15) Time

I am learning something about time during my stay here.
No matter how smart I think I am, time always outsmarts me.

The November crew and I are in the last week of our stay, but since the Finca practically shuts down for December, the entire house is in departure mode.

Last week, we lost Marcia, then went Timna, and this morning Deborah did a sweet morning round of goodbye hugs.

When did this happen? Didn’t we just arrive?
And why am I only halfway through my stories?

“I go to the bakery and the supermarket, then my laundry needs to be taken out of the washing machine,” says Clara when we talk about this. We are in the central kitchen; a fire is going in the open fireplace; Steff and Elise are making a vegan Haggis as a farewell dinner to Foon, who leaves tomorrow for Washington, DC.
Neil Young’s Heart of gold is playing on the little compressed speaker.

You’d think that when you are in a retreat, you can spend a hundred percent of your time on your work. That little chores are cute distractions that make the job even more fun.
But with fifteen artists in one house, so much interaction and exchange of ideas fill your head and trick your brain.

Take the beautiful food ceremony, where Deborah wrapped potatoes, pumpkins and eggs in clay and prepared that in an open fire on the grass. She served lettuce, sweet apples baked in honey and ginger, mushrooms, oven-baked bread and a delicious sauce, and we all ate with our hands like a hungry tribe. Our fingers and nails brown and black from nature’s delights.

Sophie and Sarah organise meetings with people here in the house and curators, artists, and other retreat managers, resulting in fascinating guests. There have been several outings to Barcelona, visiting art exhibitions and galleries and to meet artists there. Ex-residents who live nearby regularly pop up for lunch and a chat.

On Monday morning, the group app buzzes: “Yoga teacher is here!” Which we had all forgotten about. Rush into a legging, and on the mat, we go, followed by a somewhat rushed ‘Ohm’.

It feels like the more time you have, the faster time eats your days.
It sees a big meal and gobbles it up in one go, greedily.
Nibble, time, please nibble. Go do some yoga.