Between 4/20 and 4/22

I've been completely immersed in working the land all week even though my body is resisting all the way. ("Noooooo! I can't bend down anymore! I can't crouch! I can't, I tell you! I just can't!")

Time passes differently when you are so single-mindedly absorbed in manual labor. I'm not sure if it's faster or slower. Just different. It was a bit of a surprise when I glanced at the calendar and noticed it was already April 21st.

A few years ago, I was up in Arcata, Humboldt County (way up at the northern end of California.) We got up there on the 13th of April to the annoyance of our CPA buddy who let us crash at his place ("But who would have thought you'd arrive two days before TAX DAY!") no doubt. April 20th that year was a drizzly, soft, kitten-grey kind of day. But a few blocks from our Victorian, at the Redwood Community Park, hundreds of people gathered to celebrate 4-20 Day, bundled up in parkas and rain ponchos, smoking and laughing. Los Osos isn't quite the Stoner Town that Arcata is, so it was easy to miss 4/20 this year.

Tomorrow is Earth Day and you know I will be celebrating it in style -- with my hands deep into this rich, dark stuff.