After the loss of two powerful people in my life recently, there was a voice that told me to move closer to the life forces near me now, the ones who are a stones throw away and are worth every mile.

Last weekend called for a day trip to Santa Barbara. I had Bobby D, Kurt, Eddie and the boys of Pink Floyd to rock the trip north to see my cousin Madison.

A grey light cast down on us as we sat on the beach drinking mimosas, drooling over  juevos rancheros and chocolate chip pancakes. We filled the conversation with memories of our childhood, the mystery of death, reincarnation, veganism, higher education and interrupting every other thought with liberated laughter, disrupting the restaurant with non negotiable cackles. 

We straddled trees and discovered Middle Eastern stores with hidden caves and layers of mauve scarves, we drank vanilla cappuccinos and stumbled on streets lined with courthouses and coffee shops with Spanish colonial architecture.  Maddie embraced her surroundings with exuberance, sharing her college campus with me, leading us up a steep hill to overlook the Pacific glinting with sailboats and Sunday speedboat enthusiasts. We blew dandelions into the wind, birthday wishes for Maddie's 23rd celebration.  

Pulled over on the highway, perched next to barbwire and wild flowers, I took photos of the beauty in the golden evening light, 'mango butter' is the best description of the color I could conjure up.  We took big breaths and put value into each piece of earth that held us. Barefoot in gravel and full from a day of exploration, the weekend warriors headed back to Isla Vista, the collegiate coastline community tucked into paradise.  

Maddie has the ability to laugh without inhibitions...more than most people I know. This woman has a fiery intellect and an ethereal spirit, here are a few photos from the day that just tap the window into her wild existence...