Jasmine and Eucalyptus: Moon Sisters 2015 Part One

On Monday I took my first little road trip alone with my babes down to Santa Rosa to meet up with my "moon sisters." 

So much time had passed. Although I saw Missa and Mary last year, and Amber at the Nevada City Craft Fair, it had been three years since I saw Milla and Anne. I was pregnant with Toot when we all got together last! After the talks we'd had in the past about my infertility and my strong desire to have children, it was kind of mind boggling to be introducing them to both my girls. 

Besides traffic which lengthened the ride, our car trip down went pretty smoothly. 

The girls were so glad to get out of the car at Missa's light-filled, refreshing home, explore and meet new friends. Missa, Anne, and Milla had just gotten back from the weekend in the redwoods at the Women's Herbal Symposium, with handmade baskets and beautiful cordage, great connections, remedies and stories. It's been building for a while now, but this year I felt my strongest determination yet to attend a future session. 

I walked in; they handed me a beer. Took us on a little tour, showed us the garden and the plants and the swing. Amber arrived shortly after me. We ordered mexican food from the same little neighborhood taqueria where we got dinner last time. And we settled in for our slumber party.

They radiate light, these women. I'm so grateful to have gotten to know them (and love them) over the years and I have a feeling we will see each other again and again, in different places and circumstances, until we are old crones.

Anne's baby Margaret is a pure delight! A social little wild child who stuffs in blueberries, plums and other fruits at unprecedented rates. Her smile is electric. She interacts with everyone with glee and abandon. She's absolutely confident, vibrant, and happy. It was such a joy to spend a little time with her.

On the corner near Missa's home is a massive star jasmine whose scent fills you up as you approach; this was a sign to me of the sweetness ahead.  The space she has created is as gracious and peaceful her own presence.  Beauty in each little corner. Teas of every concoction. Plenty of spots to lounge, spread out bedding, slip into a new-to-you vintage dress. Inside her walls and out, you breathe in light.  The garden comes straight out of my dreams.

All the girls had a bath together which was impossibly cute. Polly actually got sort of panicky and fussy, alarmed by the newness of the situation, especially when Maggie was getting in, which broke my heart because it was the ultimate in cuteness. This trip made me realize how much Polly needs time to integrate into new environments; she often likes a little space and alone time, and at this point in life, during new experiences she needs me close at hand. Lucy was such an outgoing baby who has no problem going to others and is comfortable showing either positive or negative emotions to anyone. So this has been different for me with Polly and I have to remind myself that making her comfortable with herself includes honoring whatever emotional needs she has at the time. She has a lot of fun and is extremely active and engaged, she just takes a bit longer to warm up.

Lucy was so excited about sleeping in a "cuddle puddle." Bedtime, however, was no easy task. For either girl. 

Good morning Missatown.

Hiding behind their coffee cups. Sorry girls, but this is just too adorable.

Polly is at an age where she wants to do everything herself, including feeding herself (very messily) her own container of yogurt.

This is just what the morning felt like. Next time it's got to be a two or three day slumber party because this was a really good feeling.

The girls were pretty wild inside the house so we spent some time in the backyard before venturing out. Polly was obsessed with Clover's swing and luckily Lucy was feeling obliging and spent a long time pushing her ever so gently.

We all headed out to west Sonoma County to visit Mary. I had stopped at a market along the way, then got a bit lost on the country roads, and my babies were freaking out, already tired due to their restless late night. I was never so glad for organic lollipops and my dumb cheap little Tracfone. Part of my confusion was due to simply some blip in my head that was making me read address numbers wrong, so that was weird. But another part of it was the crazy winding nature of Hwy 116 and the flow of the surrounding countryside, so that was actually rad. Because it's beautiful out there and I feel close to Tom Waits when I'm there everything smells good.

Especially when we arrived at Mary's place, on land nestled near a eucalyptus grove, the other prevailing scent of our trip. It was misty there and cooler, and the sounds of ravens and horses greeted us.

Fern's room is a little girl's wildest fairy nestling dreams come true. 

They live on a working horse ranch. We took a nice rambling walk around the property and visited some friends.

Oh how I love these women: nature healers. mystics, curanderas, teachers.They taught my girls (and me) to eat wild radish pods: "a little bit ficy," Lucy reports, which we munched all the way home. They talk of activism, birds,  relationships, podcasts, chickens, children. They know all the good stuff and they see all the beauty and they are each sharing it in the most incredible ways.

Lucy was copying everything Fern said and did. "We're making bouquets!" "Now I'm going to make a fairy house." Thank you, Fern, for your good ideas.

Polly, on the other hand, was copying the chickens, boc-boc-bocking as loudly as she could.

A little row of wildflowers.

Fern's baby lettuces.

Door greeters.

It was a pretty brief visit as naptime was eminent and needless to say that's the perfect driving time. But it was a short jaunt that put wind in my sails and made me feel inspired and alive. I borrowed it from the raven and from the eucalyptus, from the smell of barns and the wild radish blooms, the horses' glances and snorts and tosses of their proud heads. 

But mostly I found it in these women. And it grows every time I see them and it makes me excited to get to know myself, the land, the plants, the muses. I feel like I have so much to learn and as my daughters grow we will learn together. 

Mary-Amber-Missa-Anne-Margaret-Me-

in front: Lucy-Polly-Milla

Part Two will document Milla's quick visit to my neck of the woods a few days later; see you then!