"Sweets for the Sweet"

"Sweets for the Sweet"

Almost four months to the day (March 3rd) after they originally got married in San Francisco, Casey and Amber celebrated their marriage locally by having a reception at Nikki and Swami’s home, Turtle Creek. It was the most festive of occasions.

Incomparable beauty

The venue was ideal, the hosts were unbelievably gracious, the food was a delight, the music was lively and the occasion was a great success, as we like to say in the vernacular. Old friends mingled with new friends, cider was sipped, beer was enjoyed and the fragrance of cannabis imbued the summer evening with the promise of an epic night to come.

I watched during the previous two days as Annie whirled into action and cooked up a veritable goldmine of treats to be enjoyed. Between her and Amber, they barbecued six chickens along with a platter of zucchini, prepared a pasta salad, baked a few dozen jalapeño corn muffins and put together a cherry gazuza of incomparable taste.

There was more-much more-and when it was all laid out on the table, it was a feast to behold. Folks brought dishes with appeal and zest and appetites responded to the challenge.

Jessica made the gluten-free cake and Marguerite baked a bonanza of cupcakes, all tastefully (pun intended) decorated for the joyous occasion. There were other desserts also, a clear manifestation of the old term, “Sweets for the sweet.” 

The evening was balmy after a day that we like to describe as “nice and warm,” here on-farm. You see, we don’t work when it’s hot; it’s against our religion. So therefore, we encounter nothing but nice and warm days, which make for being able to levy much appreciation for the cool of the nights.

The band was comprised of three dudes who rocked us with some blue grass/folk/cannabis-flavored goodness, at least during the earlier portion of the show. I must admit to having not made it through to the end, but then it was never my intention to do so from the start.

It was already past my bedtime by the time the party really got started, but that’s a reflection of my habits, and nothing else. I had much pleasure in reminiscing with Davy, our time spent together close to three decades ago, in the late eighties, right down in this exact same neck of the woods.

Back in the day Davy and Melinda lived only a couple of country blocks from where Swami put down stakes, and Annie and I had socialized with them. Our kids played together and Davy and I had built a home for Cory and Carrol

, practically within walking distance of Davy’s home.

They were the best of times, most remembered for our ability to work at full-speed, while keeping up a steady stream of lively baseball conversation. Hell, stream?

We’re talking white-water rapids. 

What with the Tribe just coming off a FOURTEEN-GAME winning streak, and occupying first place in the American League Central, and the Giants in first place also, we can only drool over the idea of a World Series involving these two teams.

So many treasured friends were there, I know I did not touch base with everyone. I can’t worry about that. When Swami asked if anyone had a toast, I leaped up. "It is written," I heard myself say, "That when a child fins true love, a parent finds true joy. Casey and Amber, you have found true love; Annie and I have found true joy."

I was actually fully prepared to go as long as I could, and then find a comfortable niche somewhere, and slip gently into a nap.

Annie and Ben 

I even brought my light summer elephant quilt should the breeze have picked up. As it turned out, our Ben needed to leave around dark to make the return trip to Willits, so he drove Annie and me back to our place. I know that Annie was disappointed not to have been able to get out there and dance up a storm, as she had promised she was going to do, but she knows she has to keep it to a low roar these days.

In this case her “low roar” is more like a triumphant blast, but that’s just semantics. We are both thrilled beyond description at this union of two such powerful personalities. I truly think each has found in the other, a genuine match. I don’t mean they are exactly alike-quite the contrary.

What they do share, though, is drive, initiative and an acute awareness of some of the most crucial issues facing us as a community. More importantly, they recognize that each can make a difference whatever endeavor is attempted. Leading by example has the effect of galvanizing folks into action.

Whether it is politics, medicine, leadership or love, both speak the language that allows for forward progress. Annie and I taught Casey to question authority but additionally, were he to do so respectfully, he would achieve a great deal more success.

As a unit, Amber and Casey are simply unstoppable. Community contributors and critical thinkers are a stellar combination, and great results materialize. Says so in the manual, page 12, Paragraph 4, Subsection C, right there under “Great Success.”

Amber O'Neill and Casey