We are here. In my happiest of places.

Mill Valley - where the trees are huge with trunks of red and the birds sing and the sky is blue and the air is crisp and the smell of eucalyptus is. everywhere.

Where I breathe in deeply with awe and wonder

Where I am awake at 4 am with coffee and a book hoping the sunrise takes its time.

Where I eat toast heavy with fat juicy raisins and veins of cinnamon covered in chunky peanut butter and cherry preserves.

Where a deer stops in the middle of the road, gazing slowly at my car

cocking its eyebrow

as if thinking - why are you here?

this is my habitat

taking its time, lightly stepping down the road

gracefully ambling off the shoulder

to the woods

for a leafy breakfast

Where the mountains meet the next small town and then

the sea.

Where the Dipsea, so aptly named

dips up and down and up and down to

the sea.

Where I stop

everywhere

anywhere

and wrap my arms around a tree

breathing in the years

it took to grow

celebrating this moment

right here

right now

Eucalyptus leaves on the dash of the car

taking that smell with me

windows down

singing 70s tunes

with abandon

off key

no matter

feels great

windows down

glorious glorious

California

ocean

meets beaches

meet mountains

meet valleys

meet redwoods

meet grapes

oysters

and wine

and joy

oh my

my pace

and my breath

and my heart

tell me I am home