{"id":2,"date":"2019-11-04T19:19:16","date_gmt":"2019-11-04T19:19:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mountaintopgoatgardens.com\/?page_id=2"},"modified":"2022-05-12T02:36:06","modified_gmt":"2022-05-12T02:36:06","slug":"sample-page","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/mountaintopgoatgardens.com\/?page_id=2","title":{"rendered":"IN THE BEGINNING"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

In the Beginning: <\/b> Tanya & Joshua<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Two of us on a mountaintop living a dream seemed a long way off.<\/strong> <\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Growing up in what was just becoming known as Silicon Valley we both were attracted to the surrounding mountains and forests.<\/h3><\/blockquote>

The foothill habitats of the coastal ranges, offered both the intimate experience of untrammeled nature, and,\u00a0 vistas of the of the impending suburban sprawl that threatened it.\u00a0 Early memories of the scents and sensations of these forests and meadows imprinted a love of our home region in us.\u00a0 We met each other while attending a unique high school- in the waning days of California\u2019s educational excellence, and progressive experimentation.\u00a0 Our public alternative school \u2018within-a-school\u2019 offered all the resources of a well funded district\u00a0 with the freedom and flexibility to design our own education.<\/p>

I credit my\u00a0 interest in farming to a small seminar style field trip, Where I met John Jeavons<\/a> and toured the original research garden of \u201cEcology Action<\/a>\u201d<\/em> on loaned corporate land, before its development\u00a0 as a biotech campus<\/a>.
Coming of age, we couldn’t hope to find affordable housing in our home town, and so began a slightly miserable\u00a0 life style of wage earning, edge dwelling creativity in the cheap seats of the San Francisco Peninsula.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

I  briefly attended Art school<\/a> in San Francisco, while Tanya trained <\/a>as a chef<\/a>. This had turned into working at restaurants, print shops and cafes, leaving us wondering, how we could possibly ever live our dreams of creative pursuits in nature.<\/p>\n

Eventually growing desperation lead us to escape. Packing away and selling off our belongings we headed for Mexico,  new horizons,  new experiences, inexpensive opportunities, and…Montezuma\u2019s revenge. <\/p>\n

Traveling the length of Mexico by train was a trip to remember-  The late night third class ride from Mexicali through the northern desert was quite an introduction, Desperate to stretch our legs we sojourned on the coast at  Guaymas\/Los Mochis, then Mazatlan and on to Guadalajara, the state where my mothers father was born.  <\/p>\n

Winding slowly from the volcanic heights of Mexico City to Oaxaca in a vintage American Pullman sleeper, was memorable-  but the whole experience, the heat, the language barrier, stress & illness over whelmed us as we continued south by bus.  Following a few rough days on the coast  we beat a hasty retreat  back the way we had come after only a month.<\/p>\n

Upon our return , life in suburbia was  the same as we had left it. With new jobs we hunkered down for a period of thoughtful capital development.  By this time we had discovered, and become devotees of Tattoo.  As a graphic artist, with sculptural leanings, the craft of Tattooing was compelling.  The possibility of combining a specialized art with a decent income  motivated me to pursue professional Tattooing.<\/p>\n

With coaching  and equipment from contacts in San Francisco, which was then experiencing the New Tribalism<\/em> Tattoo revival of the early 1980\u2019s, I began to learn  the basics.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n

With graphic\u00a0 work,\u00a0 peace activism and\u00a0 studies of\u00a0 nature, art, history and political philosophy;\u00a0 dreams of freedom, and a life of Art\u00a0 seemed to be manifesting.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Tanya\u2019s culinary training provided a connection with an instructor of Mediterranean cuisine Rosemary Barron<\/a>, who operated an exclusive cooking school; Kandra Kitchen Crete<\/strong>, on the Greek island of Crete.\u00a0 We both had commercial kitchen experience and together applied as apprentices. We were accepted, and prepared to travel to Europe as the key staff of the operation run by Rosemary,\u00a0 her Husband Kevin, and their newborn son.<\/p>

Our trip began overland, traveling as passengers on a Green Tortoise <\/a>bus- A repurposed Greyhound bus with overhead bunks, a padded platform, two drivers, and a tape deck. We left\u00a0 late at night from an alley behind the old San Francisco Trans-bay terminal, and some time after dawn, were awakened\u00a0 at Pyramid Lake Nevada, where we soaked in a thermal spring the driver dug out of the bank, and were served pancakes from a camp stove. <\/p>

