Day 64-I Think I Found What I Want To Be Home

We were told coffee at 7:30, breakfast at 8:00-not being a coffee drinker I set my alarm for 7:40. The bed faced two windows that at 6:30 the sun woke me up, and again at 7:00. I just laid there enjoying the happiness it brought to the morning. I decided after 7:30 I would head downstairs and see if I could make some tea, they roast their own coffee here so it is said to be amazing. I found an assortment of teas and chose the yogi brand "stomach ease" promoting digestion is always a great thing on the Appalachian Trail. I sat and enjoyed my tea while the others enjoyed their coffee. Before long the triangle was being rung for breakfast; we all joined in the front yard to hold hands for a moment of silence and introduce ourselves, where we are from, and one thing we are thankful for. I am Cheeky Chi from Connecticut and I am thankful for my family and friends back home who are so supportive that I wouldn't be where I am without them. For breakfast we had pineapple juice, homemade cinnabons, scrambled eggs, cheesy grits with scallions and peppers, homemade bread, and fresh fruit it was amazing! After I sat on the front porch in front of the garden and enjoyed the rest of my tea. We had a yoga session around 9:30 lead by Neville; myself, ManBear, 6Slash, Lorax, Ziplock, Rockman, and Onward participated. We all love this place to just hang around like Ziplock is below in the hammock, I scheduled a massage with Neville and it was fantastic. I've had my share of massages and this was one of the best. After feeling relaxed and revitalized I came out to Stonebear telling me I had a message, Renaissance called: he forgot his moccasins. He knew my plan was to stay tonight and head to Pearisburg to blog since the Woods Hole doesn't have wifi or cellphone service. No problem I can take them to him I told Neville. I moved my stuff over to the loft and opened my 30 pound package from my mom. She sent a copy of a poem she thought I would I enjoy and she was right:

"As you set out for Ithaka

hope the voyage is a long one,

full of adventure, full of discovery.

Laistrygonians and Cyclops,

angry Poseidon—don’t be afraid of them:

you’ll never find things like that on your way

as long as you keep your thoughts raised high,

as long as a rare excitement

stirs your spirit and your body.

Laistrygonians and Cyclops,

wild Poseidon—you won’t encounter them

unless you bring them along inside your soul,

unless your soul sets them up in front of you.

 

Hope the voyage is a long one.

May there be many a summer morning when,

with what pleasure, what joy,

you come into harbors seen for the first time;

may you stop at Phoenician trading stations

to buy fine things,

mother of pearl and coral, amber and ebony,

sensual perfume of every kind—

as many sensual perfumes as you can;

and may you visit many Egyptian cities

to gather stores of knowledge from their scholars.

 

Keep Ithaka always in your mind.

Arriving there is what you are destined for.

But do not hurry the journey at all.

Better if it lasts for years,

so you are old by the time you reach the island,

wealthy with all you have gained on the way,

not expecting Ithaka to make you rich.

 

Ithaka gave you the marvelous journey.

Without her you would not have set out.

She has nothing left to give you now.

 

And if you find her poor, Ithaka won’t have fooled you.

Wise as you will have become, so full of experience,

you will have understood by then what these Ithakas mean."

She sent it at the most perfect time because this place was meant to be part of my journey and I don't want to rush it. I continued my relaxing day by drinking a smoothie and eating homemade bread, and cheese for lunch on the porch. After, Flyaway and I gathered eggs from the chickens, a record of 16 I believe. Stonebear's hair was getting long so Neville decided to give him a trim while Flyaway and I supervised. I have become very close to these three people very fast.  Neville was not confident with her cutting ability, so after awhile Flyaway took over and the combined teamwork made for a handsome result. Flyaway told me there was a cricket on the post of my rocking chair so I pretended to eat it, meanwhile one of its legs fell off and I felt really bad so I fed it to the chicken in the garden. So sorry Jiminy! I couldn't talk Ziplock and Rockman into staying for dinner so I requested a photo with them incase we didn't cross paths again. All the things you wish you had time for you do at Woods Hole; I sat and watched countless hummingbirds zoom by, we fed the chickens, watched the duck roam around and just enjoyed one another. Michael thought it was a great idea to lead the duck into the house with bread-it was pretty funny. We even had an afternoon yoga as well, this time it was only 6slash, Onward and I. Duct Tape has a hernia and has to get off the trail to get surgery-his folks will be picking him up in the next day which is unfortunate. I helped in the kitchen with dinner along with others, we were making homemade tortillas, farm raised ground beef, garden picked greens, and homemade dressings for a Mexican fiesta. I made homemade ranch dressing as well as tahini vinaigrette. I also coordinated the fire situation gathering small sticks from the brush piles and having the guys get bigger stuff. Rocky kept busy by cutting the bigger stuff to a more manageable size. It truely is amazing how everyone comes together for a common interest. My burrito was bigger than a stuffed home wrecker from Moe's. It was filled with meat, cheese, beans, rice, sour cream and sriracha-so good! Pictured below is myself, Neville, GingaNinja, 6slash, Onward, Duct Tape, Asher, (Trotter's wife who was there supporting him with their two children he showed up later after doing 30 miles), Phil, Beth, Samurai, and ManBear. After dinner we sat around the fire and Rocky played guitar on the porch, after a little I sat up there with him and enjoyed the music. Michael fed the pigs nuts in their food so they were loving that treat and I finished off the night siting on the porch swing while GingaNinja and Duct Tape played some songs on the guitar. I envy them and miss playing guitar, when I get home I may see if Crowley still does private lessons to take it up again! It's weird how so many places can feel like home. I have been sad to leave many places in the past, the way I feel about leaving Woods Hole Hostel tomorrow and yet I always seem to land in another great place. I need to update my lovely blog followers and without that capability here I have to push on to Pearisburg. This place has a great vibe about it and being here just relaxes your soul, I hope to visit again one day in the future.