Furthur!
Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, December 29, 2012

It was a gift from God. The whole thing from start to finish. Even walking to the Civic Center from the BART with that magnificent red and green building in front of us (the capitol?) on the wide walkway with manicured trees was wonderful; reminded me of Paris. I spotted the seats in the first balcony to the right of the stage and that was where I knew we were to sit. We toyed with the floor, but I felt certain those seats were a gift from God. And glory be! It turned out to be the loge – really the finest section in the house, any house. We moved ourselves into two of what we thought were empty seats, only to be escorted down to the very front row of the loge, view totally unobstructed and even a space to put our purses and water and put our feet up on when taking a rest.

Oh, how we had fun! Maureen was the perfect person to go with. She really gets it - -enjoys it like I do. We were treated like queens in the loge section. I love how safe I feel, there is not weird sexual energy, it's just a bunch of us misfits rocking and connecting through the music. The music and the vibe were magnified – amplified – it was truly a magical night. We felt so totally safe in our spot, a sweet little safe haven with all the other misfit Grateful Dead people around us – all of us knowing the music, loving the music – connecting through the music. I was truly transported to a wild, lovely place. What a great way to close out the year.

They opened with Not Fade Away and I truly thought I was in heaven from the get go. It was just one great song after another; Estimated Prophet, (California, preachin’ on the burning shore), Cassidy, Cumberland Blues (my favorite from Workingman’s Dead; Make good money five dollars a day), I Know You Rider – gonna miss me when I’m gone . .

The music was so tight and so good – there were even several I didn’t quite know but the vocals and the rhythms were so marvelous – I danced like there was no tomorrow. The change in rhythms within a song were truly masterful as only the Dead can do. They had hired some very good what I think are probably studio musicians; two Latin vocalists with superb voices. I always knew when they moved up to the microphone it was going to be great. They sang big anthem type choruses with the crowd singing along – let me tell you, The Dead are definitely back on their game.

My years of reading so much about music and watching documentaries really made it just that much more enjoyable for me. It’s fun watching how they signal each other – understanding how they’re boosting their sound, hiring first rate, young studio musicians. The keyboards tried too hard but that was my only complaint. The guitar players along with Bob Weir, Jeff Chimenti or John Kadlick? I think his name is, had the added bonus of a good voice. I'm telling you, the vocals were really excellent. The Dead has been sloppy and messy for awhile and I was happy to hear it.

And then leaving with Not Fade Away (My love is bigger than a Cadillac) again (interesting touch) and leaving us to sing them back to the stage with “you know my love won't fade away.” was just the perfect hail from the communal spirit.

A  Bracebridge Birthday

 

Celebrated annually since 1927, the Bracebridge Dinner transforms the Ahwahnee dining room in Yosemite into a 17^th century English manor for a feast of food, song and mirth; an elegant and artistic four-hour pageant of classic carols, Renaissance rituals and entertainment of the Middle Ages. http://www.thebracebridgedinneratyosemite.com/msin.html

 

A phone call early in the morning is rarely a good thing. The birthday began with our friend calling with much apology that they would not be joining us for the celebration. There had been a brutal colitis attack in the middle of the night and they would be going to the emergency room instead of meeting us in Yosemite. Everyone felt terrible and we were all very sad that they would not be with us for the festivities. Additionally, it was quite unfortunate that they were also slated to drive not only their dear selves, but also the Droste formal wear for the Bracebridge dinner and concert.

As you can well imagine, a lot of scrambling ensued during the early hours of December 20^th, my birthday. Several phone calls were placed, attempting to entice friends to come on up and use the tickets. We pieced together an outfit for me out of beautiful Joy’s wardrobe, but poor Rob was out of luck. As he tried on Jeff’s trousers and sport coat and I saw the hem gathered around the tips of his shoes, even I had to admit that it just wasn’t going to work.

Calls were frantically made to the Ahwahnee Hotel, (do you have extra formal wear for the dining room?) We briefly toyed with the idea of contacting the costumer of Bracebridge and turning Rob into an English squire. The Ahwahnee option petered out early and so did the squire idea. Was the only option left to drive five plus round trip hours to meet our friend halfway in Merced? Really?

I declared, “It’s time to pray!”

We prayed. We prayed out loud. We prayed hard.

