A simple change of scenery – and pace – can be therapeutic. Our week in Mariposa and then Occidental – both in Northern California, was just that for both Andrew and I. Despite very hot weather – the chance to slow down, take leisurely walks, read books, sleep with no alarm, and commune with nature up close and personal was a gift. We were so blessed to have Ruthie with us on the first leg in Mariposa, and to have as our hosts two dear friends in the wilds near Occidental (Marc and Ruth).

My aunt and uncle have owned a cabin – house, really – in the Ponderosa Basin near Yosemite National Park for many years. They have used it to escape Los Angeles hubbub and now we as extended family have the good fortune to be able to make use of the two-story retreat. It sits on the banks of a riverbed that flows from the surrounding mountains as the snow in winter melts, and other residents of the area include deer families, Roger the squirrel and his posse, a few bears that we’ve yet to meet (that’s fine), wild turkey, and bats. The bats even have a custom-built bat house…but alas they prefer to roost in the roof gutters…no accounting for taste!

The most precious time Andrew and I spent in Mariposa was with Ruthie. Given the busy life she and her husband, Simon lead, it was an incredible gift of time and conversation we got from her! We got to talk about life transitions we are all going through currently, took walks together, cooked together, played Scrabble, watched movies, and compared dreams of travels and life changes and stages to come.

My hope is that the Mariposa house will become a gathering place for our extended family and friends. It really is a gift that Aunt Maddie and Uncle Elliott have passed on for us to cherish, maintain, and use. Hopefully as time goes on we will be able to enjoy nearby Yosemite Valley. This summer has been too hot and too crowded for us to venture in, but in the fall or the spring, it should be lovely.

We extended our Northern California travels to visit our friends, Marc and Ruth, who live in the woods just outside of the small town of Occidental. I’ve known Marc since we were kids. He was our next-door neighbor in Los Angeles and best friends with my brother Noah. We got reacquainted after many years at the wedding of my nephew Nathan. Marc met Ruth in Kenya where he was living and where Ruth is from. Ruth is a nurse by training and is now a home health provider. Marc is probably the most talented builder and craftsman I know. He’s had many different vocations but a through-line is his ability to fix and build almost anything. For the last few years, he and Ruth have been living in a very large yurt on many acres of land passed down in his family. He built not only the yurt they live in, but a guest yurt that we enjoyed staying in. Both structures are equipped with more than basic creature comforts and the surrounding area has a lovely pond with koi, a chicken coop, and the most amazing vegetable garden that Ruth maintains.

It really was delightful to spend a couple of days exploring the grounds, seeing the house that Marc and Ruth are now building, adjacent to their yurts, and taking a scenic drive to the coast nearby that includes Bodega Bay.

On our way back home, we stopped in Santa Barbara to visit with a friend who lives on the property where Ruthie and Simon got married, called the Klentner Ranch. Part of the property is used as a venue for large events and another large part of the property is used to board polo horses. Apparently Prince Harry’s horse is kept there, but I can’t vouch for that. The grounds are beautiful and it was lovely to be treated to feeding some of the horses and having a lovely lunch with new friends.