Blooming Poppies and a Solar Eclipse/Full Pink Moon

How beautiful is the land when Springtime showcases her colors? Here on the Central California coast, we are awash with every wildflower under the sun. The immense bright orange poppies are in full bloom on the hillsides. The delicate purple lupine flower blankets coastal trails near the ocean. And, every which way you look, there is a field of yellow, red, pink, purple, green, white, orange, and a plethora of wispy and wonderfully overpowering scents.

Oh, the aromas. I walked out my office door at home the other day and couldn't figure out what smelled so fragrant that I'd never experienced before. Turns out, the pittosporum was blooming for the first time! This, according to Greg, who has lived in our house for over 25 years. He remembers planting the tall bushes (with delicate silvery green leaves) many moons ago. I asked him this morning if he'd ever seen the three pittosporum bushes bloom. Never.

I have been feeding, conversing, nourishing, and caring for each plant in our front yard and backyard for the two years I've lived here. I meticulously go over what all these goodies require to thrive and then from there I take action. I believe this all has contributed to the insane blooms, the over-the-top scents, the vibrancy of colors, and a woman's touch in every corner of the household. Even neighbors have commented they haven't seen Greg's house look so lively in a long while. That makes my contributions feel mighty special. Then I smile. :)

We also have a very profound Solar Eclipse happening on April 8th, followed by a full and large Pink Moon on April 23rd--24th. So you see, April is loaded with intensity in every layer of life. Textures, colors, heavenly occurrences, weatherly stuff, and the community things. Our small Cuesta by the Sea inlet neighbors are beyond amazing. People, dogs, home improvements, the ocean right there at our doorstep, the sacred Morro Rock right there at our doorstep, Sweet Springs Nature Preserve right there at our doorstep, it's no wonder I have trouble staying inside and staying focused on to-do lists that require indoor activities. I'd much rather participate in nature's bounties 24/7.

Wizard, our beloved pawed fur babe, is growing up and going strong! His mojo includes more big dog play, more road tripping, more chilling out on restaurant patios while we meet up with friends, more new pawed friends, and naturally, more places and smells to explore. Greg and I both mention how turnkey our little pup is and is becoming. Not only is he cute as a bug, but he's smart as a whip and is always a step ahead of us. I wish so badly we could take him on the trails at Montana de Oro where all the bright orange California poppies are blooming, but unfortunately, no dogs are allowed on any MDO trails--only horses and humans.

Thankfully though, we have other sites where poppy blooms are going off and dogs ARE allowed, so we simply take ourselves on over to different beaches with cliffsides, old fire roads that are open to the public, and neighborhoods lined with Spring flora. I've made it a mission to keep Wizard mentally and physically engaged with life's abundance and he's more than up for the task. Pretty soon, probably after the seasonal winds shift and the ocean water isn't so muddy from rainy runoff or high wave activity, we'll step into a kayak together and paddle off into the sunset. Either that, or Greg will teach Wizard to get on his paddleboard, stay put, and head over to our nearby dunes by the bay. I know this is going to make the event special and momentous.

Besides this month spilling over with lots of sky transitions, garden growth, and a mid-month visit with some close friends from Carmel, we're planning the next installment of road tripping in May to Arizona. I make this vacation/dog sit about once every year, depending on when my brother takes a vacation from his animal compound. Then there's another road trip journey we're looking forward to once the Summer season takes over, more foggy days take hold, and we're ready to get out of dodge in search of the sun, the mountains, the lakes, and the newness of the land. I'll let you know that later in June or July. I absolutely love road trips in the truck with Greg and Wizard. After the last small weekend trek down to Temecula to visit Greg's sister, I made a note how the close quarters for hours riding down the road and listening to music connects us further. We get to stop whenever, watch Wizard play at parks with new dogs, eat simply and what matters to our selective bodies, and arrive at our destination with no clue how things will turn out.

I'm convinced that's what keeps our childlike hearts in this game of LOVE.

Be well. Look up at the Solar eclipse (with protected eyes, of course). Jot down notes in a journal of what comes up during the Pink Full Moon at the end of the month. Talk to your family and get to the heart of matters. And by all means, do what makes your soul sing and dance. If not, what's the point of all this living?

Let's do this. Here's a glimpse of where we live from the top of Broderson Peak trail. You can see Morro Rock in the distance and the dunes that surround where we call home. I didn't use a filter for this capture one iota. Pretty cool, huh? Greg and I have hiked up to this bench countless times. We'll stretch. We'll rehydrate. We'll go gaga over the scenery. And we'll sit and stare for a bit until it's time to descend down the sandy stretch of trail on the opposite side we came up.

This also just so happens to be the cover of my 6th book titled My Old Man and His Sea. This was the only hardback book I published in all my roster of 7 total books. I wanted it to be the most significant work of mine, as it tells the story of how Greg and I met and what we believe to be the ultimate flamey love-ship. If you haven't read it yet, it might be something to take a gander at while you're making plans for Summer vacation. Nothing like a good book to read when relaxing by the pool, at the beach, in your casita somewhere far away, or perhaps on your own journey of finding that soulful someone who brings your level of existence up a notch. That's what Greg has done for me.

April is the month to treat yourself to more rest, more revisiting of shadows within self, more reigniting of love. I'm in. Who's with me?

In Health and Good Spirits,

Gerry Ellen xo