(written for my grandchildren someday when their eyes are old enough to read.)
–Your grandma wore very short mini skirts, midriff tops, high boots, little makeup and no bra...
. 
-She was the “Twiggy” model on runways and kept the clothes for pay. When Levi took denim jeans from cowboy work wear to James Dean fashion, she chose maxi or midi dresses for comfort.
-She lived in Chicago and saw the Civil Rights movement and Women Rights up close and personal. She was 10 In 1965 when laws passed protecting people of color and women against discrimination.
photo credit: Julie Barkulis
-She knew that Woodstock was about to happen in 1969 but was 14 years old and was probably ‘grounded.’ She loved singing and dancing in musicals plays like The Music Man, Bye Bye Birdie and Hair. Aquarius was her favorite. In schools they did “Duck and Cover” drills under desks, in case of an enemy attack with a nuclear blast.
-Her hobby were going to concerts with many repeats to Jethro Tall, Bonnie Raitt, Tina Turner, BB King, Crosby, Stills and Nash, The Rolling Stones, Muddy Waters, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd. She was drawn to music because it expressed her natural affinity to the Counter-Culture movement.
-She was at the 100th Kentucky Derby going 2 more times camped out with front row standing room only spots For concerts like Z Z Top.
–She listened to Elton John, Cat Stevens, The Beatles, Janis Joplin, James Taylor, Eric Clapton, Allman Brothers, Traffic, Fleetwood Mac, Earth, Wind and Fire and the Moody Blues. Lest we forget the smooth sounds of Santana!
-She served dinner to Willie Nelson. Helped set up a Jefferson Airplane concert who were her neighbors in San Francisco’s Height Asbury. Talked with Grace Slick at the concert in the Golden Gate Park. She hung out in Gram Nash’s Victorian Home to celebrate his new baby son’s birth.
photo credit: Tony Damian
–She smoked tobacco and other things… -She rode on motorcycles as mode of transportation in Key West and The City by the Bay. She rode in fast cars with Wisconsin Boys filled with fireflies through the dells.
–She drank tequila at Sloppy Joe’s when she lived in Key West, in a Hemingway flat that came with Ernest’s legendary 6 toed cats. In the early mid-70’s when Parrot-heads and Margaritaville was not even a thing yet. For over a year in the Keys she developed a key component to “The Healing Arts” she calls
“blowin’ the sink off.”
photo credit: Kris McFarlane
–She came home at 2 am but still left for work in the morning early enough to do sunrise yoga at Duval’s Street Mallory Square in Key West and then Bakers Beach in San Francisco. In her Maiden stage, curiosity kept her very 🧘♀️buzzy. 🧘♂️
photo credit: Kris McFarlane
-In her spare time she volunteered and went to sit-ins and peaceful protest, against the Viet Nam war, where she lost friends. Protested a Nuclear Power plant on the San Andreas fault line, driven by her free thinking of pray tell, why on earth? She attended a peaceful week long camp out before the American River was Redirected; forever-changing water flow in California! Part of the 'Wild Rivers Act' Protection Laws of 1972. She knew what she believed in and was always willing to stand up for her morals.
photo credit: Tony Damian
For years she was part of the pool of volunteers to help establish benefit concerts for Bread and Roses at Berkeley’s Greek Theatre. These acoustic concerts featured the likes of Bonnie Raitt and Joan Baez. Bread and Roses were first to pioneer Fund Raising for ‘social causes’ through music.
She was rewarded a private whale migration tour under the Golden Gate Bridge after heading up a successful benefit for Green Peace. She had organized an event featuring roller skating around an outdoor concert with Crosby, Stills and Nash.
-She and her roommates helped to start up the La Leche League, food co-ops and recycling in San Francisco in the 70’s. They learned to drink Brandy with the Christian Brothers and Wine in Sonoma and Napa Valley.
-She married a music man, a poet, he was the son of a carpenter. She still lives in the same hOMe they designed and built literally, with their own two hands 38 years later. Buck was one of the original Beatniks ~ Hippies! He was a story teller through his original songs that stressed artistic expression of life, love and questioning for understanding.
-Her youthful exuberance never dimmed as she stepped into her Motherhood stage. She worked full time while raising the love lights of her life, children Ross and Rose.
Dedicated to keeping a close eye on the education system, in Volusia County was nominated as volunteer of the year with over 5,000 hours. She never had to be told "to do her part."
-She developed a career over a deep seated belief in God’s Gift to man in the ways and Laws of Nature! Her 'Tools in Toolbox' grew as her Aesthetics expanded through Curiosity, Interest, Studies, Experience and Observation. Her ETHOS for 44 years remained true, shining light upon our God given Body Wisdom and capacity to heal.