I slowly began to let go. I was getting ready to surrender the whole thing. I really didn’t want my sweetie driving for most of the day on ice encrusted roads just to get clothes. I imagined other scenarios God might have planned for us. Maybe a slow drive around beautiful Yosemite with its unworldly winter light on the gray rock, followed by snuggling up in our room with a couple of holiday movies and lots to eat? And then, Rob’s cell phone rang, right in the middle of the prayer. Joe said YES!

I was so happy to unzip the wardrobe bag and see my rose lace dress of delicate beauty. I wore it on my 40^th birthday when Robbie and Franzie threw me and my new husband an elegant birthday party. (That’s what it said on the invitations, an Elegant Dinner Party.) That dress has good juju. And Rob looked every bit the handsome gentleman in his tux and tails. I’m even getting used to the beard with its flecks or silver and wisdom. Could this man really be my husband? After celebrating twenty-one birthdays with him, I’m still excited that he’s mine!

We arrived at the Ahwahnee soon thereafter and he gave me my gift in the Great Room as we sat by the enormous fire. I opened the pretty little box and . . . oh, boy - - Lucy jewelry! And it perfectly matched my dress!

Lucy Jewelry

Joe strode into the gift shop with his fine brocade vest, red cowboy ribbon tied neatly in a bow and long, grey curls flowing out of his cowboy hat. He’s a cowboy/actor/musician from South Dakota; the real thing. I admired him for dropping everything at the last minute, gathering up our clothes and hurtling down the road in his Yosemite.

I do believe that the Bracebridge dinner and performance is the most glorious holiday event in the country - - maybe even the world! I knew every note of the four hours of music, having prepared by listening to it in Little Red driving to work and writing cards and wrapping presents at home.

Our friend, Joy, has performed with Bracebridge for years now and this year she was promoted to manager of the whole extravaganza. She was resplendent in her blue finery and jewels singing The Cantique de Noel in a quartet right at our table.

My favorite part was the magnificent peacock slowly processed down the long hall of the Ahwahnee dining room, followed by my favorite course of sumptuous “peacock” (duck confit) strudel/pie. My second favorite was the plum pudding and the French chef bemoaning forgetting the plum, but not the rum! (or the brandy).

Have you ever tasted plum pudding dear reader? Oh, my goodness! The closest comparison is an ever-moist slice of carrot cake, but better, each bite sublime. The men at the table positively moaned at the baron of beef. Picture Karla and four dapper gentlemen seated at the performer’s table right up front. Could a girl even ask for a better birthday?

Joe got another great big gift for saying yes. In addition to the Bracebridge dinner, due to an overbooking, he was placed in the special Ahwahnee suite, with a panoramic view of the waterfall and brilliant Yosemite granite. Joe, Jeff, Rob and I celebrated in style after the show, gathering around a robust fire, sipping rich red wine, laughing and sharing stories.

And if all this was not enough, God had one more present for me to top off the evening. Jeff persuaded the entire cast to sing Happy Birthday to me after the show! It was a moment I will never forget. If you’ve never had over fifty professional choristers sing you Happy Birthday, let me assure you that it was a peak experience. Put it on your bucket list.

Joy, Jeff, Joe and Rob, how can I think you enough? You gave me one of the finest birthdays I’ve ever celebrated. It was a wonderful beginning to my 56^th year on the planet.

A Very Happy Birthday Girl!

 

 

 

 

Post 12/14/12

From my journals this morning, December 16, 2012

There has been a terrible tragedy in our nation. Twenty small children and seven adults were shot and killed by a mad man/boy in a leafy Connecticut town, sixty miles or so from New York City. A collective grief hangs over us that recalls our personal grief and violence some of us have suffered over the years. I find myself sad and anxious underneath the festivities of the holidays. Why isn’t anyone talking about it at social occasions? "It’s all different now!", my insides scream.

I was going to write about gift giving. Maybe later.

Where are you God? In the response? In that sweet line of children, each with one hand upon the other’s shoulder, as you led them out of the fire of violence and darkness? I looked at each of their faces; some twisted with fear, mouths open, eyes crinkled in terror, some absolutely blank as they filed out of that school, all silently obeying the grounded and capable policewoman guiding them, doing what they were told. Lining up like that in that chaos! It tore my heart out.

