Until We Meet Again..

Welp, my Lopez Island experience came to its final end (for now) this morning when Katie and Claire left me in Arcata after we had a super fun and ultimately bonding road trip down South.

The last week on Lopez was nothing short of a vivid dream. Many potlucks. Two of the most epic pond days in the world. On the pond with my buddies sun blaring (pictured pond above) as we all lay naked on floaties watching damselflies land on our toes.

My last day at the site was great, I finally got to do some trowel work on the earthen walls. And as a going away day gift Sandy made everyone gin and tonics (after 5pm) on my request. That was a great day; Nitsan, Katie, Ralph, Hannah, and Jacob all showed up.

On Tuesday, Callie threw Katie and I a great going away party at her cabin. Oddly enough there was a rain and thunder storm (during a week of pure sunny sun). The friends showed up and I was stoked to say "see ya" to them all. We left and went to Oddland (where Ronni and Levi live) to have a last/late night goodbye karaoke session. This was so needed.

We were going to take the 6:30am ferry off of Lopez on leaving day, but we decided to do the 10:45am one which worked out much better so we didn't have to rush around and say hurried goodbyes and feel all flustered. Got the car all [perfectly] packed up. Dropped Ralph's water bottle off at Vortex. Got a banana at Blossom. Had our final Isabelle's coffees-- 1 americano & a double shot machiato. Then to the site to say our last goodbies.

Leaving Lopez wasn't initially hard, because I still had Katie and Claire to carry the vibe down to Arcata with me. However, the morning they left me was a very hard one. Being back in Arcata to my supposed "real life". I felt like a stranger in a sea of slightly familiar things. It's hard for me to stop comparing Lopez/ life on Lopez to Arcata. I never thought I'd love any place the same/more than I love Arcata. As I'm spending more time here though, I'm feeling more at home and remembering why I do love Arcata while still missing Lopez quite strongly. It's okay though, cuz I know Ill be back to Lopez throughout the rest of my life and maybe I'll live seasonally in Arcata and seasonally on Lopez. Who knows? Until then I'm going to wander [with a purpose].......

Last Lopez Reflections:
I was having an amazing time the whole time, but it really got magically special when I moved to the bed shed on Sandy & Rhea and Pamela & Suzanne's land. Living there really made it feel like home. Ive never really felt so welcome or such a part of a [non-blood related] family like I did there. Game nights. Paneer nights. Tiny bowls and spoons. Sharing such an amazing experience closely with another person; one that no one can understand, no matter how hard I try to explain it, besides Miss Katie. I learned so so much everyday at the site that I feel confident in building a house now. A house! Once you know how to use the tools and feel confident/understand precision with them you can build anything you ever dreamed of. The summer seemed very long (prob. cuz it was packed with so much everyday) but also went by very quickly. I left in May not knowing anything about carpentry and came back in August being a carpenter. That's pretty nuts. I'm interested in maybe going to Seattle Comm. College for 2 year to get some certificates for carpentry, woodworking, and boat building. This wont happen for a while, but I'm very interested. It was interesting to have Sandy and Pamela develop in to role models for me. I didn't think people over 21 had role models. The drives and passion that they both have is so inspiring. I want to be as awesome as they are when I "grow up". The connections I made with all of the friends is so special and unforgettable to me. I feel like I found 40 super solid people for friends. It was a change and really delightful to be "known" around town. To be know before people even met me---"You must be Sprout"---they'd say. What a place? So here's an ode to goodtimes had, many things learned, and ascending in to love with people and place. Bye until next time Lopez Island!

Sprout Out!!

Life like Whoa!

Good-Evening my fellow Full Mooners!

I am coming to you tonight from the warm home-y comfort of Pamela and Suzanne's kitchen house which they share with Me, Zach (Suzanne's Nephew), and Katie (a former intern who is spending the Summer on Lopez). Having this place is so comforting and feels like I've found a family (besides my family of friends) on Lopez. We have game nights, share meals, sometimes make each other coffee in the morning, and just live in caring harmony with each other. It's truly magical and so awesome of Pamela and Suzanne to be so stoked on having people around.

