Monday, August 30, 2010

So I best be on my way

So I was just at Grassy's blog listening to a Peter Paul and Mary song, these lyrics stood out a lot in my head:
"So I best be on my way"
That's really how I feel, on my way to something fantastic, excited to see what it manifests into. Living in Croatia, doing writing and art, editing, maybe contributing to a travel magazine? I have so much hope and excitement for what can happen.
It's fantastically hot this afternoon.Very windy this morning, less so now. Sat in the pavilion on campus studying and met a very sweet woman from Indonesia who is her getting her Master's here; she teaches Indonesian. She was pleasantly surprised that I familiar with the geography of her area: I do know where Java is, and Kalimantan, and Sumatra. Thanks to my Art of South East Island Asia course! and I know the various mudras too, if you want to talk one day.
Nothing but good things. Smelling of a Persian Garden. Peanut butter on banana bread.
and now off to re read large amounts of Art Historical Methodology.
Namaste!
yes,I DID sleep about 10 hours.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Bloo Bloo Blaa Blaa


Today is Saturday.Caturday.Saturday.
The day when I can take more than 45 minutes for yoga.I got in 55. I tried to do headstand but did not. I tried to do handstand but did not.I need a wall and an instructor for that.ya see, I do yoga outside on a covered lanai (patio) so I get some breeze and grass and stuff going early to start my day.The cat comes by and alternately falls asleep on a stack of things, tries to break into the huge box holding the bicycle, or watches me do yoga, meowing anxiously for yet more pets.
well I should be starting a paper, which is due in a week and half,but I no want to. NO WANT TO. sticks tongue out at computer.
nanny nanny boo boo!
Art History.oh boy.I do not want that for my career. It's hard me to analyze and criticize in a way other than sarcasm.I have trouble doing educated criticism. blah blah blah BLAH. I don't want to PROFESS. Professors think they know everything, and nobody knows everything, their egos exceed their daily caloric intake and they annoy me.
I already mopped and cleaned and washed the door and that's it. BLAH.
Using blah and BLAH is different to me; I don't use in that BORING context.My friend Arthur has a farm,where he has 25 sheep, and sheep do not "BAAAA!" they go "BLAAA! BLAAAAAAA BLAAAAAAAAAA!" I SWEAR. I was indentured there for three weeks this summer.And two last year.
SO I KNOW WHAT I BLAAA BLAAA ABOUT!
I want to loll in the grass with the sun on my face AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY SKIN CANCER. damn tropics!
I want to hug trees and hike for hours and stuff myself with blackberries and collect driftwood on the beach IN WONDERFUL WASHINGTON.
But I think I'll go read The Potent Self by Moshe Feldenkrais
http://www.amazon.com/Potent-Self-Study-Spontaneity-Compulsion/dp/1583940685
YA BETTER GO READ IT TOO, cuz we ain't got 5690 years to rot and worry in this form!
BLAAAAAA BLAAAAAAAAA
come on sheep, break from the pasture!

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

What Say You,Chair? and feet?


I say,what say you chair and feet?
Been hopping in and out of chairs and on and off my feet nonstop these past two days.Start of the new semester. Not all books bought. Already been really sick,gotten better, met a friend, another friend never showed up, yoga this morning, crazy gross body odor when I was sick, nice to be able to be the only person to identify a Northern Renaissance art Madonna and Child painting from the 15th century in Art Historical Methodology, plus the Shanameh. Ahem ahem. C'mon, all of you in Art History, where are your image identifying skills? Pictorial memory is very important, style memorization, picking up on written languages as well.I may not be fluent in Farsi, but I sure can identify it.
Yet of course feeling lonely. I am a happy person, but not happy to live here,however it's the cheapest and most economical to just stick it out and THEN go to my green city of happiness. And how much I will enjoy it!
I got a Kurt Vonnegut at the bookstore,MAN is he funny! He got me through a very long hour of lost syllabi, sore throat, fever and the general overwhelming feeling I encounter the first day of every semester. So many people on the campus all of a sudden, it always throws me, and I don't really like people staring at me.EVER. Perhaps you ought to find your classroom,unplug your stupid ipod iphone,CONNECT with reality instead.
ok enough of tired,sweaty rant. Eyeing large pile of readings for English Studies and Shakespeare that I must finish tonight.Have to watch a 54 minute Obama speech at Cairo University from last year.Do I have an extra 54 minutes?
we shall see...

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

I Miss Croatia


Oh Me Oh My

Well it seems I was stupid and ungrateful enough to post about missing traveling, but not summing up my whole amazing summer!

Croatia was like a dream.I learn more and more of the language when I am there.My cousins are just the most wonderful,sweetest,beautiful in all ways.My older cousin had her baby on the first of this month,so I am SO EXCITED to see little Nika next year!!!! Visiting my ancestral village,Velo Grablje,is always so emotional for me.I can literally feel my ancestors’ energy and beings there, even though it was just a short visit.It was really wonderful to see Katica,my cousin who just turned 80.(In Eastern Europe,you never know how many cousins you have,or how old they are!)

My cousin Ivo,who is 85, had restored the ancestral house,so we could finally go in it after years and years. His wife,Emily,is his childhood sweetheart,and they are such a touching couple, finally together after many years of not hearing from one another.

I made some really wonderful and fun friends, swam in that delicious water up to 4 times a day, hiked around, thought, dipped into Kata’s lavender bushes for a whiff of relaxation whenever I got a chance. One time I dropped by, everyone was there but Kata,and she force fed me a huge plate of cherry strudel she had made.With cherry drink! Mmm. She is from the north of the country,near the border of Hungary, and due to the harsh winters, she is a talented cook.

