the summer so far...

Its the little things really, and as cliche as that sounds today, after an easy week in which;

- summer's heated hands have wrapped around us in a lover's embrace, calming the cool winds of doubt that it might be mild this year
- I listened to birds of at least 4 kinds beep and chirp through the deep crack and rumble of thunder in canyons to the south, and watched as the sun came out to create the pleasant irony of shadows in the rain as freight train thunder slowly rolled on down the line
- customers stopped by for lunch, laughs and a connection
- music reminded me to breath, to smile at strangers, and that we are alive for the last time
- I consciously celebrated the achievements of others and watched as their confidence rose
- I took time to watch the sea breath its salty kiss upon the shore, retreat, and lap against the edge of the map again and again
- I felt the resolve of a man who has made his mind up clearly, thoughtfully, and definitely
- the moon was fully eclipsed by the shadow the the earth, a rare and powerful reminder of how small the problems we carry around our necks actually are
- I received an email from a kid who reminded me that this is the first time we are alive,

.....it is absolutely true. It's the small things and my heart has been gobbling them up this week, over-stuffing itself with another trip to the all-you-can-consume smile-bar.



S.

Alice Cooper - School's Out (From "Live at Montreux")

this one is for the Rice Kids!
Enjoy.

Last one in is a ROTTEN EGG!!!

So after a 15 hour day of deliveries and pick ups yesterday all by my rock and roll lonesome I was able to take today off and go for a little bike ride through the farm roads...



past cool little villages













One of which is the birthplace and final burial place of one Benito Mussolini



where they still sell Nazi and Fascist memorabilia from WWII, strange...





Continued up into the hills amidst clearing skies, birds singing, and roadside flowers brushing against my legs as I pedaled up and up and up...


















To my destination! The Premicuore Swimming Hole! Amazingly clear water, eventually enough sunshine to get a light burn on the shoulders, and water cool enough to ice my legs, but not too cool to NOT jump off the rocks at least once.







Walked downstream and found this cool spot to stretch and chill on the flat rocks.









and check out some bugs and tadpoles...saw a great Grey Heron too but he took off before I could get the camera out. belissimo!







I bid the spot a farewell and headed down the hill. About half way down the mountain the sky turned grey, the wind turned cold and shook the spring blossoms from the trees, there was rain in the air and it hit fast and hard!





I took refuge in a bus stop and waited it out...at least there was art, some kids colouring taped inside the bus stop...





I fell asleep for about a half hour and woke to a new white car full of nuns in their new white habits checking on me, I waved them hello and began the ride back to town. check out the two pictures below, on the way up the water was crystal clear, on the way down rain water muddy!





Made it to town, stopped in the Tattoo parlour and the Asian grocery store again, came home to make some pad thai and upload some photos.





Total, 108.52 KM...tomorrow the beach!
S.

just another thursday

So I get home from a night of clear skies, delicious food, and sexual innuendos at the Morattina to find THIS in my inbox...a message from TaintBoy simply stating...and I QUOTE..."I just love it when you can feel kid wood and there is no mess." God how I love that guy. We meet a lot of people along out personal journeys, and none has been more important to me than one Aaron "TaintBoy" Newton; a good friend, and incredibly creative sicko, and a great Dad.





Lift a glass for that sick fucker...
S.

its called Fare Il Ponte...

Which literally means "to build the bridge...and for you working class heroes (or career students) it means, when there is a federal holiday on a Thursday, you slyly take the Friday off to build a nice little bridge through the weekend. Its genius and it was my time to try it out.









Aside from Thursday, which started with coffee, back to bed, then a late lunch in town with DJ Livia, then a little sneezy fit, and an afternoon nap, a simple dinner and early to bed, the weekend was pretty active and busy. Busy getting weird with Loni, or Yolonda - La Rossa Nera D'Emilia Romgna as she has been christened this weekend...

A simple 45Km ride to the beach by way of coffee in Ravenna, turned adventurous spirit when the left over "clandestine mood altering substance" was consumed on the bike path to the seaside,



where I saw new graffiti art, that is so close to something I drew after a very powerful dream I had back in 2005 that I stopped and stared and wept for feeling like I am in the right place at the right time...



I ventured down some cool paths, along waterways, riding every type of path and road and trail imaginable, past beaches, through the pines, past abandoned fishing canneries, swamps, even found the nudie beaches (where apparently, old fat men need to invest in some sort of fanny pack to avoid having to pick up whatever the hell they were picking up every single time I glanced over the dale) and eventually back to the beach having completed a quite large and unnecessary but rad side trip through the primitive farm and marsh lands of Ravenna.















A day of swimming and sleeping and reading and writing at the KUTA ensued.











I coerced some friends to come out for a show that was not as fun as getting to know them better (Turns out I'm not the only one who believes in Shampoo Sunday - Professor, we have a lady practitioner in our midst), crashed at Igor's house in Mezzano, which has been overrun with giant mice in red jumpsuits,



otherwise a quaint hamlet in the burbs of Ravenna,



I took another wrong turn on an amazing ride,











...and made it back to the same beach for more swimming, sleeping and reading, before an ominous ride home with threatening rain clouds. Good thing I packed dinner...













Grand Total for the two days 209.44 KM, 3 with a passenger on the rack...not bad for feeling out of shape lately...



Jammed back to catch some music/video art at the ClanDestino,



...and get a couple of ladies to pose for pictures saying the word "boooooobssss"



(their idea I swear) More laughs and an easy Sunday of shopping, cooking, reading and catching up with friends who work as hard as anyone here at the Farm, along with, of course, more napping. Never listen to me bitch about how busy it is here again! Even Frank finds time (and place) for a cool nap now and again...



Scotty.