Stuff around here is so ethereal and beautiful sometimes it makes me want to cry.

I've only got 6 days left on Lopez and feel as though this week is going to whiz by. Then I'll be back in a very different life, not to say it'll be bad or anything less but just different.

I'll do like I usually do and recount the poignant moment since the last time I posted :)

Two Saturdays ago was an amazing adventure to a secret beach by Shark Reef. This involved slight trespassing and a dreamy woods bike ride to a cliff on an open field. You have to trespass a little bit if you want to discover the gems. But, back tot he day. It was farmer's market, the band I'm in (StarFlower Menagerie) played the market like we usually do. I did some acrobatics with various market friends and had plans in the works to ride with Levi and Katie to the aforementioned secret spot. When it was time to start our ride after the market I got my bike and wouldn't ya know...I had a flat on my front tire (it was about time though, it was the original tire from 1987). So I was bummed and thought I couldn't go on the ride with my friends. I took it right quick to the bike shop, which is owned by one of the families for whom we are building a house. Michael let me borrow a bike from the shop until my mine was fixed. It was such a wonderful surprise :) We had a stellar ride to the beach and that night ended up going to a music/BBQ at Callie's cabin in the woods. It was an all around perfect day and slept the night away in my favorite place- My bed shed.

Levi, Katie and I

The next night we had an amazing nighttime adventure to Whiskey Hill. You can see a lot of the islands from this spot and must hike through old overgrown wonderful roads to get there. Hiking back in the dark and walking down long country roads is very exhilarating.

It's all been such a fun time! The next day was sunset at Flat Pointe Beach along with a delicious salmon cream cheese feta Vortex burrito and some Mirror Pond Ale.

The next day was a long awaited and anticipated day on San Juan Island to do important things. All things were accomplished and turned out just great. Miss Katie accompanied me and we had a fun ferry/biking adventure and arrived just in time to plaster for a few hours at the Land Trust. After a very very full day already we went sailing! In a little 2 person sail boat. There are community sail nights every Thursday where you can sail if you know how to rig and tack and things. We did that for a while, I learned how to sail (it's pretty intuitive). What a great day :) Life is very dreamy here...

Then I became a bad mitten superstar and kicked everyone's ass :D

Saturday came along like it usually does and the farmer's market was awesome, arrived a little late but still great. After market it was a community music festival in which Starflower Menagerie (the band I'm in) was the headliner. it was so much fun and I got recognized today as a member of the band, finally small town stardom....hah.

 

The next day, Sunday, was THE laziest day I've had while I've been here (and in  a long time). Stayed in and around the land I'm living on until 4:30!! wtf..hah...i never do that. Then went to a pond party/ BBQ potluck. This pond was even more dreamy and amazing than the one i mentioned last post. Perfect temperature, perfect amount of sun, no algae, no leeches, secluded forest pond with good friends. Unforgettable.....

There have been lots of chocolate beet cakes happening and I love love love them. Yum!!

Made some delicious local lamb-burgers on Monday...there's a funny story there, but not appropriate for the blog. On Tuesday, Kim and Dylan (former interns) had the crew over for a potluck at the winery they live and work at. It was beautiful and then we all ended up in their RV and had a big 9 person cuddle puddle in their small bed. It just reminded me of how great and special it is to form close, deep connections with people. It feels like from that point on out it's been a string of events that are really "good-byes" or "see ya laters". Went sailing again yesterday on a larger boat and learned how to work the jib and the big sail and how to do the butterfly position with the sails. I think I wanna learn to build boats.

The next post I make will be the last Lopez post and will have my reflections of things learned and friends made during the best summer of my life. Then onto the next adventure :)

Here are 2 songs I can't shake:

Sprout Out!