To make known our right to tap into the internal innate, God given loving intelligence. A belief that healing is a creative process and therefore an Art Form. Her life was dedicated to studying the natural Laws of Nature and Gaia’s Apothecary. Finishing with twenty years at the Herb Shoppe Longwood, Florida.
-Even if it was hard like the salmon swimming against the flow, she always stayed true to her beliefs. Like salmon swimming upstream, unable not to follow her True North! She became comfortable living outside of societies “normal” accepted conventions. Her belief that what society calls “alternative” is in fact the ways of the ancient ones and Mankind’s tried and true health-care systems.
It is what The Power of Weee calls Original Medicine.
photo credit: Tony Damian
Her quest to return to the garden is lifelong. She studied organic gardening way before it’s thyme. She spent the summer of 1976 living in an authentic TIPI with the Ross Family. With a fire pit in center this family sized Tipi was on Mount Tamalpais surrounded by John Muir Woods. Hugging trees, caring for worms and bees and tilling the earth was her introduction, to living and growing clean; connecting her once and for all thyme to Gaia.
photo credit: Tony Damian
-Throughout the decades she spent many different long getaway weekends in sweat lodges and week long retreats. She relied on Mother Nature’s Flora and Fauna along with Life’s experiences as her most trustworthy teachers.
photo credit: Lisa Darmana Photography
She sought to learn and pray with many different indigenous medicine women, going to retreats with well known gurus and yogis at temples with many monks and shamans.
photo credit: Tony Damian
Ancient Traditions is the foundation of where her spirit of 'Original Medicine' arose, organically. In addition to 40 years as an Herbalist some her favorites tools and teachings are rituals, ceremonies and prayers that embody: Ho'oponopono, Seed Mantra, Sound or Light Therapy and Meridian Tapping found in EFT. Additionally, for good measure her beloved daily exchanges in the oral Traditions
passed down lineage of
Usui Shiki Ryoho's Reiki.
Not many people will ever be as “cool” as your grandma, due to her experiences. Yia yia has stories for days, the sum of all her parts. Aristotle comes to mind with one of her favorite thoughts “The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.“ She worked, played and lived to her fullest and always loved with all her heart. She embodies an attitude of Gratitude and appreciation knowing Life is Beauty Full!
-At times it feels like her baby boomer generation’s life’s experiences need to be shared. Many of this generation think very differently than mainstream opinions, full of curiosity’s questions. Any one that knows her, knows of a passion to adhere to her belief systems of what she believed to be true. To the point of being stubborn unable not to stand her ground, not even for the sake of not bucking the system, or even the people she loves dearly.
It takes courage to go against the grain and stand up for what you believe in. “It takes Courage to grow up and become who you really are.”—E.E. Cummings.
She found strength standing in the gaps, for she believes that is between herself, God and her soul. For in the end the Soul, is all any human being is born into this plane with and all we shall enter the gates of heaven with. She always protected the notion that “All is well with her Soul.”
-She was and still remains with an authentic hippy-ish flower-childish situation going on + on + om. Once upon a thyme, a sentient out of a mouth of a babe made her heart sing. When these words of deep understanding rang out, “Yia yia you are a natural rule breaker.” She and her Granddaughter, Myah Jade were sharpening the other end of all of their coloring pencils; making two points.
She may not wear mini skirts and boots any longer but she is still in her maxi and midi dresses. She most definitely still dances and moves through life to her own beat and belief systems.
photo credit: Tony Damian
Guess what? The moral of her-story is that I am not done yet. As I “Ease on Down the Road” following that 'Staircase To Heaven' I am reminded of a walk with my children. We were at Gemini Springs, as they walked on the sidewalk; calling me out once again. Barefoot in the grass walking beside them, they concluded I did not walk on side walks because “Sidewalks tell you where to go!” smirk
Although, it maybe another chapter for Shel Silverstein’s book; I will stick to my grounding or 🦶earthing exercises!🦶Belly Laughing all the way, as I conspire with life to live authentically; on the strengths of my beliefs. In humility, I rest in the knowledge that I have made a difference in people’s lives with decades of devotion and service teaching the Art of HEALING. I Am turning another page, continuing to enliven my life by practicing “Letting Go and Letting God.” I remain filled with gratitude and in awe of Life’s lessons, beauty, joys and sorrows. Y’all will have to excuse this Mother, Sister, Yia Yia, Elder, Friend, this Wise Woman and Medicine Woman as I figure out how to wear my
Crone’s Crown;)
Bob Dylan’s “The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind” When I say unto you one more thyme. The answer, my friend, is diligently taking personal responsibility for the care of and supporting our God given innate 🎶immune system. 🙏🎶
