Li'l Stella the Great

Meanderer Spotlight:
Stella B.
Missoula, Montana


Stella and her brothers were quite the hospitality crew. They all stood in the cul-de-sac, waving me in as I arrived from DuBois, WY.  The smile you see above is the smile I got in the driveway, and the smile I got for roughly 93% of my visit with this awesome family.

I knew Stella was good people from the go. Here's a couple examples:

Stella is a straight shooter.  She lets you know what's what and doesn't waste time or mince words.  

I set down my bags and joined the family - Scott, Lindsey, Wesley, Lucas, Max and Stella - in the kitchen.  The kids were playing the video for "What Does the Fox Say" at a spirited volume as Scott, Lindsey and I started catch-up chat over dinner prep.

Stella: Sawah!
Me: <smiles at Stella and looks back at parents, in midst of conversation>
Stella:  Sawaaaaah!!
Stella:  Saaaaaaawaaaahh!!
Me:  Yes, Stella, yes.  I'm listening…

Stella:  Uhmmm,  I have a 'gina.
Stella: <looking around the room>  Wesley has a penis.  <bite of her Rice Krispie treat.> Lucas has a penis. Max has a penis. Dad has a penis.  And mom has a 'gina.

Then Stella looked at the dog sitting on the porch just off the kitchen, looked up at me, then dog, then me, and decided to toss her in to round out introductions:  "Char Char has a 'gina too."

And with this, she lets out a sigh of relief having got all of that off her chest, and jaunts over to her brothers at the computer, Rice Krispie treat in tow.

Stella gently holds your face when she is telling you something.

Who does this?!? Stella will hold your face and look you in the eyes, non-verbally getting you completely on board with whatever tidbit or request she is about to lay on ya. It's quite the savvy strategy for the youngest of four.

I would like to create a federal law that mandates us all to do this when talking to one another.  In my book, it is pretty much the sweetest thing going.

Stella sets loving boundaries. 

After an hour or so of visiting, I just wanted to give her a squeeze.  I mean, I wanted to squeeze her upon first glance, but I felt after the hour mark a reasonable amount of time had passed. I decided to give it a go. She had said "yes" to a number of questions her brothers were asking ("Stella, are there aliens on Earth?" "Stella, can you fly?") so I felt probability was weighted in my favor.

Me: Stella, may I give you a hug?
She smiles at me…this is looking good….
Stella:  "NO!" <then a close-out smile>
The gail-force wind from her "no" rustled my bangs. It was evident to me that Lindsey and Scott had already sent her to self-defense class.  I appreciated her boundary setting…until the next day and tried again.  Win!! See above.

Stella has her own style.  It's also practical as it frees up her hands. Further, Stella beats to her own drum on Freedom to Bare Arms (and Toosh).

We hiked into a forest to a waterfall and natural swimming pool.  After snack, Stella stripped down to her birthday suit in front of everyone, then grabbed her bathing suit and took it behind a tree because she "wanted some privacy when she was getting dressed." 

To sum up:  

Nudity in public.

Robed in private. 

She is a serious hiker, seen here with her own Camelbak. 

Stella's fun-loving older brothers- Wesley, Lucas and Max (from left) 

Title of picture: "Born on a Wednesday:  Lookin' Both Ways for the Weekend"

I look forward to hanging out with Stella in years to come! I'm certain I will 1) gain new perspective from her 2) have a lot of fun and laugh a bunch and  3) lose my hearing.  

Love,

The Stella Fan Club

Which Coastest Has the Mostest?

Haylo and welcome to my travel blog!

Fasten your seatbelt. Or not. The ride is going pretty slow with a lot of pull-overs and U-turns to take it all in.

I was living in Washington DC -- mecca to the valedictorians and hall monitors from around the globe. I had a business in integrative bodywork that was going swimmingly. What better time to jump into the great void, close up shop and take to the scenic backroads and growling highways of North America?

Now.
I determined through intricate algorithms that the best time was Now.

My father passed away unexpectedly a few months ago.  I wasn't quite sure how to access even the most superficial layer of grief I was feeling. But something told me the open road with some time in grand, expansive badlands, wheat fields and crater lakes would provide some perspective, and a tree stomp or two would be available along the way to sit and reflect, to cry and to yell my hurt into the winds.

Further, I have never done a cross country trip.  What self-proclaimed nomadic hippie reaches the age of 38 without zig-zagging the country?!

So, now I go.
The 1998 Honda CRV is packed with shit I so likely won't use.


Ride shotgun with me awhile.  Or take a nap in the back.
Just know I'm in control of the radio.