Happy Solstice 6/21/22

Happy Solstice. I love this day almost as much as I love the solstice in December. There is something about hitting that halfway point when you are either ready for the light to return - or ready for it to starts its slow wane toward fall. After spending a couple of very hot weeks in Biggest Betty, we are ready for the sun to relax just a bit. And maybe provide some cooling temps for all those suffering from the heat. Although that doesn’t seem to be what is showing up in the forecasts right now.

I have always been a creature of the light so I am finding it interesting that I am currently wondering about how we can spend next summer someplace cooler. Even curious about what it might look like to spend a season where the light rarely shows itself in winter. Maybe the last six years in sunny places have changed me. Allowed me to finally dry out from twenty two years of living in Pacific Northwest rain. Or, maybe it is just the reality of living in a camper where you can’t escape the elements so easily. Living on the road just includes more out of doors time then when we lived in a brick and mortar house.

I rarely do posts like, this but we have had so many wonderful adventures lately, I decided to do a travel log today - with lots of pictures. I have been noting some big changes in my own interior space lately so why not mark this special solstice day with a change here as well. At least just this once.

As you know we made our way up from Asheville in North Carolina, to Nashville for three weeks. Then we drove north to Kentucky where we spent three weeks in a green field surrounded by lightening bugs. Oh and got over a round of Covid that is still lingering and making us tired these days. Last weekend we left Kentucky and drove through Missouri and Arkansas - arriving in Tulsa, Oklahoma to spend a couple of weeks with family. We had to smile as we set up camp for the night. We had made reservations at the local fairgrounds RV park which is about five minutes from our daughters house and there is a world championship horse show going on right now. So, we went from an empty field to a packed parking lot full of horse trailers and cowgirls. One thing is for sure - living on the road gets you lots and lots of new adventures and experiences.

You all know how much I love labyrinths and there have been a couple of lovely labyrinth surprises lately. First in the campground in Nashville I encountered my first spiral in a campground. It was so unlikely as the campground was very commercial and all about music city. But there it was, tucked into the grass under a large tree. I walked it every morning and we enjoyed each others company. Lots of people would watch me as I walked - maybe not really sure why it was there. I am hoping someone got inspired to walk it on their own after we left.

Then when we arrived in Tulsa my daughters partner gifted me with the most amazing labyrinth coffee mug called a “mindfulness mug”. It is made by the artist, Stephanie Krist, and I think the shape and colors are a wonderful compliment to the labyrinth. Such a lovely surprise.

Kentucky was a complete surprise and may be our most favorite place we have been so far. Whatever preconceived notions you have about Kentucky, feel free to toss them out the window. It is a completely unexpected place with so much beauty and funk. Louisville was the closest I have felt to being in a European city while in the U.S.

And although Kentucky has a troubled past - just like so many states in the south - it is up and coming with lots of free thinking young people and so much to offer - from outdoor activities, to cool independent shops, a really interesting food scene, and lots and lots of bourbon for those who enjoy bourbon. Not being a bourbon drinker I still enjoyed learning the history and bourbon making process on the tours we took to the different distilleries. And our sweet field in Kentucky offered us peace and healing when we were down sick with Covid. Just watching the fireflies each night helped soothe our stressed bodies and souls. And Brigid found such joy in laying in the grass each night watching the fields for anything that moved.

In addition to doing some tours of bourbon distilleries we also visited the historic site of a large Shaker community. They had inhabited the town for close to one hundred years - finally leaving completely in the early 1900’s. It was a fascinating look at what it meant to be a Shaker of which I had no idea outside of their incredible furniture.

We learned that they all took vows of celibacy upon entering. Even married couples joined with children and would move into separate quarters. They lived in large “family” houses that reminded me of the monastic communities I have visited over the years. Except in this community they lived in the same buildings with men on one side and the women on the other.

Many women found refuge there as they no longer had to bear children and were note considered second class citizens to the men. As a whole they rejected the notion of the trinity as it was seen as too male and instead adopted an image of duality - seeing God as both male and female. And they got the name “Shakers” because of the way they would shake and convulse during their prayer services. Absolutely fascinating.

And one day when we were still recovering from Covid but needing to get out of the camper, we drove to a local arboretum - taking in the scenic canopy overlook which sits forty feet above the ground and sways in the afternoon breeze. We were blessedly all alone on that hot afternoon and felt comfortable being outside. And we also got to visit one of the three giants that live there created by the Danish artist, Thomas Danbo. This particular one is named “Mama Loumari”. She was amazing - mystical really - and hard to explain unless you stand in her presence. I hope to go back one day when I am feeling better - and it is not super hot outside - and see the rest of them which required a bit of a hike to find.

We left Kentucky early on Friday morning and I stepped over a major hurdle. I suppose that having come through Covid I was feeling brave, and so I drove Big Mamma (our huge monster truck) and Betty out of the campground. It was my first time behind the wheel while towing and I feel like I am ready to test my skills even further. But no backing up yet for me. That is still a long way down the road.

As always we have been seeking out local breweries to try along the way. There was a great local brewery in the town we were staying at in Kentucky called the Scout and Scholar and before falling sick we enjoyed tasting their selection as well as their yummy food.

On our way to Oklahoma we spent the night at a Harvest Host in Missouri owned by a retired couple that have an antiques shop on their property. It was a tight fit with our trailer but such a beautiful and peaceful spot. We had originally planned to stay at the local brewery but with temperatures pushing towards 100 degrees we changed to the Antiques market because they offered a 50 amp outlet for a small fee. The air conditioning was much appreciated and we still drove down to the brewery to enjoy some dinner and beer tastings.

When we arrived in Tulsa our daughter took us to a new brewery and we got to try another tasting. Jason and Brigid are big brewery fans - Jason for the beer and Brigid for the cold floors and people. I go along because it makes them happy which makes me happy too. And I have found that I have a taste for the new sours that many breweries are making. They are not anything like beer - and since I am not a huge beer fan - that works perfectly for me.

Before making our way to Oklahoma we were able to enjoy one last week with negative Covid tests. Since we had missed getting to do much of anything for two weeks we took full advantage of the time. Visited the bourbon distilleries, ate one last time at the local brewery and I took a short road trip up to Louisville to visit my cousin who I had not seen in over twenty years. As I mentioned before, Louisville was a complete surprise and I look forward to visiting for longer sometime. I even found some antique folding wooden chairs for outside the trailer at a local flea market. They were tucked sort of out of site in a booth and I dragged them out. They are such a find and I love having a memory to go along with them.

And of course there is always laundry. But we were fortunate to find one of the best and cleanest laundry facilities in all our travels. It was run by a woman named Leona and we were so impressed with her clean machines and the low coast that I drove back to the camper and washed all the bedding and anything else I could get my hands on. The last day in Kentucky I went back to do some more laundry and was delighted to be the only person in the laundromat. It was so peaceful and a complete change of pace for our normal combat laundry on the road experiences.

That’s it for now. Happy Solstice.

May the long light of this day infuse you with love and joy. And if you - like Jason, Brigid and I - are suffering from the excessive heat - may it end soon.