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Previously I’ve mentioned that there is allegedly a dog in my hometown that plays an accordion. And allegedly this dog plays to a crowd on Saturday nights.
And last weekend… I saw him.
And it was fantastic.
Went to dinner at Sierra Sky Ranch which is rustic, notoriously haunted, features the head of a moose mounted on the wall which over-sees the dining room, and where we spotted a Real Cowboy dressed in black cowboy gear complete with spurs. SPURS, people. Spurs at dinner. (Pretty sure this was a real person rather than a ghost of some sort but one never knows…) (Do ghosts wear spurs?) (I was sort of expecting a wild west sort of shoot-out but unfortunately for my imagination that didn’t happen.)
Anyway, this is also where a band plays every weekend and features… a dog who plays the accordion.
At first he didn’t cooperate. See the cowboy (of the non-spur wearing variety) trying to get the little guy going? (I couldn’t resist capturing this on my camera-phone.)
Then he got into it (the dog…well, the cowboy too). He basically takes the rope that is connected to the accordion and pulls the rope with his teeth. Then the band plays with the beat set by the dog.
No joke. See?
So there we have it. Reason number 4,542,392 of why I love my hometown.
I climb into the back of my Dad’s beloved Jeepster, ready to set off on a 4-wheelin’ adventure. Hints of summer warmth still in the air, sunscreen on, ponytale in place.
Me: Dad, where’s my seat-belt?
Dad: Oh, there isn’t one back there.
Me: What if I fall out?? I could actually die from 4-wheelin’!!
Dad: [hands me a bottle of water] Well, at least you won’t die of thirst!
This was the beginning of our day-long journey to Iron Lakes (Cali). Dad driving, stepmom in the passenger seat (both with seat-belts) and me in the back. Per the Backcountry Adventures Northern California Guide, the trail has “moguls and moderately steep grades” and is touted as “steep and rocky.” Perfect terrain to travel without something strapping me into an open-aired Jeep.
Luckily, though there was definitely a bit of grab-seat-and-hold-on-for-dear-life (clearly I’m not very dramatic), I survived.
And enjoyed every single minute of it.
It was amazing to go, over the course of a week, from this (business trip to NYC):
To this:
It was much needed, this contrast. To go from Uptown to Small Town is what this blog is all about, and let me tell you, it saves me– if I didn’t have a small town to return home to, the uptown side of things would make me one wonky woman. (well, more so than I am now!)
So the big obstacle in NYC is people. Weaving in and out (which I’ve become quite an expert in…seriously…it’s the race-car driver’s daughter in me…), anticipating movements, passing, etc. The big obstacle en route to Iron Lakes was this. And his movements were not difficult to anticipate. (He stood still and stared.)
So with Dad at the wheel, away we went, up and over steep grades, and rocky moguls. Me with water in one hand and a camera in the other, it was one of those Good Days. The kind that makes one sit back (without a seat-belt) and appreciate life. And family. And nature. And adventure.
Left or right?
4x’ing!
Iron Lakes (one of them).
See all those crazy people rushing around? Me either!
Love these Swirly Roots.
And these rocks with so much color (iron!).
And I love Nature’s Graffiti.
And the texture that surrounds stillness.
And I love this giant magical tree.
And this magical swimming nook.
And my adventurous Stepmom who decided to step in and investigate a fish.
And I love seeing how much my dad love’s nature. He’s so in his element.
And I love my dad.
While I take my time uploading photos of the trip to the South of France (clearly I’m still operating on vacation time), I was (perhaps because I’ve been questioning what it is I really want– a dangerous question!), thinking about what home is to me. (obviously a topic on my mind)
Home, in its ultimate sense, is in the center of me and yet paradoxically much bigger than me, but I think what I mean here is the home one builds for oneself throughout life. The center that expands as we come across new desires, “additions” if you will, and that we continue to remodel and redesign as we zoom around discovering new adventures and ways of being.
Lately, perhaps because I’ve been living in those “uptown” city apartments for so many years, I find myself really craving the manifestation of home… the home that I knew growing up with a yard and a garden and a dog and a view and a kitchen guests are welcome in and a deck that invites friends to stay in their pajamas while laughing and visiting in the sunshine well past the morning hours. Home.
A friend of mine and I actually have a code word for this: Both of us grew up in a small mountain community and both of us are living that city girl life. Whenever stress levels reach the point of ridiculousness, we say to each other “Elmo!” (If you’ve ever seen the show “Men in trees”– that’s where this is from.) To us, Elmo! is that word that means, get me back home to real life!!
So, while I’m not quite pulling the Elmo! card here (how could I? I still have vacation glow), I am saying that vacation has given me a time to think and breathe…
And for those of you who know me… this can lead to many things. (She says with a devious smile.) 
A friend of mine LOVES the game Never have I ever. For those who have never played, it’s generally a game played at a bar: The first person says “Never have I ever… taken off all my clothes and frolicked in a public fountain.” And then if anyone has actually done this, they drink. Then the next person says “Never have I ever…” Well, you get the idea. I guess the conclusion is that the more “adventurous” one is, consequently the more drunk one will get. (which makes sense… “drunk” and “adventure” can be rather synonymous.)
So, I’ve decided that, because I spend most of my time working the good city girl job, on the weekends I will do something I’ve never done, go somewhere I’ve never been, try something I’ve never tried. Big or small. Complex or simple. And most likely completely sober (much to my friend’s chagrin).
In short, I’ve decided to challenge myself to a game of “Never have I ever.”
Two weekends ago was when I first started this, I had never been to Half Moon Bay so I got in my car and drove there. First off, how great is the name? Half Moon Bay. So sensual and delectable. Second, it’s a small town– even the thought was reprieve from city stress. And even though it was a foggy, drizzly day, I decided to go anyway. I was in the mood for a peaceful journey and the impending rain would most likely keep people in the comforts of the indoors.
So, true to style, I headed outdoors.
And it was lovely. Calm. Misty. Cool. And Perfect for my first entry of Never Have I Ever…