God, were you in the courage of those two women, the principal and the counselor, the first to meet him in the hall, trying to fend him off? Were you that teacher who died, throwing herself over those tiny bodies? Did you gather the small ones and huddle with them in a corner, seeking safety under the shadow of your wings?

Were you in the red, tired eyes I saw in church this morning as a group of faithful people at All Saints Episcopal church in San Leandro lined up for communion? Were you in my husband who spoke with courage, compassion and clarity to a badly shaken congregation? I made a note to myself after the sermon:

Let us respond oh sisters and brothers!

Let us respond with as much love as we can muster from our broken hearts.

Winter and the Holidays

 

Our Mantle, December, 2012

 

 I’m so quietly joyous. I have a soul-deep peace. I love this room. Our home. It is early Sunday morning. I awoke refreshed at 6:30 am. I have the whole day to just be. It is so very quiet. I treasure our hushed sanctuary. Bright winter sunlight floods the room and fills me with ecstasy. I love these sparkly pillows I put out for the holidays that gleam in the light, transforming our everyday couch and making it special. This whole season is special, magical, infused with glitter and beauty. Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.

Journal Entry from Oakland, 11/29/07

Love Seat in the Christmas Nest

We have a ritual on the day after Thanksgiving that I look forward to all year.  It’s time to put up the tree! Oh, glory! The system we have created over the years makes it easy and fun. We know we’re always going to be off work the day after Thanksgiving, and this way it’s all done and we can enjoy our beautifully decorated home for the rest of the season. Sometimes we even start our Christmas cards. It mystifies me why anyone would want to spend such a special day shopping amidst the frenzied, bargain-seeking crowds.

Our Christmas Tree!

 

This year we began the process on Thanksgiving Day. We hauled up the holiday decoration boxes from storage and began the ritual of creating our beloved Christmas nest. We put on the Messiah for the first listen of the year as I slowly unwrapped the ornaments, one by one, and handed them to Rob, who is much better at hanging ornaments than Karla. He hangs things; garlands, ornaments, etc. and I lay things, velvets and silk scarves on every flat surface and add little glittery touches everywhere.

 

It is a joy to unpack each snow globe, each angel, the rich velvet table linens and the nativity scene Lucy and Charlie brought us back from Mexico.  Every ornament is special and carries a memory of the past. One of my favorites is Reindeer Sammy, a small, sweet little orange cat with the horns of a reindeer that my spiritual director gave me the year Sammy, our orange tabby, died.  He gets a prime spot on my Christmas altar, along with the Queen of Hearts, ‘Neasie gave me one year and my tiny white, saucy angel, and the special stained glass candle holders from Paris, all laying on a burgundy beaded table runner.  I love it, love it, love it all! Our ritual marks the beginning of this sacred, sparkly, magical season.

Reindeer Sammy, 'Neasie's Queen of Hearts, Saucy Angel

Nativity Scene from Charlie and Lucy ( Note baby Kitty with Baby Jesus!)

  

One of the finest nights of the year is sitting still together on our couch, in front of the magnificent tree, a fire crackling, candles lit, listening to quiet choral music and savoring our efforts. I love our home! She looks so beautiful all decorated in her Victorian holiday splendor. I gaze around our home, looking forward to the season ahead of us. It is magical and special, unlike any other time of year.

Kitty Among the Foliage

The Joy of Movement – Power Walking 

Walking clears my head, fills my lungs with fresh air, lets off steam, builds up my strength and centers my spirit. --Sarah Ban Breathnach

I have always been a walker. Thoreau says “It requires a direct dispensation from heaven to be a walker.” I love everything about walking! I like the simplicity of it and the lack of complicated gear. I mostly like that I can walk right out my door and begin. And power walking is a very special form of walking that speeds up the heart rate, puts power in the body and wind through the hair. 

I power walk everywhere! I power walk to the bank, to the post office, to the grocery store, to Carrie’s house and to the beauty supply shop. I grab my IPOD and power walk around Lake Merritt, an urban oasis right down the block.

Link: http://reinventingkarla.blogspot.com/2012/10/rotation-of-seasons-gardens-at-merritt.html 

I throw my chest out, I smile, I pound my arms to the music, and generally have myself a grand time of it. Rob calls me a dork, a cute dork, but a dork just the same. What the hay! I’m having a great time and it’s good for me!   

