Buoyed by breath and kind people

Since I've started thinking about this adventure time as a time worthy of documentation, my whole perspective is changing a little bit.  Instead of being at odds with myself and my experience here, it feels like fodder for potentially interesting stories and written thoughts.  Alongside the perspective shift, I feel the urge to remember everything that happens; I am filling up my little lime green moleskin journal (thanks Mom) with tidbits of our days that, at the time, seem worthy of sharing.  With the desire to remember everything comes the inevitable forgetting that happens too, what happened this morning that I wanted to write about?  What was that hilarious byline I thought of?  Much like making a dance, I will work on trusting that the thoughts my brain subconsciously chooses to filter through are the ones that are worth remembering.

Sitting on Theresa's back patio, my prayers have been answered by the sun, cooking my shoulders a little bit, it feels so good.  There are crickets buzzing, and it's the middle of the day, the flies are landing on me and I'm not even shooing them off-- I'm that content right now.

Nick is stuffing baby eggplants that we found at the Farmers Market this morning with sliced garlic.  A month or so ago in Chicago we grilled eggplant to make baba ganoush and it turned out so well that we thought we'd do it again.

Also this morning we watched some of the Dragon Boats race down by the river.  Dragon boats look like long canoes, with spots for about 20 people, they are decorated with dragon heads and tails, and apparently it's a big deal here.  Teams from all over the country (and Germany and Canada) come to prove their speed.  Nick's friend Ciaran is on the DuTrac team (DuTrac is the credit union that Nick is in love with and that we are members of).  Their name is the Blazing Paddles and they wear blue shirts.  There is someone that rides in the front of the boat and crawls out on the dragon head to grab a flag that is raised from the water to signify a win, there is also a drum beater that the rowers get in sync with to unify their team.  Delightful.

Dig in kids!

Go Ciaran GO!

I want to be the one that crouches in the front and grabs the flag.  Awesome.

Peaceful morning on the water, with a side of Dragon boats to keep us amused.

Yesterday, after dealing with semi sleazy used car salesmen, and maybe finding a Subaru Forester, keep your fingers crossed, I went for a walk at Eagle Point Park; a gorgeous escape, the entrance to which is just down the street.  I ended up walking towards the end of the ridge that overlooks the Mississippi.  There is a pavilion there that has a flat concrete surface that sort of outcrops so that it catches a lot of breeze.  I've been thinking a lot lately about how I can make dance a part of my life and time on the road, and coming to this open space was serendipitous and let me actualize this possibility.  I am always pleasantly surprised in the way that dance changes when I am outside, when I am surrounded by beauty, and when the air is encouraging me to breath deeper.   I love and am challenged by the way that environment effects internal space, and this was such a clear example.  I left this little ridge feeling energized, having danced for the audience of myself, and more clearly believing that I can stay connected to dancing because it's in me, and I take it with me, and I will be changed by my surroundings, which might be really interesting.

If I go back inside right now, I will be susceptible to the dry roasted peanuts and candy corn that's sitting on the table, which if you haven't tried, is one of the more amazing snacks that Iowa family has opened me up too, I also promised to make some sort of "dip" for the "big game" that everyone is gearing up for.
I'd better get to it, and I'll post some pictures of the Dragon Boats soon!

Leave us a comment if you want a post card from the beautiful river town of Dubuque, I'd love to send you one!