Ronelle Wood of Ojai Healing Movement shot and edited the video. Good job Ronelle.

The lovely owners of Ojai Village Drug agreed this past week to let me do something I’ve wanted for a fairly long time. I got to paint a giant 53″ Ojai Face on the pharmacy window.

Since this was a monumental event for me (I’m fond of small thoughts) I called up my buddy Joe who had his gal Ronelle come over and take a few pics of the process. This all happened Friday afternoon on the eve of Ojai Day.

This is a little piece I wrote a few years ago that was published in the Pink Minute, a one-sheet paper I have published a few times in the past years. Enjoy.

No true soul can deny their lover at sunset. Not in a place so amorous, that on the verge of night, even the obstinate sand-stone bluffs ripen like cherries and smolder and giggle and say, “Stop, you’re embarrassing me.”

Regional Disclaimer — All rights reserved for all things pink in color elapsing 60 seconds or less

I guess you could call me a classic servant, because there is nothing I love more than taking orders. Especially for t-shirt printing gigs for my favorite Ojai friends and business associates.

Today, I met with Rob Tucker, of Jim & Rob’s Fresh Grill. Have you heard the song that plays on their website: http://www.jimandrobsojai.com/?

Hilarious!
“So what are you waiting for?
You’re in for a gastronomical thrill
Grab a chair and set your butt down
At Jim & Rob’s Fresh Grill”

I love the veggie burrito and their cell phone check in thing that sends me text messages about specials and lets me know when I have a free plate of grub available to eat. Carmen loves the Margaritas.

I should have the shirts printed and delivered by Monday Sept. 17, 2012. Check them out and have a chimichanga or fajita or tamale, or a burger. Jim & Rob’s Fresh Grill Ojai is located at 214 W. Ojai Ave. Suite 101. Call in to go orders (805) 640-1301.

email mail@christwilson.com if you have any questions.

@ojairesort Lovely! XOXO BRIDE | Weddings and Events for #WeddingWednesday summer wedding! Sonia’s attention to… a href=”http://t.co/fE1WoWgL”http://t.co/fE1WoWgL/a — Catherine Tatum (@ClassicLegacy)

Almost a week ago, I arrived in Minnesota to visit my sons for Father’s Day. We’ve biked extensively on the paths across the bridges and down the greenway in one of America’s top cycling cities.

My son Elijah who’s 21 in a few more months mentioned open mic comedy Monday at Acme Comedy Club in Minneapolis. This got me going so I sat up a few nights and worked on a 3 minute standup routine and did it.

Here’s a link to the cell phone recording I did. My phone was in my pocket, so I apologize for the poor audio quality.

Here’s a few pics.

I could tell stories about mom’s pan fried gluten steaks, the Tupperware party songs and our goat buck Siggy (short for Siegfried) at our ranch up the road from Ardenvoir who could jump any fence, but instead this one’s about an after-church late summer potluck at Hazel Dell Park in Vancouver, Washington in the very early 1980s.

The hero is Bob Bolton and his lovely brunette wife Rhonda. I liked her smile because her teeth were flawless and I never saw her bite anyone. She represented genetically perfect maxillofacial structure in my young mind. I was in awe of how perfectly the upper and lower jaw aligned, the strength and sharpness at the corner beneath her ear and how when she’d speak the mystery would unravel like a hot pink stocking. My young mind was so curious and intuitive. I thought.

Bob was and probably still is a jovial active outdoorsman. Seems like he was a draftsman or systems engineer or punch card computer programmer. He had the body of a devoted student. He had a pinched temple thirty-yard gaze, also known as nearsightedness. He loved the particular details of life. Like names of things. He was a birder by hobby and boasted about his acumen often. And he emphasized his dictums with a rub of the nose and a pushup on the glasses.

And on that day in that park after our church members had broken bread and casserole and veggie links and corn and pie we were all standing around shooting it you know? I probably had a friend or two there to hang with. Mom and Dad yucking it up with Doris or Pastor or someone. The group must’ve dwindled to a few dozen by this time. Then Bob lets loose with a report aimed at Rhonda but directed to all of us.

“Rhonda, was that I Rufus Sided Towhee?” he exhuberated. “I think that was a Rufus Sided Towhee Rhonda, did you hear it?” Rhonda barely turned off her mousy prattle to arch her porcelain brow at Bob’s invitation to listen and look for the feisty under brush thrasher. But Bob did his 123 rub glasses nudge so proud of his achievement. Internal clone high fives commenced.

Within a few moments we’d loaded up the hot plates and coolers and were headed on to our next Sabbath afternoon destination. I believe it was our favorite aftermeal hike that short trail at the end of the hall that led to mattress flats right above box springs. Hardyharrhhharrr.

Me and Mom and Dad have been laughing about that for a good 30 years. And where I live now, a convenient 1,000 miles south in the Upper Ojai Valley. I see that little black winged bird with the white specks and the reddish brown breast threshing the fallen leaves and twigs searching for the grubs and seeds that fill his little Rufus Sided tummy.

And then finally I did this little design and made some new things. The cool part is that I finally did a black design that I paint in the details. I love being an artist and I’m so grateful for my childhood. It’s a sort of coloring book life that inspires what it was like for me growing up in my hometown.

So I drove into downtown Ojai and parked my car in front of my beloved Art Center (have I mentioned that I’m PR person on their board of trustees?) and took my bike down for a little ride to my dentist in Oak View.

After learning that I have three cavities and that Dr. Joe Westbury lives a quiet life in Meiners Oaks, I hopped back on the extreme coaster cruiser and huffed it back up the bike path to town. Just past the “Y” on the path adjacent to the Ojai Valley Inn I noticed a big man with long gray hair and a beard ambling along the path with a petite crop coiffed blonde. Even from 30 or 40 feet, I thought whoa that looks like The Dude. And then as I pedaled past the couple I confirmed my suspicions with a nod and a smile that he warmly returned. The Dude Abides.

I attempted to talk to my phone and google voice a text message to my BooBoo Sonia Erneux but that wasn’t working so I thumbled it into my phone as I rode along. I was mildly struggling with myself over whether to go back and bother him and had basically resigned myself to be satisfied having seen him whatever. Then Sonia texted back that I had to get a picture of him. So I went back.

I’ve met or seen other celebrities but you have to admit Jeff Bridges is pretty fucking spectacular. I said “Excuse me, permission to approach.” He said “Yeah sure.” I said, “Nice to see you, would it be OK for us to have a picture together?” He was like, “Yeah sure man.” So I took off my green helmet, pulled my trusty Canon G11 from my purse. His wife reached for the camera and said, “Here, let me take the picture of you two.” I handed the camera to her. While she was trying to figure out how to turn it on, I asked, “Does my hair look alright?” He said, “It looks great.” and then pinched my little thin crest and straightened it gently while putting a big old monster bear hug on my shoulder. The Dude is Huge dude, seriously. I returned the favor and we smiled together for what seemed a pleasant micro-eternity. He must have liked me, just look at his nipple. Finally he let go and he said, “Maybe you can help us out too. Can you tell us how to get back into this hotel?” I was like, “Yeah you’re almost there. There’s a gate right up there off the path.” I was like, “How long are you in town for?” And he said, “Just for one night.” I was like, “Cool, it was great to meet you. Have a fun time in Ojai.” Then I gave him an Ojai Face decal and a window washing postcard. And said, “If you’d like to get your windows washed, give me a jingle.”

I wonder when he’ll call?