Gopher Gulch: Wharf rat to mud puppy

Today is the day after Labor Day, which means the end of summer for those of us who have learned to plant summer solidly between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

It’s too bad that kids have to go back to school now, just when the weather is becoming the best it will be all year. Would the world come to a crashing end if school started on Halloween and ended on the Fourth of July for coastal folks?

Perhaps we could soothe the troubled waters of authority if May and June were devoted to outdoor classes that teach how the world works, from gravity and geology to ichthyology, ornithology and the uses of common plants.

I have to change the term from “native” to “common” plants, having been scolded repeatedly for identifying exotic plants that migrated from Europe and Asia a very long time ago, as native. Some, like selfheal, arrived so long ago that the teachings of Native American healers include the use of them.

I’ve received more feedback on the last column than any other in years. People have forgotten how to play. They know something is missing, and they want and need it. As one woman who wishes to remain anonymous said, “I can’t get there from here,” and there was both pain and frustration in her voice. Perhaps together we can all explore ways to play.

While growing old is mandatory for those who survive, growing up is optional, and I’ve decided not to. The time when I needed to be a responsible adult has come and gone, and I did the best I could. I can spend the rest of my life playing if I want to. And I do.

I especially like riding my bike around in the harbor. I have no destination, no watch and no appointments. I sit in sunshine on the edge of the dock near a fish-cleaning station and watch pinnipeds and pelicans squabble with the seagulls for chum.

We often hear that there’s nothing to do here when the weather is wet and windy, but I've discovered a wonderful way to continue playing in the harbor all winter. It’s called Talking Crow Studio, and for those who don’t know, there’s lots of fun to be had there, as well as playmates whose ages range from 6 to over 80.

Buy a bag of clay, and Rika will help you learn to make beautiful pottery from dishes to dragons. She’ll give you a storage space, fire the clay, provide the glaze and all tools, and you get to take home your expression of creativity.

While the weather holds, I’m primarily a wharf rat, but when the rains begin, I’m moving into Talking Crow, where I’ll become a mud puppy.