I am invigorated and happy with the fresh air on my cheeks, pumping my arms and my legs, in rhythmic motion, taking in the trees and the water and all the interesting people and their dogs as I motor by.  

Music is a really fun part of the power walk. A hopelessly late adopter, I would never have an IPOD if it weren’t for Christmas and Rob, (good man). I highly recommend it for walking. The music adds zeal and energy to the whole business. An hour combining the Stones, Aerosmith, AC/DC, The Who and power walking can energize me for the rest of the weekend. I can be seen on most Saturdays walking around Lake Merritt, bobbing my head to the rhythm and punching the air to particularly good lyrics - sometimes I pull off the trail and dance in the trees . . . (I love the anonymity of the city.)  

Ah, there is such an ecstasy in movement . . .

I grab my purple tennis shoes, IPOD, cell phone and a little money and power walk to the video store, the Farmer’s Market, friend’s homes, cafés, (rewarding myself with a baked good of course) and cutesy shopping districts. I explore new neighborhoods, bookstores and boutiques. Sometimes I catch up on my phone calls. It’s like taking a walk with a friend.   

I was into walking through Mountain View Cemetery during the worst days of the vertigo. I would walk all the way up there from Lake Merritt and stride through the hushed quiet Piedmont sunshine, comforted and soothed by all who have lived before me. It gave me hope to still be able to walk, no matter how dizzy. God, help me, don’t take that away from me, too.  

I remember sitting in the sun when Karen told me that Boe was in the hospital. I went everyday and prayed for her family. I explored the Chapel of the Chimes and meditated in a mystical room with a fountain. I found John Lee Hooker. Way cool. 

Perhaps the most exciting power walk found me high above the city on the Promenade Plantée in Paris. Let's just say that power walking on the Promenade Plantée is analogous to skiing in the Alps.

Link: http://reinventingkarla.blogspot.com/2012/07/aperfect-day-square-trousseau-ble-sucre.html

I prefer walking to driving or even cycling these days. Moving more slowly through the world, I see into the life of things, (thank you Wordsworth).

 

Here in the present moment,

One step at a time,

I have found peace.

 

 

Gratitude During the Holidays

Making the Season Sparkle

Waking up this morning, I see the blue sky.

I join my hands in thanks

For the many wonders of life

For having twenty-four brand new hours before me.

- - Thich Nhat Hanh

 

What if you could not only survive the holidays but actually enjoy this time of year?  Can you imagine yourself looking forward to this season, moving through it with ease?  Recent research by leading psychologists says you can.  UC Davis, researcher, Robert Emmons, PhD, in this year’s book, Thanks!  How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier, says emphatically that being thankful actually amplifies the good; the good things in our lives, the good people in our lives and even the good in ourselves.  What better time than the holidays to practice these skills – and get feelings that will really last all year! 

Recognize the Gifts 

In his research with thousands of people, Emmons showed clearly that we can strengthen the ability to recognize the gifts in life.  We can, over time, learn to better notice the beauty around us, to ground ourselves in that beauty.  We can learn how to slow down and savor the goodness.  There is so much beauty during the holiday season to relish and enjoy; the lights, ornaments, candles in a window and childrens’ faces.  

 

We learn to recognize not only the gift, but also the person who gave us the gift.  We grow to understand that many people have helped us along the way, providing us with what we couldn’t do for ourselves.  We no longer take people for granted.  We realize that we are deeply connected with the people in our past and present.  They have helped bring us where we are today.   

Gratitude – An Approach to Life 

Gratitude is more than just a feeling.  We can experience just being grateful.  Practicing gratitude is an overall approach to life. We are learning to see through a different lens; a lens of abundance rather than scarcity. We can’t be anxious, (envious, angry, worried, etc.) and grateful at the same time.  Gratitude is an attitude consciously cultivated; an orientation, that can eventually can become a habit.   

The Daily Gratitude Inventory (DGI) 

Charles M. Shelton Ph.D,  has developed a Daily Gratitude Inventory (DGI), a written, daily examination of the gifts and blessings in our lives. Writing encodes positive experiences in our memory.   This practice helps us to become more aware of our blessings. It may be helpful to break down the day’s events in the following categories:

The Everyday 

Enjoy your senses during the holidays.  Taste the varieties of food, lovingly prepared; delight in the tiny white lights strung along the streets; revel in the deep winter colors, the sumptuous velvets and rich brocades.  Celebrate the changing of the seasons and create rituals that fulfill and sustain you.  Bring out the flannel sheets, the fire logs and the candles.  Savor the beauty of the world around you.  Move slowly through the feast.

