A Break from the Ordinary

The ranch in Comptche provided so many delights for us. If a change is as good as a vacation, a vacation full of changes is is the most therapeutic of all. Leaving the irrigated farm lands and deserts of Utah for the vineyards and redwoods of California provided us with rest and relaxation at every turn.

Bridger and I stayed with Roslynn at the guest house, this charming, rustic cabin located up the hill from the main house. Once we got the water heater going, it had all of the comforts of home. As soon as I saw the clawfoot tub in the bathroom, I knew I would be enjoying a soak as soon as it was feasible.

I finally SLEPT on our vacation. I was in a strange bed, in a strange place, over 900 miles from home, and I managed to sleep all night long. The filtered sunlight came through the bare windows, revealing the redwood forest that surrounded the cabin. A full night's rest was the last of many unexpected gifts during our stay. Another pleasure was waking up to the trees shrouded by fog. In the desert back home, fog is a rare occurrence, so this was a treat for me.

As I sat on the deck in the early morning chill, I was surrounded by giant redwoods, moss-covered trees, and the sound of mourning doves and songbirds. The fog slowly lifted off of the coniferous trees to reveal a soft blue sky with wispy, white clouds.

While we have plenty of mule deer in Utah, and plenty of white tail in Virginia, I do believe this was my first black tailed deer sighting. Early in the morning, it was my privilege to see the smallest fawn I've ever seen, several of a small herd, and also, three wild turkeys heading up the hill.

When  I noticed the chickens gathering at the gate of their pen, I took it upon myself to let them out. My feathered friends milled about on the deck beside me. Their gentle cluckings and purrings made for a comforting background noise.

Until I met Tonia and Ros, I'd never considered what headlands were, but as soon as I saw them, I was in love. The rocky coast is so different than what I know about beaches in the southeast. There is a wild beauty here that speaks to my heart.

 

It was wonderful to stay where we did; we were less than an hour away from the town of Mendocino, and the headlands. (Yes, now that I know that word, I'll try to work it into as many conversations as possible.)

The recording studio was an unexpected pleasure for Bridger. Steve set him up with an amazing guitar, and let him play until his heart's content.

This was my view from the antique tub. <Sigh>

An afternoon nap in the meadow felt so decadent.

Yesterday was a challenging day for me emotionally. My best guess is that I was suffering from a vacation hangover. 

As soon as we got home, there were so many things to do: suitcases to be unpacked, a car to be unloaded, laundry to be done. Bridger went back to his dad's, and I was left alone with my thoughts all day long. The contrast of our vacation to life back home was stark. No loud laughter, no hijinks, no teasing, no shady pines. It was back to the ticking of the clock, solitude, and days that heat up early under the hot Utah sun. I missed California. I missed the cabin. I missed our friends. 

Thank you, Tonia, Roslynn, and Sparrow, for a wonderful getaway weekend.

Our break from the ordinary was much-needed, and filled us up in so many ways. In time, this discomfort will be replaced with happy memories, and satisfied smiles. 

For now, I'm adjusting to life back home, and restoring a sense of normalcy to my daily activities. Today, I'll walk earlier. 81 degrees in this dry heat was a little much for me yesterday. Yes, I've been spoiled. The vacation was definitely a change of pace; a beautiful break from routine, and all things ordinary. It was extraordinary in every way.

Back to Utah, a land of hay derricks and wild desert flowers.