By Louie Ferrera

I put a smile on my face and I keep it on all day.

Joy

Keawakapu Beach is a mile long slice of paradise in the little town of Kihei on Maui’s south shore. It was Day #2 of our recent two-week trip to Hawaii and Carol and I were just settling into our Tommy Bahama chairs for a morning of sun, sea and sand. I looked to my right along the surf line and saw what appeared to be a ray of sunshine making its way towards us. As the sunbeam drew closer,  it materialized into an elderly woman decked out in full yellow regalia. Her dress was the color of Vincent’s sunflowers over which she wore a thin long-sleeve lemon yellow shirt. Her wide brimmed hat was pale yellow with a crown of brilliant yellow artificial flowers circling the brim. This unique fashion statement was topped off by a small yellow felt purse decorated with the face of a chicken and worn slung over her shoulder. Her skin was leathery and deeply tanned, a large pair of sunglasses covered her eyes, her face was lit up in a beatific smile. Sunbeams seemed to literally be shooting out from the top of this woman’s head. It was clear to me that Ms. Sunshine could give zero fucks about what people thought of her and that she does what she wants. I was so taken by this woman, she exuded such a blindingly happy glow of positivity and was practically vibrating with love. Ms. Sunshine sauntered past us and on down the beach with a weaving, sashaying dance of a walk. I was left with the type of afterimage one gets from looking directly at the sun.

Two days later, I’m at our same spot on the beach and here comes Ms. Sunshine again. Her outfit was the same one as the other day except she had swapped out the yellow dress for a salmon colored model. This time I stopped her and we struck up a nice conversation. Her name is Joy. She appeared to be in her late 70s-early 80s. She had lived in Berkeley in the 1960s (wow!) and relocated to Maui 15 years ago. Joy loves walking up and down the beach and engaging tourists like myself in conversation. We found common ground in our mutual sunny outlooks on life  and the fact that I’m a twin dad and her father was an identical twin. Our conversation was easy, both of us feeding off of the positive energy we were putting out. After a few minutes we shook hands and she went on her weaving way. I was a little richer and a lot happier from this shooting star-like encounter.

So much fear and negativity permeates our society nowadays, it’s like a millstone around our necks dragging us down. There needs to be like a million more Joys in our world spreading their message of hope and positivity and reminding us that it’s not all shit, that there’s still goodness in the world. Doomsayers like the malignant monster Trump and his followers thrive off of fear and negativity. Like the Death Eaters in the Harry Potter books it makes them stronger. Joy and those with an outlook like hers are the antithesis of the MAGA mindset. They and consequently we, grow stronger by putting love and hope into the world; giving a smile, performing a random act of kindness…whatever. It’s like what Marvin Gaye sings in What’s Going On?, Only love can conquer hate. I believe that Joy is the embodiment of this sentiment, she’s doing it one person at a time. Strolling the beach and making personal connections by way of her radiant outfit and equally radiant personality Joy is bringing people together, perhaps helping someone feel less lonely and reminding everyone she meets not only that there’s love and goodness in the world but also of the love and goodness within themselves. Joy is paying it forward, saying: I give freely, take this from me and pass it on.

I firmly believe there’s a way to find common ground with almost anyone. If more people believed that, perhaps there’d be less suffering and hatred in the world.  Some may see Joy saunter past them with her outlandish outfit and sunny smile and may think she’s just a goofy old lady. Not me! Joy has an important job to do which she appears to take quite seriously: to spread the word of love and the importance of squeezing every bit of living out of every precious day that we’re granted here on Earth. Keep your eye out for the Joys of the world, there are more of them out there than you think.

You can come up with unusual solutions when you’re sitting in the love vibe.

Joy

By Louie Ferrera

Yesterday was as picturesque a bluebird sky day as there could possibly be, the temperature Goldilocks perfect. Summertime, and the livin’ is definitely easy. It was Multiples of Eight Day (8/16/24), a day not to be repeated for another hundred years! Carol, Denali and I celebrated this momentous occasion by driving out to Point Reyes for an adventure. We parked at the Coast Trail trailhead, laced up our hiking boots and headed out. Whenever I enter the mystical forcefield that is Point Reyes National Seashore my body buzzes with anticipation as magic always seems to be at foot. The light here is different than anywhere else and the air is always tinged with possibility.

