Rebecca’s first dance teacher, Jocelyn Gorham, had a profound effect on Rebecca’s life. Bellydance and Bharatanatyam seeped into her life, and that led to teaching bellydance after Jocelyn entrusted her with a beginner’s class. That opened so many doors. Since then, Jocelyn, her husband Rich, and Rowan (our Godson) have become good friends of ours, though we don’t see them nearly often enough. This week we got to visit them, and upon arrival we were welcomed into Rowan’s backyard restaurant.

The menu? ANYTHING you want. Place your order, and leaves and sticks are mixed with a dash of imagination to create egg rolls, pizza, ice cream, and all manner of culinary delights. I left quite full, though I needed a toothpick to get some of the bark out from between my teeth.

We also had a great adventure up a ravine near their properties, where two ancient trees stood over the first spring green things peeking up — Dutchman’s breeches, wintercress (yum), and wood anemone. At home, Jocelyn also treated us to a meal, and Rowan played the violin for us.

Mirabelle, all this time, was just taking things in. She loved watching Rowan in his bright shirt as he ran about, making sticks into swords during our ravine-walk. She swung on the swings, and talked on and on as we hiked (one of her current favorite things to do.)

Is there anything, we reflected on the way home, more precious than good friends?

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