Ultraviolet. A spectrum beyond the perceivable. An attraction so deep it is unavoidable, like the draw of sweet lilikoi nectar to the carpenter bee, or the crushing grip of an eight-armed inked-up octopus, tossing tart Morello cherries, elderberries, heads of purple cabbage, black currants, umeboshi pickled Japanese plums and blood red pitaya in all directions with impunity and joyful abandon. It is the adrenaline rush of full battle paintball wars, tenacious as teenagers harrying their unsuspecting foes, splashing cherry cola, lilac and lime zest bombs on anything that moves. Getting sucked in is inescapable, and as intense as the zip and zing of a blueberry-grape Gusher slicing the salivary glands, fast and clean like a big burly lumberjack sawing through soft rhubarb redwood before he moves on to the extraneous activity of pulling his lilac pipe tobacco down to a mere dusting of black ancho chili charcoal soot. There is absolutely nothing like surrendering to the moment; that is true living. Indescribable, to the human mind, because it can only be experienced. Immovable, as dragon’s blood basalt slabs upon which wind driven walnut oil waves endlessly crash, hurling all their mulberry might for naught as they are bay laurel broken again and again and again, as heather and horehound gruit guzzling spectators cheer, pulling Mangalitsa pork chops, cherry wood smoked baby back ribs and coffee crusted caribou off the grill to accompany candied hibiscus flowers, plum cobbler and blackberry compote patiently awaiting meal’s end.

notes by clay selkirk, all-around cowboy