Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Not food related

So yes, I was totally fixated on the food in the last post - mostly because my kids were being total aliens and eating like they NEVER do at home. But there have been other things to report....

1) At Sherry's house they have chickens, including a crested polish they've named Woitec (sp?). Isaac loved the chickens, hollering out "HEY CHICKENS!!!!" Then they brought out some stale bread for Isaac and Bella to feed to the chickens, and he was hollering "COME AND GET IT! GOT SOME TOAST HERE CHICKENS!!!!" Despite his enthusiasm, the chickens were not spooked by him, and did in fact come and get it.

2) Sherry's husband John is a mechanic and tinkerer extraordinaire, and the property is littered with innovations - half built electric carts, salvaged metal outbuildings, former restaurant stoves and vent hoods, a half-restored 1956 Caddy (with no interior at all, except a child's chair, which John sits in to drive it)...

3) The almonds have all been harvested and it's winter on the farm, but the orchard is still a beautiful thing to behold. I loved the optical illusion of driving past all of the orchards and watching them resolve into rows at 45 degrees, 90 degrees, ad 135 degrees as you passed... Sherry also has other fruit trees, and some orange, grapefruit, and mandarin trees that are improbably still fruiting. The idea of having fresh fruit growing outside has got me contemplating a move out here... ;->

4) TODAY we went and visited a friend of John's who is a neon artist, who gave us all a tour of his workshop AND a full demonstration of the creation of a sign from straight glass to a round blue circle, fully lit. Bella and James were rapt, but as you can imagine, Isaac was not only NOT interested much, but also proved to be a challenge in a workshop with open blue flames and stacks of glass tubing.... We all took turns with him outside running around... but ultimately I had to take him back to the hotel for his nap before the final neon was complete... sigh... But at least it got me an opportunity to update you!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

And your post made me smile and smile. This is a perfect adventure. Oh, I am so thrilled with these stories! Thank you. The images that pop into mind just from this post - you're a good storyteller and make me see that world.
My roommate in college had a lemon bush outside the door to her bedroom. Given the fact that the CA house had a separate door to her bedroom filled my mind with wonder - but opening the door, the first scent was of that lemon bush and it was heaven. I have always thought that would be a wonderful thing to have. Then there was the huge Haas avocado tree in the backyard of CarrieB's house that you visited as a little boy - wow. Visiting Rick on the Ranch in Cambria gave me memories for a lifetime. Soak these images up and when you can, tell the stories. Please. This is lovely light to share.