Tabla Rasa Casita: Our House

"Life used to be so hard but everything is easy cuz of you." That was the line from the Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young Our House song that had me running out the front door to hug my Joey as he made me a huge garden bed of redwood, madrone and oak tree trunks and branches. I made him dance with me as the song played out. "I'll light the fire. You place the flowers in the vase That you bought today." Except I was getting two raised garden beds equivalent of sixty by ten feet, a side garden and spiral for wildflowers. (The picture on the left is what the yard used to look like).

Only a few songs are downloaded onto my phone and one that repeats often and fits the sweetness that I feel in our homestead. Tabla Rasa means blank slate and that is the suitable name for our little house, the grandness of the untouched acreage around us and the brand new community welcoming us so warmly.

I gave a Ritual Herbalism with Cannabis workshop for Self-Care Saturday, an Plant Shop event organized by my friend Rita where I met and connected with Talia, a fellow massage therapist. After visiting family, Joey and I took the long route home along the coast. We stopped off at Maple Creek Winery and ran into a couple who graduated same year from same school. We also became members - three hours of drinking later. Back at home, we repurposed crates as cabinets. I love the ingenuity and intimacy of these small homemaking acts.

“Staring at the fire
For hours and hours while I listen to you
Play your love songs all night long for me
Only for me

Come to me now (Come to me now)
And rest your head for just five minutes
Everything is done
Such a cozy room (Such a cozy room)
The windows are illuminated
By the evening sunshine through them
Fiery gems for you, only for you”

The blackberries had just begun to ripen. This year the bears will get most of them as we won’t be returning until after Labor Day. I still need to figure out what the periwinkle star flowers are, but when Mori Natura, a symposium sister, came to visit, she identified the pennyroyal growing everywhere. After snacking, she interviewed me for Positive Fantastic podcast and invited me warmly into the “Mendo coven.” Be still my witchy heart.

Joey and I visited our only neighbors, Mike and Liz, who shared an organic bottle of Frey Wine, which is owned by Mori's family - such serendipity, such Magick! Ann, my friend from the Waldorf days and whose house I moved into when I first began divorce proceedings in 2008 came to visit. We caught up on weeks of our lives and then listened in awe to the falling of Madrone leaves. We went to the Willits Farmer’s Market where I bought a Baba Yaga bowl. The next morning, Joey found two hollowed eggs. The Goddess wanted the dried calendula leaves and the joint too. On our last night, Talia and a few other symposium sisters showed up a party we were invited to by Kay, our real estate agent.

Today, my sister Megan sent ladies in our familia the message that we are in the Lion’s Gate Portal. I love that we share these things together. Now is the time for manifesting. Think of the things that you want. Say them aloud three times. Make your dreams come true! You are the Magick!