We began our hike along a narrow, sun-splashed trail that offered little shade. Our path was lined with coyote bush, lupine, wild cucumber, blackberries and delicate, orange monkey flowers. A few bay laurel trees provided the occasional pool of shade. A soft breeze cooled the sweat on our bodies. After the initial climb we crested a hill and were rewarded with sweeping views of the endless blue Pacific a mile or so to the west. Being midday, the birds all seemed to be taking their siestas, save for the ubiquitous turkey vultures and red-tailed hawks riding the thermals high above us, describing slow, lazy circles against the azure blue.

Down, down we went, the breeze becoming stronger and the whitecaps more visible the closer we got to the sea. The trail ended at the bluffs overlooking the southern end of expansive, crescent-shaped Limantour Beach. It was an easy scramble down to the sand where we plopped down and immediately tucked into our Jersey Mike’s sub sandwiches. A group of Heerman’s Gulls were our companions, they plied the surf line digging for creatures in the sand. This is a handsome bird; two-toned grey with white stripes on its black-tipped tail feathers and a ruby red tip to its beak. White gulls with black wing tips wheeled overhead. The surf was gentle, the vibe sublime.

After cat naps we decided to continue our hike. The view along this stretch of the Coast Trail is breathtaking! The dun colored hills above the beach standing in perfect relief against a cloudless sky, the sweeping curve of Limantour Beach visible all the way to Chimney Rock, the westernmost point in the park. We took our time and enjoyed the view. Denali heads back to school this week so we wanted to have one more outing with her before she took off. Not every 20 year old wants to spend time with their parents but Carol and I have nurtured a close and loving relationship with both of our kids. A day like this is the reward for that nurturing.

In a half mile or so the trail veers away from the bluff and begins to wind gradually uphill and inland. We enter a short section of deep forest and deeper mystery. The tree cover is dense, the color mint green and soothing, the wind moving through the leaves like a whisper. We spy a large, round hole about ten feet up the trunk of a trailside snag.  I bet if we staked this tree out, an owl would fly out at sunset. We emerge from the forest to the stunning sight of montbretia (falling star) flowers growing along one side of the trail. With everything so far being muted browns and greens, the brilliant scarlet of these iris-like flowers literally vibrated. Any hike I do at Point Reyes is always a journey, complete with some kind of wondrous and unexpected event thrown in. We had ours today at a tiny pond at the end of the flower patch.

The murky, brown water of the pond was ringed with duckweed, tiny water striders skated across its surface. All around was the green of the forest. Carol spotted what she initially thought were fish. Upon further investigation these “fish” turned out to be California Newts, lots of them! We watched in wonder as these creatures glided just below the surface, rising occasionally to nip at an insect then just as quickly disappearing again. Newts move awkwardly on land but in water they are graceful swimmers. We were mesmerized by this newt ballet. There were many tiny fish swimming about as well. Of course eagle-eyed Denali spotted the snake, a tiny reptile about three inches long and as thin as an earthworm. It zig-zagged its way through the water to the shore where we picked it up, taking turns holding in the palm of our hand. Snakes are shy and elusive so a  close encounter like this doesn’t happen very often. This was a classic Point Reyes moment where time seemed to stand still. We bid goodbye to the newts and the snake and continued on our way.

The last mile of the hike was a slow ramble, the trail widening and opening up as we climbed out of the forest. At the end we saw a laminated sign tacked to the trail sign. It described in detail how one month ago a mountain lion had killed a deer at the Coast Camp (we walked through the camp on our way to the beach). A stark reminder that Point Reyes is a truly wild place in more ways than one.

By Louie Ferrera

I just spent the past three days dancing at the center of a swirling vortex of bliss. Tie dye, rainbows and glitter burst forth from its center and up into the air creating a vortex of its own. There were hugs and kisses and smiles, dust and sweat and joy…so much joy! At one point the individual ceased to exist, we simply morphed into one massive, swirling organism of love. Is this some kind of hippie fantasy? A psychedelic vision of an unobtainable nirvana? A time trip back to Woodstock? Nope, just another weekend of music and magic courtesy of The String Cheese Incident.

