Life is Better on the Farm

I GET HIGH WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS....

No, no, no...not the drug-induced high that many of my readers might automatically associate with the lyrics, but the best of NATURAL highs when beloved friends, who are closer than many blood relatives, stop by for a couple of days at the farm to kick back...relax... and enjoy good coversation... fine wine... and the beginning of the holidays here at The Farm.

I've known the people in these photos for close to 30 years now, and we've certainly seen each other through every rite of passage possible...births, marriages, remarriages, divorces, deaths, and various other life-altering events.

Each one of us has lived a rather "unconventional" life...we've done everything from travel around the country in a bright green school bus, work in the Peace Corps, live alone in a small house way back in the Virginia mountains, have huge gardens and live rather self-sufficiently, make art, become involved in environmental, social, and human rights issues to teach and work in the corporate world. We have rather strong alternative views on most things; we don't vote for the likes of George Bush; we are very Earth-conscious; we have always contributed to living in a loving way and making the world a much better place; we have produced interesting, intelligent children who carry on our legacies; we've all lived communally at some point in our lives; we meditate, do yoga, and chant in the sweat lodge, and we all share a profound love for one another at a deep and very special level.

So, last night, we declared that "THE HOLIDAYS HAVE BEGUN" as we gathered together here at the farm, cooked up a delicious meal, made a warm fire in the big room, listened to Sherm play his guitar, and sipped our after dinner wine. More memories were made to add to our friendship list of good times shared, as love effervesced in our hearts like bubbles from the finest champagne....It just doesn't get much better!

May everyone be blessed with similar connections this holiday season and beyond...They're the absolute very, very bestest thing in the whole wide world...