These last days of summer and I’m still here. Walking the same rural road with the same donkeys, horses and cows to look at. Not ambling through medieval Spanish villages and staying in monastery-like refugios with my friend Sarah on the Camino de Santiago de Compostela.
My friend is on an adventure high, I can tell, and I’m so happy for her. She’s long crossed the Pyreness and is now in a village with a name “something like vilafranco de rioja.” Even as she walks, she’s planning her next Camino. So I’m keeping optimistic that I’ll join her on The Way at some point.
In the meantime, I’m using my imagination to find the adventure in the same ole. I’ve been identifying wild herbs and even using them medicinally. And we ate a wild mushroom. Also, Sandor has a new camera, which can capture an image of the Sun (seen here) directly.
We have a new hen, a strange bird called Henriella. She’s a Japanese Saipan, a breed brought over by servicemen after WWII from the island with that name. She really makes a racket in the morning — Canadian goose meets angry seagull — and ruffled some feathers in her old neighborhood. I’m glad we can give her a home out here.
I’m also excited to be taking part in Food Day Savannah on October 22nd, as planner for our Hen table and to promote the Coop Tour on October 29th in Savannah. It’s a SUGA (Savannah Urban Gardener’s Association) sponsored table, with Savannah Backyard Chickens. We’re going to bring Big Shirley (the friendliest of our flock) and Sandor will give advice on coop construction. It feels good to be part of the local scene, potentially meet new people, and promote the cause of real food and humane treatment of farm animals.
At the moment, with so much going on, I’m not wishing I were a pilgrim in Spain. In truth, there’s a part of me that loves to stay put. I’m with Bilbo Baggins, who famously declares in The Hobbit, “We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner!”
And speaking of, we’ve been laying in Fall crops here at Greenbridge, and soon the salad days will be here again — arugula, beets, cabbage, mixed greens, fava beans and more. As it gets cooler, I anticipate many cozy nights in the red shiny. I’m happy at home, but ready for adventures in learning, friendship, creativity, collaboration — and when the time is right, being the traveling Fool.
Kiss My Grits! 