The String Cheese Incident (SCI, The Cheese) had their humble beginnings in the early 90s as a Colorado-based quartet of bluegrass picking ski bums (a fifth member was soon added followed by a sixth a decade later). Like a snowball rolling downhill the band gradually gained momentum, building a large and dedicated fan base that is the envy of any touring band. Like the late, great Grateful Dead, Cheese fans follow the band on tour, never missing a show. A run of shows is a much anticipated and celebratory event where old friends gather and new friends are made. When The Cheese come to town jobs and responsibilities are put on hold. SCI is the vehicle and focal point, an empty canvas onto which we the fans and they the band create something new and original during every show. Once the last notes fade away, the canvas is wiped clean in preparation for the next day’s festivities. We are thousands of Van Goghs, each adding a color from our individual palette.

The emergence of the Jam Band scene coincided with the demise of the Grateful Dead following the untimely death of Jerry Garcia in 1995. SCI has been at the vanguard of that scene ever since, gathering up stray Deadheads and like minded travelers along the way who were looking for adventure and something different. SCI are musical chameleons who defy description. Throughout the three hour journey that is a String Cheese show, a straight ahead bluegrass rave-up can morph seamlessly into a furious techno jam then back into the bluegrass, like Bill Monroe on acid. There are latin infused melodies and West African rhythms, lightening fast guitar picking and seamless ensemble paying that is nothing short of telepathic. SCI plays original music but you never know when they’ll throw in a nugget by The Allman Brothers or Talking Heads. The band understands the value of a well placed cover tune. 

So, who the hell are these musical Merlins? Drummer extraordinaire  Michael Travis, percussionist and erstwhile rapper Jason Hahn, laconic bassist Keith Moseley, firey electric mandolinist and fiddler Michael Kang, bouncy, bearded acoustic guitarist Billy Nershi and keyboardist Kyle Hollingsworth, that’s who! Like all good bands, each member adds their own unique personality and playing style to the mix. With The Cheese, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Billy, Keith, Kang and Kyle write the songs and sing ‘em too. The vocal harmonies are solid; two, three and even sometimes four part. Billy is a Tony Rice caliber flat picker with a little Dickey Betts thrown in for good measure. His playing style is tasteful and original. Kang has taken the mandolin boldly where no man has gone before. Think Bela Fleck on banjo and you’ll get an idea of his virtuosity. The interplay between these two is furious and inventive. Moseley is rock solid on bass. His gentle anthem Joyful Sound is a staple of their live shows and sums up nicely the simple joys of making music for people. Kyle sits perched atop a riser surrounded by keyboards, moving easily between piano, organ and synthesizer. He’s the “funny headgear” guy in the band. Kyle’s easy-going stage presence belies the seriousness of his playing. Keeping this train on the tracks are the Dynamic Duo of Travis and Hahn. Michael drives the band on traps, he’s a whirling dervish, all hands and feet. Jason adds the seasoning with congas, talking drum, djembe, shaker, cowbell and the kitchen sink.

The guys in String Cheese are serious musicians but they don’t take themselves too seriously. This is a band that knows how to have fun. Their symbol is the humble jellyfish. Taken from the eponymous Billy Nershi tune on their debut album Born On The Wrong Planet, this song tells the tale of a rough morning after a night of marathon tequila drinking when Billy’s brain is “just a jellyfish in the ocean of my head.” Dancing through the crowd at every Cheese show you’ll find people wielding homemade jellyfish fashioned from colorful umbrellas, complete with flowing tendrils of flashing LED lights.

Besides being a one-of-a-kind, impossible to define musical experience, the band creates something else, something that we all desire, something that we all need: community. Like it or not, modern American society is all about the “me” but, at an SCI show it’s all about the “we” where  possibilities are limitless; no wonder they titled one of their albums Untying The Not! While The Cheese are holding court, we’re not focused on our phones but rather on the band and the kaleidoscopic synthesis that occurs when like-minded people and mind blowing musicians come together. Despite what the media is constantly telling us, it’s not all shit!! Step inside the force field that is a String Cheese concert and you’ll quickly see that love and beauty, joy and acceptance, camaraderie and creativity abound and are alive and well.

I guess what I try and do is to take all of this goodness that I’m filled with after a run of SCI shows and put some of it out into the world. Here’s the deal: String Cheese you keep playing, we’ll keep coming and together maybe, just maybe, we can steer our troubled world in a more positive, hopeful and loving direction.