This falls into the category of freeing up space – physically and more importantly – mentally.  So I’m throwing this out to see what comes back …

I’m thinking about parting with my Ornament magazine collection – almost 20 years worth, back to 1991, about 80 or so issues.  I would like for them to go to a good home rather than just plopping them down in the magazine swap at the library.  When I parted with my American Craft collection a few months ago, I looked for a nice home around here – no takers.  I’m thinking the same thing will apply with Ornament.  If anyone’s interested in adopting them, let me know.  I’ll even pay for media rate shipping.

I realized after looking back through my journal, I seem to be on a six month cycle of purging.  Spring and fall are always big transition times, but this particular October is the 20th anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake in California.  Hard not to think back on the vast changes I’ve been through since then.

But man oh man, that earthquake!  I was 10 miles from the epicenter in our little truck on the way to pick up Dave after work.  We were living just north of Santa Cruz in a little town called Davenport (recently in the news for wildfires).   Davenport, by itself, was probably my favorite place that we’ve ever lived.  Odwalla juice was just down the street (long before CocaCola bought it).  The Ocean View Gas Station and Bakery had the best blueberry muffins EVER.  I could sit out on the cliffs above the Pacific, drink my fresh carrot juice, munch muffins and watch the whales migrating north.  We had famous neighbors like  John Babcock, a legendary paper artist, potter Al Johnson of Scott Creek equipment fame and the truly legendary potter and author, Daniel Rhodes (I participated in the last wood firing at Daniel’s noborigama before he died).

Our teeny house was a remodeled chicken coop – sounds crazy, but the owner was a big time architect, so it was a really nice chicken coop.  From our kitchen window I could see the Pacific and, on one occasion, even saw a whale spout.  Our ‘yard’ was a sea of allyssum and nasturtiums and canna lilies and jasmine.  We shared the property with the ‘big house’ and had access to the most sublime outside shower ever.  OMG it was heaven!  The decking was shipping palettes that had been spruced up, the ground was covered in a lush green blanket of baby’s tears, enormous nasturtiums climbed the walls winding their way through abalone shells.  The only time you ever noticed the brisk and intense wind was when it stopped.  The water was scalding, the heady fragrance of salt air and soap and wet earth embraced you.  The walk down to the cove at the beach was about a 1/2 a mile past acres of brussels sprouts and through groves of eucalyptus trees.  The icing on the cake was the quality of light – something about the low humidity?  All I know is we’ve never seen sunsets like those anywhere else.  So many times I’ve wondered if I could find another place just a bit like Davenport – just not in California.  Too, too many people and, I gotta say, I really HATE earthquakes.  I’m still looking.

After the earthquake, we waited a few months for the price of U-hauls to drop and headed back east for out first move to NC.  Anniversaries are all about looking back and assessing one’s progress/life/process … well, lots of reflection.  We’ve been on such a ride since then.  I guess the ride continues.  But I still miss Davenport.

One more bit of  something – we actually found something interesting to watch on TV!  Since we can’t get satellite, we’re stuck with cable and have been perusing the OnDemand stuff.  Turns out there’s this great show on Sundance channel – Man Shops Globe.   It’s about the guy who buys all that outrageously cool stuff for Anthropologie and follows him around on his shopping trips.  We missed the first one to France – bumming heavily, but the next two were Turkey and South Africa.  So, if anyone gets Sundance channel – look for it; anyone with cable – look for it OnDemand.  A really great 1/2 hour of inspiration.

Okay, time for me to actually get some work done.  Once again – anyone interested in giving my Ornament collection a nice new home, let me know.

so for now…..

many blessings – kvk