The appointment was set up at the station of North Folks. I’m supposed to meet a hippy style old fellow  with yellow glasses. On his side, he seeks a backpacker on crutches. Not too complicated. Apart from a mutual friend, we do not have anymore connections. He is then accompanied by his girlfriend, Liz who is soon to tell me: “Jimmie is the best”. As a matter of fact, I coulnd t hope to end up in a better place. At the rather active retirement, Jimmie is a handyman of many talents, gifted with oversized generosity.

He introduced me to the small hamlet of Auberry and its Hippy community. A heaven of peace where it feels good to linger around, visit neighbors, organize bonfires, gather for an evening jam and philosophizing about extraterrestrials visiting the nearby hill, all on a background of organic smokes that make you laugh. (The climate allows all kinds of cultures, even tobacco is local!) It is with dedication that jimmy took care of my initiation. For each new encounters, he announced: “This is henry, he comes from another planet to have new experiences!” (Everytime I am entitled to a new name!).

The program was loaded, the village is full of rather incredible personalities … they are all the peace & love generation, grass, LSD, T.Leary, Ramdass and company. The psychedelic california years 60/70 was there around me, to relive his glory years to my great satisfaction. When I see the result, I know who was right: simplicity, mutual aid, generosity, lightness and openness are omnipresent. That’s what the government succeeded in crushing in fear of a general uprising of the population against the government. When will be the return of psychedelics in scientific research? The discovery, as promising as it was in the field of psychology, has left few traces in the 21st century.

When it comes to experience, I was served:

• Megadon, her 12 cats and incredible spiritual stories, the “new thought “community : a amazing blend of spiritual people worshiping nothing else than love and personal development.
• Jonny Rock and its international geode traffic,
• Liz, the lady with the big heart ,passionated for horses,
• Lynn and her sumptuous massages,
•  Phil, the strongest united states man, able to pull an airplane. He shared with me his knowledge of the “flint knapping”, the art of cutting flints and obsidians.
•  Gerry, the psychic reader who dedicated her life to helping others and that welcomed us at her place for a whole afternoon. (Since the age of 18, she does not go a day without putting his gift to serve others. She has now almost 90 years and every week, prepares about 500 cookies it offers generously!)
• Julie, who feels and senses energy since her childhood. She harmoniously combines souds, reiki and cristals during her treatments. She received me at her place on a last minute call just before getting on the bus that was to take me to mehico./ Chamans are known for working with cristals too  but they say that its the cristal that comes to you, not the opposite.  I was happily surprized when Julie told me she had to give me a crystal that my body had be particularly asking for. It will guide me through the rest of my journey. Thank you.

Finally Jimmie who shared with me his home. A true cave of Ali Baba. Sculptures, African masks, drums of all kinds and designs of all sorts, to be Blown Away (see the nelson Mandela ‘s rock)! In a teasing humor, he took advantage of my naivety, but I knew how to bounce. To see him climb onto the roof, 35 or 70 years, I still cannot decide. He lives on a modest pension and exchange services here and there. Manufacturing shamanic drums gives it a little more. It has been over 15 years he has developed his technique that he has generously shared with me. I will not forget the fabulous caramelized walnuts with maple syrup and cayenne pepper, fireside jams, our improvised burningman, parts of darts at the tavern, the 4 lovely puffy cats, pan the toad that sleeps in hanging pans… and my first drum!

Peace & love

Jerry

Jimmie´s drums

 If you’d be interested getting a drum from jimmie, shoot me an email!

Example of flint knapping artcrafts: http://www.flintknapping.com/gallery.htm