within every ending there lies a beginning

"In these bodies we will live, in these bodies we will die
And where you invest your love, you invest your life" Lyrics by Mumford & Sons
We are leaving the Vineyard called Carlo & Julian. We were fortunate to have this time here. Felix the owner has a very special home and its amazing how many things he has managed to grow there! (i mean even besides the exceptional grapes ;) Figs, olives, artichokes, lavender, eucalyptus trees, hops!, tomatillos, and a myriad of other amazing foods, and herbs. Our work was not in the vineyard as there were already other wwoofers who knew what they were doing in the grape vines. However,there was plenty of work to be done if only one could see past the chaos. Besides tending the gardens there are chickens, lambs, , and ducks! Oh and who could fail to mention the cats...there were 7, a good number. Claytons job during the last two weeks involved weed whacking and chain sawing 2/4 the perimeter of the vineyard! There was an over abundance of blackberries and hawthorne trees that needed to be taken out so that they did not create a frost pocket between the grapes and the fence. I was spending my time helping clayton move the brush to the burn pile and working with the boys in the veggie garden. I dont have much to say about either job except that i despise blackberries and the scratches on my arms itch like crazy. I was also asked to help with the landscaping next to the house that had been neglected for over a year and only this spring did someone start cutting into the jungle. I had some difficulty with this job and liked the straightforwardness of the veggie garden. I think it would have been nicer to have some one there with me giving me a little more direction. I was usually left to myself and was often lost. However i did get a good idea about the plants i would not have in my garden! i think that wild geraniums should be eradicated. That garden on the side of the house was however full of secrets and before the other wwoofers mentioned that the house was haunted i felt a presence there. A very strong woman presence and she wanted things to be a certain way, i tried to listen to her as much as i could, and still appease Felix Madrid's direction. Felix is a very intelligent man who has a teachers soul. If only he had a farm manager and was able to spend a little more time working with his wwoofers! I am sure that only being there for two weeks does not really entitle me to have an opinion though. We were treated very well and dinners were made and wine was to be had! Company came often and the other wwoofers were very friendly. The boys spent a lot of time riding bikes and scooters and chasing the cats, and ducks around the property. Somehow they managed to pass the time with out toys and they liked it! But all times come to an end and a new adventure begins! We are currently driving to the oregon coast to camp around pacific city. Then we will be making our way south to California. We have rented a car (thank you Yia Yia, and Opa!) and are going to take a well needed time out from the world for a couple of days. I hope you are all living your lives fully and enjoy this sunshine!
Namaste~Nicole G.

Good Bye Washington

We said our farewells this morning to our good friends at Highwater Farm in Mt. Vernon. I feel very good about our time there and was sorry to leave, it went by so quickly! But there is more to learn on this journey and we are looking forward to seeing more of the west coast. The last week or so have been a continuation of the weeks prior and there is not much more to report besides sharing with you again that being in a field for a few hours a day brings a lot of peace to my mind. I have also begun an altered perception of how this world works. More people need to work on farms. All the folks who say they love their organic food should go cultivate the fields from where the kale grows. It will give you a better understanding of your place in the world. No one 'grows' food. As a mother i know that i don't make the babies that i carry beneath my heart. Their creation took place at the birth of the world, and while i am apart of that, it is not from me. The same is true for the miracle of food. It does not come from a farmer but from a tiny seed that contains the mystery of the world. Farmers are stewards of the land, the midwife helping to bring forth and encourage abundance. In a way just as the mountains at glacier made me realize how small i am in the world these tiny seeds make me realize that i am only a blowing thought in the mind of creation...traveling through the world to help create and destroy as the need arises. In other words...i am humbled. We are now on the train traveling south to oregon to go work on a vineyard for a couple of weeks. We will be living in our tent and i am happy to report we were able to return our punctured air mattress and i have faith that we will not be on the ground every morning! The boys seem to be OK leaving behind their new friends and are looking forward to this new adventure. Keeping positive thoughts that we travel without complications. Until the next post please be well! Namaste~ Nicole G.