People and Relationship 

We gather with friends and family during the holidays and feel deeply connected with those we love.  We feel a sense of belonging.  We go out at night; we visit each other in our homes; we dress up and go out on the town, we enjoy good entertainment.  We connect with some of the people in our lives only once a year around this time.  Plan ahead for the holidays, scheduling events you look forward to with people you enjoy.  Feel your affection for the people you love.   

The Big Picture 

As you focus on your life, take the long view.  This is a good time of year to reflect over the past year.  Focus on what was good.  Was there a difficult situation you handled well?  Did you exhibit a strength or talent this year that was helpful to another person or to your organization?  Was there an experience that helped you to grow?  Did you receive an insight or an understanding that changed you for the better?

 

Taking in the Good

Another suggested gratitude practice has been developed by Berkeley researcher, Rick Hansen, Ph.D. The practice of taking in the good uses your mind to change your brain to change your mind for the better.  It has been shown that practicing gratitude actually changes the brain chemistry.  Hansen maintains that as your mind changes your brain changes.  “Neurons that fire together wire together”.  Gratitude practices have been proven to strengthen existing synapses and actually thicken the frontal cortex, building new synapses. Directing attention skillfully is a fundamental way to shape the brain and one’s life over time.

• Look for positive facts and let them become positive experiences.  Let yourself feel good if you get something done, if someone is nice to you, or if you notice a good quality in yourself.

 

• Savor the positive experience and sustain it for 10-20-30 seconds.  Try to let it fill your body, and be as intense as possible. 

• Intend and sense that the positive experience is soaking into you, like water into a sponge, becoming a part of you. 

• Do this several times a day.  The more you take in the good, the more your brain will change for the better. 

The good news is the more we practice gratitude, the more often we experience it and the deeper we experience it.  Being thankful is a choice, we can make in any given moment.  Take the time to relish and savor the gifts in your life this holiday season. 

Further Reading

 Sarah Ban Breathnach, The Simple Abundance Journal of Gratitude. 

Robert A. Emmons Ph.D , Thanks!  How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier. 

The Greater Good Science Center, UC Berkeley, An interdisciplinary research center helping to foster a more resilient and compassionate society. 

Thich Nhat Hanh, Buddhist monk, teacher, author. 

Rick Hansen Ph.D, Buddha’s Brain:  The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom. 

Charles M. Shelton, Ph.D,  Achieving Moral Health:  An Exercise Plan for Your Conscience. 

Br. David Steindl Rast, Gratefulness, the Heart of Prayer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Joy of Movement – Cycling and Hiking

power in the body, fresh air, exercise that is fun, sustainable, healthy , ecstasy of movement, invigorating, rhythmic, flow, fits in the daily round . . .

 Cycling 

I took up cycling when I lived in a small, bike-friendly town in New Jersey. (yes, there are small towns in New Jersey!)  It’s rhythmic and you get to see pretty places and be outside. I loved the speed and the wind on my face. (Are you beginning to see a pattern here?)  

I was in my early 30’s, recently divorced from my five year practice marriage and was lonely for companionship. I decided to join the Sierra Club and go on their Saturday bike rides.  I met an awesome group of people and I loved riding all over the green countryside in the fresh air, clearing my mind after a long work week. We became a tightly knit community, enjoying many weekends, Thanksgiving dinners and holidays together, giving me connection and a wonderful sense of belonging when I most needed it.   

One of the peak experiences of my cycling career was riding the five boro bike tour in New York City. I will never forget the image of bikes, bikes, and more bikes riding high on the bridges connecting the boros. I had never seen those bridges devoid of cars. It was surreal. 

I left my car in New Jersey when I first moved to Eugene. My bike was my sole source of transportation for about six months. What a simple, uncomplicated life. Eugene is designed for cyclists; some places are even closer by bike than by auto. When I moved to the busy Bay Area, I gave up the bike.  Navigating through traffic with skinny or nonexistence bike lanes was not my idea of fun. 

Hiking 

The Sierra Club folks also opened up a whole new world of hiking for me. Who would think, after Wyoming, that I would take up hiking in New Jersey?!? And it has stayed with me. If I have a whole day or afternoon, I like to combine exercise with my expedition days.   

