(photo W Volker)
(photo W Volker)
(photo W Volker)
Well, actually it was two rocks that we carted out of there in the end, couldn’t stop at one. We were off, myself My Rebecca, Wiley and our old friend Al to visit the local rock source and pick out some raw material for a headstone for me. Al went to the same high school as My Rebecca a few years ago in Memphis TN and wound up here on the same island. So, we are old friends and we were off on an adventure yesterday.
And we looked at rocks, big rocks and small, gray and brown, fat and skinny, humorous and somber, singing and silent. Al spotted it first and saw the vision as only an artist can. There is was singing away and near it another. Then I caught the fever and then Wiley and Rebecca. We all saw and heard it.
There is this type of rock in the West called basalt and it is of volcanic origin. It is familiar to us in in it’s appearance as columns. They are tall and in number form cliffs and bluffs. Maybe it would be easier to say that if you looked closely at a cliff or edge of a bluff you would see that it is made of these columns. Yea and when a column is broken the end surface is concave. These ends are like little dishes.
We all saw that those little dishes were going to hold rain that we are known for. That vision of interplay sold us. That was the song it was singing and that Al heard first. So working with the parameters the cemetery gave us it looked like there was room for two so…
Al has the knowhow to do the grinding, polishing and sandblasting that are required. Plus he has the equipment and personality to physically deal with moving them around. So, our team is on it’s own, we can take it from here. And the other good new’s is that Wiley gets to help and hang out with Uncle Al to lend a hand.
Well, that was Friday and heat was a factor. And today it continues a few degrees warmer. I am trying to do next to nothing and have been pretty successful so far today. I think we have this through Monday or Tuesday.
anyway loves, Felipé.
Yes I saw on the news that you had/have very unusual hot temperatures in the north west USA and BC too one report gave 38c which is really hot and something you might expect in Dubai, Muscat rather than Seattle!gone cool here.well choosing a gravestone must be in a way therapeutic?a meditation upon our mortality.speaking of meditations on mortality I had one of my own on Friday but not my own but somebody else’s!I was walking down the beach back to the village and saw what I took to be a dead seal or dolphin on the beach but upon closer inspection it turned out to be neither seal or dolphin but a man floating face down in the sea and very dead I’m afraid! naturally I rang the police and coast guard who came and took charge of the situation dragging the cadaver out onto the beach.looks like the remains of a 26 year old man who disappeared on the 17th of May and the policeman though a suicide.Looks like he’d be in the sea over a month assuming that he jumped in on the 17th.a bit of a shock to find a body on your afternoon walk!
Dear Kevan,
We were missing you here! Man, you have the best stories ever… although this is not exactly one very fun… I cannot imagine how shocking that might be… But thinking on the family of this man, I am sure there is some comfort on closing this search and the unknown of the situation. Thank you for your help to make this happen.
Take care!
Cris
Kevan ~ one of my worst fears over the years, finding a dead body. Now you have another good story to tell! Felipé.
Phil, the rocks called out to you! Isn’t it amazing how that happens? Something just seems right or we are nudged or inspired or the choice is clear.
Stay cool these warm days! Thinking of you!
And Kevan, what a story! Blessings to you too as I can’t imagine shock of that discovery. Take care.
From Montana, Susan
Susan ~ yea, it was an interesting process. I am so glad that we are in the hands of Al on this. A guy only gets to do this once. Felipé.
What a privilege to have a ‘family’ that can work together on such a meaningful process that most of us don’t get involved in at all.
Ann is a stone carver and always says that she chooses a stone because it reveals to her somehow what it has inside to express to viewers of the finished piece. I think that perhaps those stones will share your smile with those who gaze upon it.
Seeing the stonework here in Spain indoors and outside tells us a lot of stories. I look forward to seeing how the work proceeds.
Ron,
I so very much thought about Ann and her stonecarving passion… I just love how we all seem to connect in one way or another… I am thinking of joining Ann in a class -if possible-, when in Spain! Hopefully it may happen!
Abrazos apretados para Ann y vos,
Cris
Ronaldo ~ it was a unique ritual. I felt honored to be a part of it. We did look at a lot of stones and there were humorous ones that were grabbing my attention til we saw the columns. The idea of it holding water like bird baths sold me. These morning we were just with Catherine and Dana and the idea came up to keep a gallon of water there in the future to keep it wet. Yea. Felipé.
Dear Phil,
Although I have a fairly good English, I was trying to picture the scene of cliff and edges and columns and concave surfaces and dishes, and I couldn’t… then you wrote “We all saw that those little dishes were going to hold rain that we are known for” and “Oh, Boy!!!” … The image of these two columns, offering a refreshing bathtub to the hummingbirds that visit you now in the ranch came to my mind, and I could see them playing and singing with their wings, and playing around, and feeling grateful for the gentleman who thought about them wisely for all the future high temperatures in the Pacific Northwest…
And I had another thought about polishing the stones… but maybe I write a post about it.
Hummingbirds loves,
Cris
Cris ~ now you are getting in the swing of it. Yea, the columns are packed together and may form a cliff side. You are seeing the sides of masses of these column. Each one is five or six sided so the fir together. Then if you break an individual column out you now have the broken end to look at and that is the bird bath. Catherine and Dana were here this morning for a little coffee chat before the heat of the day. And the idea came up to keep a gallon jug of water there to keep the bird bathes most wet. Felipé.x
Awwwwwww… Great Poetic Pilgrims Minds Think Alike!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jealous of the little coffee chat Loves,
Cris
Cris ~ everyone should have Catherine and Dana living around the corner. The Daughters of Perpetual Indulgence. Felipé.x
Cris, What a lovely image. It makes my heart sing.
Henriette
It wasn’t so bad as I didn’t see his face as it was covered by a black hooded top and he was floating face down.I toyed with the idea that he could have been a life sized dummy but I managed to get to the body when the surf went down and saw his hands and I could tell by the wrinkled skin, like if you stay in the bath too long but worse, that he was human.he would have been to big for me to have pulled out and it took 4 policemen to lift him further up the beach.
Phil, you are like Michelangelo in the quarry of Carrara. I love that the rock sings, and that Al is the classmate of Rebecca’s from TN, and that Wiley will help carve the rock–you are all about connections. Thank you for sharing this story with us.
Molly B.
Henriette ~ I don’t know about that but it was memorable. Yea, the whole thing is a great come together! Felipé.x
Once again you are a pioneer, Felipe! I have never heard of anyone doing this before. And yet, what a beautiful way to give this stone we all know we will one day have a deeper meaning. Thank you for once again showing us the way. Sending much love, and looking forward to seeing you!
Annie ~ I think that I will be seeing you in a few minutes. I’m pretty sure you have touched down at SeaTac. But remember when we needed a Camino we built a Camino. When we need a headstone we find a rock. Felipé.x
You made me laugh, boss!!!!
You are such a proactive go-getter man… !!!
Have fun with Annie!!!
Love to all of you! (And I will get back to the rest of the comments later today, promise!!!!!)
Overachievers love,
Cris