Perhaps I will get more into my ever expanding vision for moving to Florida later, but for now I'd just like to re-live my last week with you!
While Florida is behind on the food-conscious culture, it definitely has an art market. With "winter birds" flocking down to keep warm and unwind, there are galleries, art fairs and art classes in abundance. Lauren had always thought about checking out one in nearby Placida but never made it. So that Saturday, we decided to go.
The market itself shares a venue that is also used for fishy business so the smell near the front was a bit off-putting. Once we walked further down the rows though, the smell dissipated and I had some lovely conversations with artists that were surprisingly eager to share their techniques. One man in particular won me over to purchase one of his glass enamel pendants. I'd seen things like it a million times over and perhaps it was the heat of the day getting to me, but I felt like I finally needed one for myself. As with the photo-transfer bracelet I once purchased in Eugene, I usually make these buys on items I'd like to learn to make myself, as sort of a reminder. It still has yet to happen with the photo transfer bracelet...but at least I remember.
I did a circle around the booths and got a present for a friend before coming back to the front to find Lauren deeply engaged in a conversation with some vendors selling bone jewelry. She left not only with a new pair of earrings but a guest list for our New Years.
Leaving the market by noon, we still had a whole day ahead of us and we headed to Myakka River State Park to go canoeing. This was another place that Lauren still had yet to check off of her bucket list and had been recommended as one of the most gorgeous areas to venture in a boat.
We were certainly in the right place. Driving up the road, sweep moss-laden trees created a canopy overhead and we caught wind of excited visitors whispering about Alligator sightings. Apparently, this was the place.
I'm not sure we'd realized exactly how much alligator sighting we would be doing. As we pushed out into the water, a kid coming back was talking about one they'd just seen not too far off. Raven was super pumped to get to the action and diligently directed us "towards the big alligator!" Once we'd found our first one though, he began to change his mind. They were everywhere, leisurely floating just above the surface, their eyes piercing out at you and then disappearing for a few feet until your gaze would fall on the scaly backside near its tail. They were the calmest creatures I'd ever seen, staying eerily still until they'd decide to sink under the surface without a sound. Seeing them was almost more comforting than not and I got shivers when I realized more than once, that Jake and Lauren had already brushed against them with their paddles. But the moment that got Raven was when he was insisting he'd seen an eye. None of us saw it and Lauren turned to tell him to calm down but when she was facing forward again, there was a face staring straight at us from 3 feet away. A great eagle flew over us then, bringing protection. But Raven had had enough.
Back on shore, we went to a bridge to see more wildlife from a less stressful vantage point and Raven made some friends who were fishing.
We'd all been thrilled by the experience but it wasn't the relaxation we'd imagined.
The next day, Raven, Lauren and I went to an inter coastal area to have a more leisure water ride on the kayak. There was much less stress and some exciting sightings of jelly fish. That evening, the three of us headed over to Chelli's where she had invited us to join her and her mom for a chili dinner. I'd been warned about the awesomeness that is Chelli's mom Moosy and was not sold short. In her 80's and having recently suffered a stroke, Moosy still taught yoga and kept a vibrant spunk about her. Sipping on spiked egg nog, she said "you just have to keep learning things every day". After dinner we got a tour of their garden, passing through the most amazing room of an elder I'd ever seen, plastered with yoga art. The garden continued to amaze and Raven darted ahead to lead the ttour before deciding that tree climbing was more his thing. We'd all been worn thin from the last few days so the night was young when we said farewell, but with smiles on our faces.
I have to say, if I had been seeking one last hurrah before the major lifestyle and dietary shift that I'm trying out to start 2015, I could not have designed a better menu. The best quality of the best foods, shared with the best people. After already enjoying gourmet raw food, holy-wow falafel, my first taste of maki-maki, fresh coconut, Indian dinner, vegan cheesecake, vegan nachos, homemade sushi, and now vegan chili, there was still more to come.
