Divine Mansion, Divine Ocean

I met my friend Jen at the very first place where I went to herbal school, the California School Of Herbal Studies in Forestville, CA. She had completed their full-time program and was living on the property, and we got to hang out when I stayed over on the Saturday nights (I used to sleep in the garden, since classes were on both weekend days and I was coming from out of town!) She runs the Wellness Center at the Herbal Symposium every year, and while I am always psyched to see her, we never get to spend as much time together as I would like (the Wellness Center is usually packed, 24/7, with women and their kids having "away from home and camping out" issues-- insomnia, caffeine withdrawal, period cramps, tick bites, constipation, dehydration-- you name it and there will be someone who has it, in a crowd of 500). This year I actually got to see a lot more a Jen, who played banjo in the Lady GaGa tribute at the Talent Show, and then busted out her banjo at the fire circle later on. She invited me to a dance party at her house in Sebastopol, where she lives in a place called The Divine Mansion. "Come see the Mansion in Action!" she said. Now it's a good three and a half hours from the foothills to Sebastopol, which is by the coast in Sonoma County, and I had just returned from the Symposium, but who can resist seeing a Mansion In Action? I threw Chris in the car and put pedal to the metal.

It really IS a mansion- an Arts and Crafts (my very favorite era of architecture) mansion made originally for entertaining guests! (The family's house was separate.) The main floor is huge and open, with a giant porch looking down on the whole Sonoma Valley below.

 

The "servant's quarters" are below. Right now, six people live in the Divine Mansion. 

 

The main room, scene of much Getting Down the night of the party:

 

Yeah, that's right, a disco ball.

 

For some reason Bert and Ernie were in the wood stove!

They are ready for a hoe-down at any time here. In fact, several of the house members are in a marching band! 

 

Linda at the piano:

 

Jen's room! It used to be a reading room/sunroom.

Jen's amazing hat collection:

The kitchen:

Jen is a practicing Herbalist, and the original Cloak Room is now her Apothecary! 

 

Left to right: Scott (Jen's man), Jen, moi, Linda, and Chris!

Funniest picture ever:

 

Chris and hound:

Before we went home, we HAD to see the ocean. It had been way too long.

Now I always considered myself a creature of the ocean, and thought I would live by the ocean "when I grew up". We considered Sebastopol as a place to move when we left the city five years ago, but we decided it was "too close" to San Francisco (an hour away), and that we would feel "obligated" to go into the City all the time-- we were very burnt out on everything urban at time. 

This reasoning seems ridiculous to me now, since I wish I could see all of my Bay Area friends much more often then I do. And what was I thinking, that I didn't need community at all? That I wouldn't develop a huge network of friends here, and end up at art shows, concerts, birthday parties, etc.?

 Honestly, I guess that's where my head used to be at, since when we moved up here at first I was totally content to just sit by the river, by myself, for the first three months or so. But then I realized I needed people. Very much. And I desperately wanted to be "obligated" to be part of people's lives! I think this was probably the biggest learning experience that I had in moving up here... that while I love nature, I love human beings just as much. 

I never expected that lesson, but that's life, teaching you things even when you never signed up for the class, and bringing on the Education even if you never even read the course catalog. Damn.

Anyway, we'll see if we do end up back near the coast eventually... it could happen. I feel so at home with morning dew from the fog on my skin, and I can really breathe at the ocean, literally. I always had exceptionally bad allergies to pollen and grasses, and living inland the past five year has been really hard on my sinuses and lungs, despite taking very involved measures to remedy this (acupuncture, herbs, diet changes, etc.) Of course, now I feel rooted in the foothills. 

I am lucky that my dilemma in life is choosing between two amazing places to live, when people in most of the world can't even choose anything at all. I am so grateful for all of my ancestors, right up to my own parents, who worked so hard, and dared to come to America, and come West, so that I could live an eternal Bohemian Dream in this wonderland of California. Thanks guys! I hope that those who are now passed to the other side can get some vicarious enjoyment from my love of this extraordinary life.

 

Pacific, I heart you forever.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Comments

[*winter]

That s bird formation in the background of you is amazing, it looks as if you are part of the birds flock.... I'm sure your vicarious living ancestors are having a blast with your life choices.

[runic rhyme]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Those ocean shots! Jen's apothecary! The beauty playing piano! Thanks AGAIN for sharing :]

[Evelyn Fassett]

Rich photos, inspiring story.. I agree - that people are something we just can't do without!! They make life so much fun <3 Hugs, Ev

[Milla]

Divine indeed! I just love following your adventures, gosh. I've shared a few of your pictures in my blog I hope that's ok?

[Adie Beatty]

Sash you are adORABLE! Oh my word, even tho I am more of a mountain girl, the spirit of Sebastopol and Forestville (where my sis and I once resided) still sticks to my soul. Oh the herbal school! Oh the apothecaries! The magic!

Looks like you had an amazing time..... I have to go to the herbal symposium someday. Can anyone go? I use herbs everyday, does that qualify me?, they are my doctor!

And know that the right place will come to YOU! It will beckon your name, call your heart and soul, and you will know it's perfect for ya. It just might not hit you until the perfect moment has flown in on the winds of time.

[Missa]

Oh Sebastopol, such a groovy town it is :) What a unique and amazing living situation this Mansion appears to be! Bert and Ernie sure seem to love it, is it just me or is it gettin' hot in that there woodstove? ;)

That photo of you on the beach with the birds is spectacular Sasha!

[Dottie]

Hi Sasha,
I'm the proud owner of one of your Etsy items--http://ladybitsvintage.blogspot.com/2010/04/holy-grail.html. I altered them a bit, and they are the most comfortable pair of jeans ever. I am one happy customer, and I love your blog. Please keep up the musing.

love,
Dottie

[Hollie]

This whole post is too deep and perfect for me to handle. EVERYTHING IS AMAZING

[Violet Folklore]

Ahhh how lovely! I am sighing with major envy over Jen's room (house, life, knowledge, medicine collection, hat collection, ocean proximity...)