kentonandrebecca.com

Every Metamorphosis client has the chance to go on the quest for the Cathedral of Stone. This is an immense ‘devil’s punchbowl’ formation that my brother and I once discovered, some 15 or 20 years ago, in one of our favorite wilderness areas. Since then, many attempts have been made to reach it, but all have failed.

This quest tests people on all levels. Balance and agility are needed to navigate the extreme terrain. Endurance is needed to reach it (it’s a day-long trek), and quiet-of-mind is essential in order to deal with the frustrations and exhaustion encountered along the way. This quest throws a lot in your path — cliffs, nettles, ravines, endless hills, and river crossings are standard fare. In addition, there seems to be a ‘curse’ on the quest, so that everyone who attempts it encounters a significant obstacle. The last time we tried it, the obstacle was thigh-deep snow that soon wore down one’s body and spirit. This time, as ‘A’ and I attempted the quest, we met with flooding, which eventually barred any further progress. The quest remains unattained.

‘A’ and I did, however, find some marvelous rock formations, skulls, and adventures along the way.

Wisconsin or Middle Earth?

Stopping for a drink from Living Water that flows from a tiny cleft in the rock.

An undead creature tried to crawl from its stinking den and attack us. It was apparently blind, however, and could only snap at the air.

Deep in the forests, stone is shaped by water, wind and snow.

These adventure-quests are an important part of Metamorphosis — they take all the skills that we’ve developed and honed back at the Training Hall and the Hundred Acre Woods and give us a chance to put them to real use, where our skills and new strengths give us the ability to visit natural wonders that might have been inaccessible to us before. The secret treasures that lie along the path to the Cathedral of Stone are a perfect example. And perhaps one day, someone will once again reach the Cathedral itself . . .

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?

It’s early spring on the hillsides, and we try to get out each day with Mirabelle to see the little green growing things and the first of the flying bugs. We’ve been working on our winter tree identification as well, and are using the last leafless weeks to sharpen up our skills.

Today, a fly answered our call for a flying bug, and there were plenty of little green growing things. We found a ‘bouncy log’ for Mirabelle, and had some good times bouncing up and down.

After the bouncing, she found a stick that looked quite yummy.

She had a couple of pees in the woods, soaked up some sun and wind, and walked barefoot on a big log. All in all, a pretty adventurous day!