Nearing the last few evenings of my stay, we decided to tackle a pizza project. I'd volunteered to make a funky butternut crust but Jake was also eager to put his expertise to work since he used to make pies at the infamous Brick Road back in Grand Rapids. With our schedules all different, we ate in shifts, enjoying the squash appetizer while his crust rose and baked, finally enjoying pizza a la rainbow style: a midnight movie. Every bit of crispy, doughy, savory goodness was incredible. We had the best of toppings to choose from: cilnantro, jalapeños, artichoke, olives, mushrooms...and even a Mexican style bean pie. We completed the perfect meal when Lauren requested he whip up another batch of dough for sticky bread.
Needless to say, the next day was fairly simple eating but it finally allowed for a timely dinner and Raven was back to a decent bedtime. As though in a celebratory toast for the smooth evening, we poured wine and broke out the accumulating stash of house chocolate that we nibbled on like energy tablets through the week. The one we had not opened one bit though, called for a special event. Lauren had bought a box entitled 'the Chocolate Passport' comprised of 8 different single origin darks. One by one, Lauren cut a taste from each bar and we would read the description of flavor subtleties and pairing suggestions before popping it in our mouths and sitting across from one another moaning and nodding with our eyes closed in euphoric experience (with an occasional disruptive "huh" to our tastebuds when we got a really strange one. After about half the bars, we decided to stop reading the descriptions and test our tastes for ourselves. We all agreed between ourselves for most but when it came to reading the description we were thrown by our "caramel or coffee" being considered "floral" and other curveballs. None of us had ever been that tuned in to chocolate before. After the delicate differences within the passport box, we opened up some single bars we had and all had surprising reactions to the bolder, less refined flavors.
This is the way things are to be enjoyed.
And now we approach the new year.
I like the idea of it being an annual tradition that new friends celebrate New Years together. At least in this case, it worked out wonderfully. Raven was especially excited to have some young blood in the house after 2 weeks with us (not that we're not a pretty rad bunch to hang with). 6-year-old Marley was the first to march in, parading the hummus and the veggie tray and zoned in on being informed of where she could set them down so she could show off her ninja kick. Raven was enthralled and the kids skipped the name game and instead did a sort of canine-like "I'll show you my kick if you show me yours" and then they were off. Marley's older brother River, quickly joined the gang and Lauren instantly saw the potential for him and Kayan to hit it off when her kids returned home. The artist that Lauren had talked to at the Placida Art Market was named Rosco or Trevor ("Rosco's a little too much for the Florida Folk, he quipped that day). The Jewelry that he and his wife Molly made exemplified only a fraction of their talents. Rosco had an extensive musical history and Molly had taught in several different educational structures. The family had done tons of traveling, via the whole bus gig and more. They'd shared ups and downs a dozen and their stories took us everywhere. They'd even been close to Nahko Bear before he got big and sold out (Lauren and I got pretty sad-faced when they explained how extensively.) We all had so much to talk about and so much music to share that midnight came fast. We'd avoided the outdoor fire-pit because Lauren's neighbors were having a Karaoke fest that competed with our mellow tunes inside. Fortunately they were all strength and no stamina; as soon as midnight hit, cars were pulling out of the driveway. We toasted outside to a fire and the kids roasted mallows and ventured off to play upstairs some more, bedtime be damned. Lauren, Molly and I stayed out by the fire for quite some time, gazing into a flame that enticed the most beautiful harmonization of spontaneous music out of us. We chanted for a long time:
I like the idea of it being an annual tradition that new friends celebrate New Years together. At least in this case, it worked out wonderfully. Raven was especially excited to have some young blood in the house after 2 weeks with us (not that we're not a pretty rad bunch to hang with). 6-year-old Marley was the first to march in, parading the hummus and the veggie tray and zoned in on being informed of where she could set them down so she could show off her ninja kick. Raven was enthralled and the kids skipped the name game and instead did a sort of canine-like "I'll show you my kick if you show me yours" and then they were off. Marley's older brother River, quickly joined the gang and Lauren instantly saw the potential for him and Kayan to hit it off when her kids returned home. The artist that Lauren had talked to at the Placida Art Market was named Rosco or Trevor ("Rosco's a little too much for the Florida Folk, he quipped that day). The Jewelry that he and his wife Molly made exemplified only a fraction of their talents. Rosco had an extensive musical history and Molly had taught in several different educational structures. The family had done tons of traveling, via the whole bus gig and more. They'd shared ups and downs a dozen and their stories took us everywhere. They'd even been close to Nahko Bear before he got big and sold out (Lauren and I got pretty sad-faced when they explained how extensively.) We all had so much to talk about and so much music to share that midnight came fast. We'd avoided the outdoor fire-pit because Lauren's neighbors were having a Karaoke fest that competed with our mellow tunes inside. Fortunately they were all strength and no stamina; as soon as midnight hit, cars were pulling out of the driveway. We toasted outside to a fire and the kids roasted mallows and ventured off to play upstairs some more, bedtime be damned. Lauren, Molly and I stayed out by the fire for quite some time, gazing into a flame that enticed the most beautiful harmonization of spontaneous music out of us. We chanted for a long time:
I light the fire, fire
I light the fire, fire
It keeps burning
Keeps on turning
My darkness into light
It spoke to each of us I think, on very heavy levels.
