing out pages and cutting out images.  Italy, a river cruise, clothes from SunDance, a renewed romance with my husband.  Andrea was creating a new bright wardrobe for herself "this is so much fun, I haven't taken time to do something like this in a long time" she said (Andrea works very hard).

This is a wonderful time to wonder, ponder and wish for what you want, not just what you need.  Sure this is a very serious time. We are all stepping up, more and more every day. This is hard and tiring stuff and we need rest and recovery.

If you need something to do and still feel restful, get a catalogue and imagine yourself with all the things that make your mouth water and give you that "ooouuuu-ahhhhh" feeling.  Even if you can't afford the clothes, trips, rugs, house or whatever it is, just play with the possibility of it all being yours somehow, someway, sometime.   

Cut and paste your dreams on a piece of cardboard.  Hang it by your bed so when you wake up your dreams are right there reminding you "I have dreams in life!".   Playing, being imaginative  and having fun are the best immune builders.  Envisioning is a great way to take a journey without leaving home.  Someday you might find yourself on that boat wearing that shirt and flirting with that someone special in a  new way, all while soaking up the sunshine and smiling at the world.  

For now, be safe, stay your distance and keep playing with ideas that make your life, the world and everyone beautiful. In this incredible journey we are so brave and courageous to embark on together we need time to play and recover, to imagine and have fun.  

Update:  I took my temperature in the evening and it was below normal.  I have been taking lots of herbs and oils made up by Andrea, who is an herbalist and earth moma extrordinaire, so I feel very lucky.   

 Gibran wrote "Let there be spaces in your togetherness.  And let the winds of the heavens dance between you".   

I'm going to copy those words of Gibran and post them near my bed.  With Ray taking a temporary job in the Northwest, we are both enjoying the space in our togetherness, and togetherness in our space. 

During this trip we headed from Seattle to Kalaloch Beach in rainy February.  We took the Seattle Ferry to Bremerton, about a half hour ride, where we would wake up the next morning to begin our journey.  We stayed at the Hampton Inn next to the ferry and enjoyed a scenic view of the marina from our room.
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For a hotel, I was impressed to find green pressed drinks, and gluten free alternatives at the continental breakfast buffet. I don't know why I am surprised by Seattle's progressiveness.

​With breakfast in our bellies, we traveled south around the eastern part of the Olympic Peninsula then up the western side to Kalaloch Lodge.  We made a note-worthy stop at the 1835 built, comfortable and inviting Tokeland Hotel and Restaurant and will someday enjoy a return trip there.  

After lunch at Tokeland Restaurant and watching the guinea hens outside we headed north.  Am I the only one learning to check every step of the way?  We ended up in what we thought was our destination but was-in fact...not.

Maybe it was the fried oysters fogging up our brains.  We ended up in Taholah, the end of the coastal road north from the Tokeland Restaurant.  To get to Kahaloch we had to back-track and go around the protected coastal wilderness to get to our destination.  Ugh, we'd been on the road in rain since morning and it was approaching the evening.  It looked on the map like another hours drive.

The shore and forested land is protected from vehicles for the sake of the wilderness and life therein.  It's not possible to drive straight up the coast in Washington State. While it was really frustrating to have not read the map correctly, it was a good lesson in knowing Washington better and to not take for granted that the coastline would be available to us furless two-leggeds.

Luckily even though not on the map, there were several roads heading east and one read "To 101 N.  I turned and fairly soon we reached our destination.

​Kahaloch Lodge is a National Park Lodge and Restaurant. There is little in groceries or anything else close by.  Our room overlooked the mouth of a creek which fed into the ocean. The roar of the ocean was a loud, continuous roar.  I couldn't get over how very loud it was.  There was also a lot of wind that evening and rain blowing horizontal.

We woke to a cloudy sky with the promise of sun by 11:00 along with a high tide at 11:35.  All the workers at the lodge were happy for a sunny day and proclaimed that it has been "some time" since a day like this was remembered.  Everyone had on a bright smile to go with the bright day.

After breakfast, we headed north, a quarter mile walk on 101 North from the lodge to a footbridge lead into the forest. 

The high tide brought with it the sea foam. So much of it, we were amused and entertained.  Why was there so much foam?  According to the National Ocean Service agitation of wind and waves can  cause seafoam.  

The jello-like textured substance made us both laugh as it undulated in the wind and little balls of it lifted and blew over the surface like tumbleweeds.

Driftwood in the Pacific is tree-sized.  Old growth forests near the edge of the coast wash into the ocean and are carried away, scrubbed smooth by the water and waves.  The beaches are lined thickly with dirftwood trees.  

Staying away from high tide is important because once the water comes under one of these washed up logs or brings a new log in, a person can easily be killed.  Driftwood here is like a weapon, beware!

Even though large and dangerous when in motion, the driftwood can be beautiful, like works of abstract art. The next time I visit the coast I will bring my sketchbook.

The Northwest Madrone tree has a beautiful bright orange bark.  Washed up on shore, it stands out and adds a flaming brilliance to the driftwood piles.

We walked to where the shore had an outcrop of large island like rocks.   I climbed one easy looking formation to notice pools of water filling large cavities in the rock.  Ray explored further up to see where the next shoreline would lead.

Sea Anemone's opened their tentacles like flowers under the water of the pools in the rock outcroppings.  As I climbed down carefully from the pool, I noticed what I thought were black rocks,  but soon I realized my foot was not on solid ground and I quickly lifted my foot off whatever it was touching. 

I gently poked the jelly like black mass with with my walking stick and could see that it moved slightly.  After a while I could see that  the flowering creatures in the water were the same things closed up and dark but squishy on the rock.  In air they closed up like mud volcanoes, in the water they opened their bright tentacles to gather food.

I've never seen anything like this before so I was so happy to make a discovery that inspired me and made me tingle with excitement.

My camera was low on battery, the sun was getting low and we had walked all we could this afternoon.   We walked on back and got to the lodge to see the last sliver of orange sun dipping into the ocean.

​ We rested well that night and were glad the forecast for the drive home was to be sunny.

Undulated jiggling
Bubbling laughter
White soft nothingness