6/1/11

6/1/11
Last February I noticed that it was a bad luck month for me. Not just 2011, but at least a couple of February's of the past also. Feb 6th seems to be an especially difficult day, even though it's B. Marley's b-day. I remember it as bad luck because it's usually the day I have had enough (of relationships, jobs, my car, crazy landlords) & I quit. It's a day of ending and in retrospect, always the birthing of something new.
Memorial Day weekend has played itself to be a good luck day and the month of May in total seems to bring great things. sunshine, flowers, family, friends,... and my birthday. In the last two weeks I have spent more time with people I'm either related to or relate to , than I have since childhood. Likely about 25 years.
On the day of reckoning my cousin go married. May 21st turned out to be a day of great expectations between the marriage of two people and the predicted apocalypse on the schedule. I hadn't been to a wedding or family function for that matter since I was just a wee small puff. Though I don't remember, I know I was there from photos. All the uncles and aunts were at the wedding as they were in the 80's family photos and my brother and I were again the only brown folks there. Of no matter, just something we realize when in large congregations of people; something to laugh about.
Lil' bro and I actually missed the ceremony (we were 15 minutes late) but did drive through the squall of a downpour that rolled through while the bride and groom were exchanging vows. A purifying blessing of water from above. Good luck right? I think so.
The wedding was beautiful and it was awesome to see the folks I'm related to and the funny thing is that even after not seeing most of them for over 20 years, outside of the graying hairs and round tummies, everyone looked exactly the same! Hardly aged. My cousin is from the Duff side (mom's) of the family. Not big huggers or dancers, but a kooky, hilarious, intelligent, and sarcastic clan that I'm glad to belong to.

The fun continued...

This past holiday weekend was the time which really should have been prophesy. A momentous couple of days in my life at least. Though the only way prophecies come true is if they aren't expected. Monumental events are never seen coming. They follow the black swan theory. If they are to happen they can not be envisioned. They must be kept a secret, never discovered in that ancient tomb, if they are to manifest. Though a prophecy attempts to predict the future, all that really matters is after the fact if it's fulfilled. My attempt to philosophize...
This weekend was like an aligning of distant stars when my all my siblings and fiance congregated here in the Catskills. The weather was a nasty hot humid mess welcomed after days of rain, but so very sweaty, especially when hiking. Saturday we walked the property and hiked one of the only marked trails on Menla's property. Though there were blue dots on the trees marking the trail, the path was nonexistent. Winter's melt and spring's rains washed out ant footpath that may have been. It was treacherous and I found it extremely difficult and unsatisfying having to climb up loose, unstable rocks covered in deep leaves. We never made it to the top.
Half way up I found a massive fruiting of oyster mushrooms. Fresh and pure white, like a lantern hanging on an old dead stump. I harvested maybe 5 lbs. and after convincing everyone to help me carry them down the mountain, made it back to the house and fried them up. Though scared of being poisoned or finding them disgusting, the family tried them and loved them! It was a great family moment harvesting choice mushrooms from the wild and eating them. A first but hopefully not a last.
We had not all been together since Dad's 60th birthday 5 years ago. I had an awesome time and am glad to be on the east coast closer to them and at a place where they can come and chill and nature out. "See ya next weekend!" hasn't been something I could say living out west, since my lil' bro was a pre-teen. Moving away when he was 12, I missed out on 1/2 of him growing up. Now we are buds.
My older bro is exactly that, the big brother. Though he may have cared for me growing up, (he's only a year older than me, almost to the day) he didn't really show it, neither did I. Now that we've made it out of crazy youth, I love hanging out with him. He's supportive and interested in me and my abilities. Feels good.
My sister is radiant as usual. beautiful, healthy, in shape, and happy! She always makes me feel so loved and seems so happy to see me. Zach, her fiance, is rad. he's smart, fun, and responsible... and he loves my sister. I'm really glad he'll be a part of the family... I think he kinda already is!
Now that they have all been here I expect they'll come back. I think this place is better than they had anticipated. Maybe later in the summer when the garden's bombastic and fantastic.