Here At Last

Two weeks in Mariposa have flown by so fast, summer will be here before we know it.  Our journey south in the motorhome was blessedly uneventful.  We parked at Jackson Wellsprings the first night and enjoyed a lovely visit with family and friends in Ashland the next morning.  After backtracking briefly to Talent for a new fuel filter, we sneaked through the Siskiyous just ahead of the weather and spent the next two days moving leisurely down I-5 through a chilly gloom.  We camped the last night in beautiful McConnell State Park on the Merced River, where we played ring-around-the-rosy with a park ranger who had already written our rig a parking ticket before we were even halfway to the fee box with our envelope.  Apparently, using your legs instead of your car to traverse 500 feet is so freaky in California that even the state park system assumes that you’re trying to pull something.  We convinced the ranger of our innocence, and awoke the next morning to the sunshine that’s been with us ever since. 

The Merced, our new home river

Lysander proved to be a pretty good traveler—as long as we weren’t actually in motion.  He spent most of the driving time hiding, but was back to his old self as soon as we parked for the night.  Although it was unfamiliar, he seemed more comfortable riding in the cab than in the back of the motorhome.  There’s a perfect, warm little cat cave right underneath the passenger seat, and he even emerged to peer out of the floor-level window from time to time.

Can you spot the unhappy cat in this picture?

 

That's more like it.

We were all three relieved to arrive in Mariposa mid-day, leaving us some daylight hours in which to begin transforming our prairie schooner from a moving van back into a living space.

After four days of this, the normal setup feels pretty palatial.

Our “permanent” parking spot at Meherhaven is still under construction, but in the meantime we are enjoying the front yard and its ongoing circus of dog, cat, rabbit, pig, human, and vehicle activity.  Lysander feels ready to join right in and makes a dash for the door at least once a day, but we’re keeping him cruelly imprisoned until we’re in a spot with a little less excitement.   

Don’t be fooled by their air of refinement.  Orville and Wilbur are the chief  agents of chaos at the Haven.

Honey and Lila go through kale even faster than we do!

Socially, Bob and I have been going like debutantes on Dexedrine since the minute we landed.  I spent our first Saturday afternoon here at a rollicking bridal shower, where I met twenty ladies in as many minutes.  Meanwhile, Bob was bowling, shooting whiskey, and playing darts with the groom (an old friend) and several other local miscreants.  Since then we’ve been invited on a hike, on an excursion to the local brewpub (excellent), into a lovely sauna, and to a party with the biggest bonfire I’ve ever seen.  And that’s just the stuff off the property.  Here at Meherhaven we’ve been treated to many excellent dinners with the Chois, celebrated Penny’s birthday, joined in pig-retrieval excursions, and shared some favorite music and movies.   

Last weekend the Chois had family visiting from Sacramento and friends visiting from LA, and the joint really got jumping.  Seeds were planted in the garden, new games were invented on the trampoline, epic feasts were prepared and devoured, and Bob conquered his lifelong fear of playing charades.  I’m happy to report that our canoe, now conveniently parked next to its very own pond, is finally receiving all the adoring attention that it so richly deserves. 

You can fit way more kids in there than this.  We checked.

The goats added to the festivities by producing the first babies of the season.  The kids and their mothers are penned in the front yard, where we can keep them warmer at night and handy to tasty vegetable scraps from the kitchen. 

Somehow in the midst of all these attractive distractions, Bob has been steadily knocking out some vital tasks around the property.  A cell phone tower has been erected, and a booster installed so that we can use cell phones in the area around the house.  The electrical connection near the well has been modified so that we can plug the motorhome in up there.  The front gate has been fortified for pig-containment.  A pumphouse is in the works, as are solar panels to power said pump.  He’s also been investigating the workings of the “greenhouse”, which was actually designed to function as a nifty solar heater for the Choi’s house. 

In stark contrast to all this usefulness, I’ve spent most of my time here meandering about, petting animals, playing hausfrau, and dreaming obsessively about this year’s garden.  There is a LOT of garden space here, and a LOT of heat and sunshine that were not at my disposal last year.  Oh man.  I am excited.  Today I think I'll start some seeds and help pot up the baby green tea plants that the Chois already have going out there.