Hiking is a wonderful way of moving my body and being enveloped by trees, water and sky at the same time.  It has a simplicity about it that appeals to me.  It requires very little gear and takes minutes to grab my boots, make a lunch and fill a pack.  I love moving through the trees and that feeling of power in my body climbing the hills. I am greeted by magnificent views (and a snack!) when I reach the top.

I am forever grateful to the foresight of the early settlers in the Bay Area who set aside huge parcels of land for hiking trails and wildlife preserves, particularly the East Bay Regional parks. It is a spiritual human need to be outdoors. I believe there is no finer way of filling that need than propelling my body amongst the great beauty of hills, trees and sky.

The Joy of Movement - Skiing

In my dreams!

 

Some movement memories bring up feelings of loss. I was once a pretty hot skier and motorcycle rider. I loved controlled speed. One of the coolest things my dad ever did was to buy me a Kawasaki 90 when I was fifteen. Maybe he felt guilty about moving me from Huntington Beach, California to Spring, Texas?!? I found myself a boyfriend who had a dirt bike and he let me ride it, opening up a whole new world of speed and savvy. 

Skiing 

I’m content to leave the motorcycle riding in the past, but my heart sometimes aches for the skiing. I gave it up when I moved away from the cold. I don’t know if it was the expense or the fact that Rob doesn’t ski, but I haven’t skied for over twenty years. I often have dreams about skiing. I’m so excited, anticipating gliding down the slope, and just as I am about to get off the chair lift, the dream ends. 

Skiing was a part big part of my life when I lived in Wyoming. When we moved there from Texas, I decided to learn some winter sports, so I would be willing to go outside. That was another really cool thing my Dad did for us – taking us to a used ski equipment sale and outfitting the family.

I loved the speed and the rhythm of skiing, the cold fresh air on my face, the good looking guys and navigating the mogul fields.  I loved the sunlight on the snow, the wide open slopes and the huge sky. I even taught young people how to ski one winter. Of course you know I loved being part of the cool ski instructors group!

And guess what!?! I’m actually going skiing this January! One of my best friends will be completing her general ordination exams and she wants to celebrate on the slopes. I decided it was time. I took myself to Any Mountain in Berkeley and bought a smashing ski outfit, dug out my gloves, hat and goggles from storage, and rented a house for the four of us, husbands included), seven miles from Heavenly Valley in Lake Tahoe. Reinventing Karla, Chapter 3, here we go!  

Please pray with me that my vertigo will not stop me from doing what I want to do. Restore my balance good God!

The Joy of Movement

power in the body, fresh air, exercise that is fun, sustainable, healthy , ecstasy of movement, invigorating, rhythmic, flow, fits in the daily round . . . 

Exercise cannot be a part of reinventing Karla unless I like it.  If exercise is not fun, it’s not sustainable. I’m just not the type of person who will keep up going to the gym. I like to be outside. But I am motivated to find exercise I like, because I can’t be happy unless I’m healthy.  Maintaining good health; physical, emotional and spiritual is one of my strongest values.  I am worth it.  You are worth it.   

I’ve written about the ecstasy of the stillness of the inner life. There is also an ecstasy of movement. Blog: Re-inventing Karla
Link: http://reinventingkarla.blogspot.com/2012/04/ecstasy-of-inner-life-embracing.html

 

I’m usually attracted to the type of exercise that has rhythmic type movement.  Swimming, walking, tennis, hiking, cycling and skiing have all been a part of my repertoire at different times in my life.  I love that state of flow, when I am so caught up in the sacred rhythm of the whole thing that I forget about time.  All movement, especially at first, requires some pain and sweat.  The flow comes when I’m in good enough shape to forget about the effort and enjoy it.   

Swimming 

 

I remember in college I loved swimming laps at the indoor pool in the winter and luxuriating in the sauna afterwards.  I loved the slow, rhythmic way my body moved through the water and the breathing felt almost spiritual.  I often went into a type of trance while swimming laps and forgot about time.  

Swimmers have a special hardiness about them.  They have an independent quality and a free-spirit type vibe about them. I remember one older woman at the pool and her husband were caretakers on a huge estate.  I filed that away in my young memory that this could be a smart way to go; living on a magnificent piece of land in a sweet cottage, and not having to work fifty plus hours a week in a corporate office to get it.   

