Mountain air...

 I grew up in the mountains of the San Bernardino national forest, a resort area  mountain community, situated just about 60 miles east of LA, in southern California.  Elevation, 7,200 ft high....It was a majestic place ...With towering pine tree's and gigantic mountain ranges and sparkling lakes...Splendid displays of wildlife at every corner...It was a place of simplicity...And  peace...

I spent the majority of my youth, living in various places/ towns along the VERY large mountain range. Despite the distance from town to town,  EVERYONE knew everyone....

Looking back, it almost seemed like this safe little nest, hidden from the "real world", that was lurking just below...As a little girl, I used to peer down from the highway that traveled on the edge of the mountain range, and look at the city below, and wonder what life would be like outside of this little bubble. I was curious to see what it would be like to live as a "flat lander"...I longed to be a savvy inner city girl, who could take on anything the world threw at her...I felt like I was made to do more than stay tucked away in this little safe haven...I felt sheltered.... And hidden....If only I had known what was going to come down the pipe line in the future...I had NO idea, I would experience more than my fare share of "real life" by the time I hit 18....

My parents were professional musicians, who made their living each week by singing/playing at various mountain hot spots that were made popular by those visiting the resort mountain area for vacation...They thrived up there for the most part, and when things got rough during the down times, they would head to country clubs and other ritzy night clubs etc down in the city to make their living.....About 40% of the homes that were on the mountain were "vacation" homes, owned by the rich & famous. The rest were either owned or rented by the mountain residents that kept everything going in the "off seasons". The two biggest money making seasons for the mountain were summer and winter....

In the summer, you had hiking, swimming, boating, water skiing, shopping along the water front stores, and dining out in some of the most quaint and perfect little towns one could imagine...

In the winter, you had rolling mountains, coated with crystal like, white powder snow, suited for the  BEST skiing and snowboarding, and sledding you can imagine! And a View like NO other...

Despite all the beauty in where I grew up...The majority of my  time spent there, was spent wishing away the time, praying one day, I would leave, and some how, "find myself"...And explore a world I thought had so much to offer...Now I find myself having days where I would give anything to go back, even just for a day to soak in the beauty....