GOLF AND LABYRINTH

At lunch we met a nice young man and his two young sons and surprisingly, his parents live only about 30 miles from us in Grass Valley. Had we not engaged him in conversation, we would not have known where to go at Bandon Dunes Golf course to get the best view. We could not see the ocean that day but it is over the hill at the top of this photo.

Bandon Dunes began in 1999 and was designed by Scotsman David McLay Kidd. The course is perched on a bluff high about the Pacific Ocean and is completely natural and routed through an indigenous environment. No carts...4 courses...the game of golf in its truest form.

The young man we met drew us a map and told us to try and see the labyrinth. We drove around and around and finally got out and asked someone for help in finding it. It was very well hidden in the forest and if we had not asked for directions, we never would have found it. These cottages are on the edge of the forest and a path leads to the labyrinth.

We followed the sign that pointed the way

past a lily pond

and came upon these rocks in the middle of the forest.

There, in the middle of a clearing, we found the labyrinth and walked it. The sign said this about the labyrinth:

THE LABYRINTH IS A METAPHOR FOR OUR JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE. ITS PATH LEADS TOWARD AN INNER LIGHT, TO THE CENTER OF OUR SELF AND THE CENTER OF THE SACRED; ONE AND THE SAME. ITS DIRECTION, AT TIMES, IS CONFUSING, TAKING US AROUND, AND THEN BACK AGAIN. YET, IT IS THROUGH THIS CIRCULAR JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY AND GROWTH THAT WE RECONNECT TO WHERE WE ONCE BEGAN.

This labyrinth is in memory of Howard McKee, whose own journey through the labyrinth contributed to the vision and experience that is Bandon Dunes. This is a replica of the labyrinth in Chartres Cathedral, France Dated 1194-1220

Here you see Uncle Joel, Auntie April, Mae and cousin Natalie.

Natalie and her Mommy with Kahlua bundled up in her coat.

We headed back to camp and had one more day left on our trip. Tomorrow: the lighthouse.

TRIP CONTINUED AND THE HIKE FROM HELL

It started out innocently enough. There were words like: isn't that beautiful; look at that flower; it is only 1.25 miles to the ocean; it's not too late to walk, is it?

Then, the sand began appearing below our feet. Sand was everywhere. We saw plants trying to hold the sand back from encroaching toward the campground. Hills of sand. Sand dunes to be exact. Then I started hearing words like: this is like walking in the desert; this is really hard to walk in; walk along the edges---it is a little easier; I don't think this sand will ever end; but we're too far and almost to the ocean to turn around NOW.
Then, the ocean. Do you see that dune over to the left? Before we crossed over it and started walking south on the beach toward another trail (please!) I heard B in his most distressed voice say: I don't think this is a very good idea. I kept thinking: let's walk toward people not away from them because darkness was fast approaching...
and the wind must have been blowing 40 MPH, I swear. I have never seen the sand being picked up by the wind and literally sand blasting objects before. Your face tingled because of it as well as your legs and the rest of your body. It was a good thing we were heading away from the direction the wind was coming. At least it was at our backs.

We finally found another trail that we spotted because we saw a kite flying "in this wind?" But, yes, someone just over the dune was flying a kite at the parking area. We ended up climbing back over the dune and heading back to the campground. It took us probably another 1.25 miles before we landed back in our campground...before the sun went down and on a paved, level path. And we had the baby with us too! Fortunately in a front pack and covered by a blanket. Always be prepared when heading off on an unknown trail that looks innocent.

At least we will have things to talk about forever regarding this hike. We will laugh when we think of this 6 foot (plus) person in his red sweatshirt, standing at the top of the dune looking out toward the violent ocean and empty beach saying: I don't think this was a very good idea. Too late now B. We're not walking back through that again. Ever!

And so it was! We took our vehicles every time we wanted to go to the ocean from that point on. We learned our lesson.

I Believe She's Amazing Flash Mob - Toronto Eaton Centre

A flash mob dance video was organized by Kim MacGregor. Kim created this as a tribute to her friend Erika Heller who died of color cancer last year at the age of 31. Each and every telephone conversation they ever had, Erika would end by telling Kim "you're an amazing woman". Kim wanted to do something special to honor her friend and this is the result. It was filmed at Toronto Easton Center after only one 6-hour rehearsal. Kim's goal is to reach 1,000,000 viewers. This was forwarded to me by a wonderful woman in my woman's group book club. We have been talking about raising group consciousness. Well here you go! I hope you view it and enjoy it. It brought a tear to my eye and put a lump in my throat. Perhaps it will do the same for you.