She doesn’t speak much English but we understand one another very well.She is so sweet and kind and curious, but has a lot of stress with her job. Her therapy is her huge garden, which is continuously blooming; the lavender was just starting to flourish when I was there.

I stayed in a beautiful room with wild jasmine growing outside. It permeated the room at night or when it rained. I didn’t even mind the rain, except you must take caution on limestone=very slippery! Numerous swallows always fly around in the wind, and I always think of them when I think of Hvar.

I can barely describe the swimming…..unearthly! The water is so thick, so clean,so clear, almost a purple shade at times, cobalt at others. The salinity really purifies your skin and I would totally lose track of any coherent thoughts or the time when I swam.Last summer my cousin Ivana came with me swimming often, but this summer she opted to sing to and kiss her sister’s pregnant belly.

Ivana and I are exactly alike, I find it really amazing, we never met one another until we were teenagers, but our personalities, interests,so many things are in alignment. She adores her three parakeets and two cats; one time I visited her, and the birds were out,she was playing with and singing to them. She is so full of light and positivity, and is such a special and beautiful person.

Needless to say, I did patronize the jewelry shop where she works again, like last year! In 2009 I bought a beautiful bracelet made out of balls of snakeskin turquoise, a stone that is blue and brown and grey, very unique.This time I bought a pendant of the stone with traditional Croatian elements, kind of hard to describe.I know it’s just jewelry, but to me it means a lot,as it’s made in Croatia, and with a lot of thought and love.

I did not make it to the capital,Zagreb,to see my city friends.They practically disowned me,they were very disappointed! I am not really a city person, I need space (mental as well as physical,space for yoga), quiet, the pace of cities and the combative energy is always difficult for me. Plus, staying with a Croatian, they go ALL OUT to be a host, and it can be awkward because you know they have their lives. The expect you and plan all these things,big dinners,inviting people to meet you, excursions.It’s a bit much to get into ….

I also went to a new island,Mljet, most of which is a national park.It is incredibly beautiful, dramatic, and intense, like all of Croatia’s south. The ocean meets with a large saltwater lake, a monastery in the lake, dramatic cliffs, mountains, views to the ocean. I’ll never forget looking out to the ocean, just the blue blue water, no tourists, boats, noise. Stillness is satisfaction to me.

Anxious to return. Anxious to return and not have to leave in two weeks.

Ja volim Hrvatska.

I love Croatia.


Saturday, August 14, 2010

Travel WIthdrawal



As is often the case with frequent travelers, I am going through Travel Withdrawal. I miss the woods, clean air,space, friendly and intelligent people,blackberries, endless hiking, the whole wonderful sum of San Juan Island. I miss my cousins, the entire culture, language, amazing produce,fantastic swimming,running up and down limestone alleys and stairs all day in the small town, and even the chaos that is Croatia.

Yes,I do even miss the way people blatantly stare at you in Croatia!

above,view of my ancestral village, Velo Grablje, island of Hvar, Croatia.

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Rain Down On Me

I LOVE rainy days. I always have.Perhaps this is due to living in the tropics for so long,where rainy days,although not rare, are always treasured by me.I can layer clothes, sweat comes less freely, cook in the coolness, and take moist walks.

Well today it’s been raining all day long.The deck was slippery and cold so I did yoga in my room.The wood stove was lit, and I put on wool tights under my normal clothes.The trip to the farmer’s market was conducted in a heavy Norwegian wool sweater, and I scampered quickly from tent to tent. I had to bag my library books in plastic bags, or else damage would ensue!

Upon returning, I heated up black bean soup, steamed broccoli and kale, and ate them with vegan pesto.Afterwards, I made cornbread and had some warm with Earth Balance vegan buttery spread and more pesto.Then the fun began..

I layered on old long johns,yoga top,fleece parka, ski pants,thick wool socks, and Wellington boots,then headed put for my daily walk/hike. Little rivulets were flowing everywhere,and I could see my breath, very exciting indeed! I picked blackberries along the way, and for once I didn’t have to rinse the dust off them!

Little birds in their dry, tree caches twittered and chirped happily.

And I am happy,too.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Northwest Odyssey


Northwest Odyssey

Yesterday:a day walking around Seattle, ducking into the Seattle Art Museum, down to Pike’s Place Market, Cost Plus (gorgeous global discount store), a peek into antique stores, a glance up at REI’s rock climbing wall.Disgust at Elliott Bay Books moving out of their three story establishment downtown in favor of Capitol Hill. Delicious carpets in an Iranian carpet shop, and leafing through a huge book on the beautiful nation of Iran.

Next morning, breakfast at Silence Heart Nest in Fremont (http://www.silenceheartnest.com/?pg=home)

Drive up to Anacortes, as usual stopped at the old house used book store.Had only 15 minutes, but deftly scoured the shelves to find a book on Tibetan aesthetics and one on the white settles from the Yupi’k (“Eskimo”) perspective. Napped on the hour and 15 minutes ferry.My, cities are draining! Actually,travel is.

But I am glad to be back to the quiet island.An eagle was just swooping in front of the house.A long walk uphill, and consequently down dusty gravely heights,this morning.All punctuated by scouring blackberry bushes for ripe berries. Off to the yarn shop to pick skeins for a mossy green scarf for my mother. Funnily enough,one of the oldest houses around here is called Mossy Haven.

It’s a windy day,so dust flies all over the place when a car comes jolting down the road.I hide behind my red fleece vest, which must look funny.

A watercolor painting of the house from behind the trees is also going to be in the works soon…