Knowing I'd be up early (regardless) to pack for my travel back West, I was one of the first in bed (at 3am).
Molly, Rosco and the kids stayed the night and once we were all un-grogged, Lauren served us the perfect Vegan comfort food meal that I'd never had: Biscuits and Gravy. We had some trouble figuring out the biscuits since it was a trial and error with a gluten-free recipe but they tasted delicious nonetheless. Bellies full, we then packed up the Kayak to head out for one last visit to the water.
Lauren had tried to take me to Sand Point earlier in the week, but being one of the most popular tourist locales for beaching, there was a horrendous line just to park. She knew it would be less busy on New Years day so we headed back.
It certainly is a pristine little section of inter coastal beauty. The trail winds under Grape Sea trees and opens up every so often on either the ocean side or the inter coastal where small groups can be comfortably secluded in their own little outdoor hide-away.
We found a free space not too far down but no sooner had we gotten the Kayak boated around, we all decided we'd rather just meander the coast and pick up shells and bones. Molly and Rosco pointed out loads of fossils and animal bones that I would have just passed by, including the tail of a sting ray. Rosco explained that all the animals migrated down this way during the ice age, since it was warmer. "But they died anyway. And Florida is still the place people go to die!"
We were all a little low-key from the festivities the night before (except the kids of course) so it was nice to spend some time just laying in the sand also. We headed back to the Kayak where the bottomless pit kids ate snack and found a family of Hermit Crabs to play around with.
When it was finally time to part ways, Marley wanted to stay at Lauren's. "We'll see more of you soon, I'm sure!" we said. I hope that I do, also.
Driving me to Tacoma, the three of us listened to Unit 1 of How to Learn Hindi to keep us awake while Raven slept. Almost on cue, he darted awake just as we were pulling up to the airport and calmly started eating his fruit roll up he'd left off with. "I love you, Raven!" Lauren exclaimed.
Had I not been anxious about making my flight, I could have stood and hugged them forever.
And silly me would have had an hour more to do that but I always panic about airports. So instead, I sat for an hour at my gate in a panic about uncertainties before me and in a longing for the life I'd found in Florida.
We found a free space not too far down but no sooner had we gotten the Kayak boated around, we all decided we'd rather just meander the coast and pick up shells and bones. Molly and Rosco pointed out loads of fossils and animal bones that I would have just passed by, including the tail of a sting ray. Rosco explained that all the animals migrated down this way during the ice age, since it was warmer. "But they died anyway. And Florida is still the place people go to die!"
We were all a little low-key from the festivities the night before (except the kids of course) so it was nice to spend some time just laying in the sand also. We headed back to the Kayak where the bottomless pit kids ate snack and found a family of Hermit Crabs to play around with.
Driving me to Tacoma, the three of us listened to Unit 1 of How to Learn Hindi to keep us awake while Raven slept. Almost on cue, he darted awake just as we were pulling up to the airport and calmly started eating his fruit roll up he'd left off with. "I love you, Raven!" Lauren exclaimed.
Had I not been anxious about making my flight, I could have stood and hugged them forever.
And silly me would have had an hour more to do that but I always panic about airports. So instead, I sat for an hour at my gate in a panic about uncertainties before me and in a longing for the life I'd found in Florida.
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