The four day trip was a welcome precursor to our coming adventure, full of roadside diversions. Arriving at dawn in New York City we were dropped off and thankfully offered a place to land, sleep and shower by a fellow traveler on the way home from her big adventure in the west. This overwhelming city held no allure for us, after each subway trip, we emerged to a street with the same densely populated, tall and brooding city-scape we had left when we caught the train. The culture clash was even more dramatic as we flew to Athens via London the next morning , and slept off our jet lag on an overnight ferry to Crete.
Rendezvousing with our host at the central square of the port city Iraklion, we traveled the coast to a tiny village; Koutouloufari, and our Bungalow.<\/p>

On our walks to the sea, and nearby villages, we often came across lone goats or sheep, tethered out for the day next to their patch of coarse forage, and spent a little time with them, indulging our mutual curiosity.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Traveling abroad expanded our horizons.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Europe in 1983, the era of Reagan and US Marines in Lebanon, was distinctly anti-American, Graffiti on Crete called for removal of the US Air force base there.<\/p>

We got to know an an Air force nurse living off base in the village below ours, and added a stack of Stars & Stripes<\/strong> <\/em>newspapers to the International Herald<\/strong><\/em> for our news feed, we\u00a0 got to see the latest Star Wars<\/strong> movie on the base, a\u00a0 surreal experience- with Air force personal standing for the National anthem before the show.<\/p>

We spent the summer shopping for and cooking Traditional Greek food for American foodie tourists, in a 400 year old house equipped with state-of-the-art\u00a0 Italian industrial kitchen equipment. The clients arrived from their hotel for morning classes and demonstrations where wine flowed before and then during the lunch on the terrace , with\u00a0 food that we cooked in the kitchen as its preparation was being demonstrated\u00a0 in the next room.\u00a0 We rode along on field trips to cultural sites and sampled local flavors and customs. And\u00a0 spent our free time with walks around the village, Eating, drinking,\u00a0 swimming in the Mediterranean, touring the island, reading, and drawing.<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Leaving Crete we took the train from Athens and a large ferry to Brindisi, Italy.\u00a0 An overnight train to Rome put us in the city as masses were gathering for political rallies. We spent most of our time there walking,\u00a0 taking in art and architecture, and getting to know the famous cats of Rome.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Ending up in London in the fall we \u2018let a flat\u2019<\/em> for a month. Our first order of business was upgrading our wardrobe for the cooler weather, exploring the open air markets and resale shops. We spent a month touring\u00a0 museums and galleries, seeing live music & theatre, drinking ales & stouts, eating fish & chips, Cornish pasties, Scotch eggs, Shepard’s pie, Bangers & Mash, and getting our fill of British Television.<\/p>

During our Greek cooking school experience our British Host\/Chef told us she was convinced that we ought to be living in \u201cThe City<\/b>\u201d meaning San Francisco, her home base. The London experience convinced us that the vitality of city life was compelling, but having been poor students in San Francisco briefly, we knew that we would need to earn more money to take advantage of city life. On the eve of that momentous & ominous date 1984. <\/p>

We arrived back in the Bay area in time to produce and distribute a\u00a0 new years posters featuring Ronald Reagan as \u201cBIG BROTHER.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

We regrouped and found a small apartment and jobs in the Mission district. Tanya was pulling Espresso at a cafe,\u00a0 then baking the graveyard shift at a Noe Valley bakery, I ran a press at a small Market street print shop blocks from Lyle Tuttle\u2019s<\/a> 7th street Tattoo studio and\u00a0 Tattoo Art Museum<\/strong>. I used my lunch breaks to deepen ties with the Tattoo scene. <\/p>

As I slowly honed my Tattoo skills, I began donating my time to production of The Tattoo Historian<\/strong> a quarterly journal that Lyle was publishing, eventually he began paying me an occasional stipend.<\/p>

Laid off from the temporary position at the print shop, I had a difficult time finding another job, commuting briefly by train for more temporary work at the print shop where I had worked\u00a0 in Palo Alto. I ended up at the 7th Street Tattoo shop more and more, picking up tips, meeting artists, observing techniques, cleaning up a little, running errands and then taking over production of the Tattoo Historian<\/strong>.<\/p>

I wasn\u2019t making much money but this rare opportunity was building the connections that eventually led to a job there as Tattoo Artist.\u00a0 The learning curve was steep, and the skills of the craft challenging. Immersion in the Tattoo scene was intense, and, as I learned the additional art of salesmanship became lucrative. Insights into human psychology, creative symbology, primal atavism, and totemic mythology, became seductive aspects of the practice. As I met and Tattooed a wide spectrum of humanity.<\/p>

\u00a0<\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t