Ashland 10 September 2015

Jacksonville & One Play

A gentle day today: a ride over to our favorite kitchen and provision stores in Jacksonville, and an outstanding lunch at the C Street Bistro. This little boutique of a town hosts the Britt Festival, a music celebration that hasn't ever quite appealed to us ... but their Festival has given the town the outside profile it's needed to get its terminal cute on ...and that we do fall for. I would have to observe, however, that our old standbyes, Kitchen and Provisions, aren't keeping up, and this may be our last visit to them. C Street Bistro, however, is worth the lazy trip over the vine-covered hills from Ashland.

This whole southern Oregon valley, an east-west wrinkle in a generally north-south terrain, Bear Creek and the Rogue through Grants Pass, is a singularly blessed spot on the planet. High dessert, except for the streams from the hills around. Today, the smoke from the still-burning fires has been pushed to the north end of the valley, and the sky is cloudless and blue.

What a shame. Moments of brilliance. Whole scenes filled with wit, grace, humor, and delight. And then, the last confusing act spoils the whole. On the way out, a woman behind us: "I don't know why they had to play that horrible music..." A moment later, a man: "There was so much good at first, but then ...they just lost their way." A very disappointing end to our plays. 

I think the actors knew they booted it ... and yet about half of this strangely loyal, resolutely dishonest Ashland audience gave a dutiful Standing O. Do they not understand how they devalue appreciation by so doing? 

Meanwhile, Back in Caspar...

 
yesterday
i watched an osprey
dive into the waves
to come up with a fish
flying with it
in large lazy circles
(after shaking like a dog)
chirp-chirp-chirping his virility
until his mate came from the trees
they joined half a dozen zopilotes
riding a nice updraft
fish still soaring

today i watched a man
slow down
for my big black cat
to race across the street
i lectured my cat
thanked his guardian angels
& mine
hoped i would recognize the man
if i get the chance to thank him

coming up the cliff
from the beach this afternoon
i came out of the trees
at the same height & moment
as an osprey on the hunt
i wished her a hearty supper
& a lucky Winter
(implying at least
a not too unlucky Autumn)

walking slowly up the street
matching my pace to my old dog
without watching where i was going
my eyes were tied to
the white-tailed kite
hovering motionless
but for powerful wings
& sharp eyes
first one this season
almost Fall