Although I’ve never been a caretaker, that woman has inspired me. I’ve always lived in interesting, vibrant places and found a way to make it work by minimizing the cost of housing, which has usually involved living in small places with very little upkeep and more time for fun! 

 

 

Rotation of the Seasons
The Gardens at Lake Merritt

Pumpkin Patch in the Lake Merritt Gardens

The parks and squares of Paris were so lovely, inspiring me to explore our parks right here at home.  We live a five minute walk down the hill from Lake Merritt, which has been coined the “jewel of Oakland”. It is an incredible community of people, trees and birds of every shape and color, all surrounding a lake, designated in 1870 as the first official wildlife refuge in the country.

It takes me about an hour to power walk around the whole thing and my treat is to stop at the Farmer’s market when I’m done.  Last Saturday, I met my dear friend and her sweet daughter, and upon their encouragement, sampled my first Nutella waffle. Oh my good God! Every bite, crisp on the outside, soft center oozing warm chocolate from the inside was sublime.

Nutella Waffle at the Lake Merritt Farmer's Market

Using the same camera I had brought to Paris, I snapped various shots of the gardens of Lake Merritt on the way back home, all the while so grateful to be there. It is refreshing to find that same beauty so close to my house. I was very touched by the good people of Oakland tending to the flowers and fountains and bonsai trees, creating so much beauty in our gritty city. There was even a Toddler’s Garden! And a red Japanese gate thing, (Rob just informed me, a torii, smart man!) identical to the one in Parc Monceau.

Blog: Re-inventing Karla
Link: http://reinventingkarla.blogspot.com/2012/07/parcmonceau-i-am-writing-to-you-from.html 

Oakland just rocks. Caille Millner says in her Chronicle column, "If I were a young, creative person who wanted to move to the Bay Area, I would say to her: Move to Oakland. That’s where things are happening right now, and that’s where things are going to continue happening in the years to come. "  

Japanese Gardens at Lake Merritt

Do you even know how proud that makes me?!? It is not easy to live here. There is no doubt that it is not the safest place. There are a lot of us, various cultures and ethnicities living in little, tiny spaces, many of us working two plus jobs, trying to eke out a living in this dismal economy. We need our parks. We need our Farmer’s markets. We need our art walks and ethnic restaurants. We need our creative people, making this a place of beauty and splendor amidst the grime and the crime.



Waterfall at Lake Merritt

Full of hope, full of grace, is the human race.  – “Throwing Stones” Grateful Dead

Rotation of the Seasons – Girly Stuff

 Changing the Bed



The Famous Pearled, Tasseled, Velvet Pillow

One of the deepest pleasures of a new season is changing the bed linens. I love my bed. I meditate in bed, read in bed, write letters in bed, work on this post in bed, talk on the phone in bed and eat breakfast in bed. I would probably do most of life from my bed if I could! I want my bed to be beautiful, nurturing and new every season. 

It is a joy in the fall to bring out the smooth, carefully stored, rich olive velvet duvet cover from one of our trips to Paris.  It is truly luxuriant; there is no other word for it.  We also brought home an exquisite, matching velvet pillow, complete with pearls, tassels and every other beautiful thing that can fit on its small, square shape.  I love it!  It has been worth every euro in enjoyment.   

Lindsey and the Pillow!

 

 It is a joy at the end of the day to sink into the soft, clean flannels and read ourselves to sleep.   

Changing the Altar 

Another life-sustaining, re-inventing activity is changing my altar for the new season. I look forward to getting up the next morning and sitting on my re-vamped meditation perch for the fall. I keep a large stash of journals, small plates for incense, porcelain bowls, leaded glass holders and antique trays, small notepads and mementos that hold meaning, like the small ceramic turtle Rob bought me in Hawaii, reminding me of swimming with a real one. 

I change the linen on the altar every season, laying out a creamy cut lace topper I found in an antique store last spring. I bring out different candles and small lamps. I even change the pillows and the throw blanket on the couch with the seasons. (Let’s just say the Drostes own a lot of pillows.) 

The everyday matters.  It’s worth taking the time to create some beauty. Why not change it up - keep it fresh - keep it new? Let us revive our spirits with the rotation of the seasons.