Hammocks

6.27.06

They are lacy and delicate even in their tensile strength, these hammocks drifting between sturdy palm trees, like smiles on the way back from the dentist. I loved how they moved imperceptibly in the 120 heat as the cooler moist air tickled their tassles from underneath. Memories of summers past and even summers never known were evoked by the mere sight of them and I wanted to capture the feeling of what a simple of weaving of string could conjur in the minds eye. Lazing and langoring, of course, but also the lure of swinging again in a womblike embrace as air circulates, in this case, as warm as the original amniotic bath.

The impact of our built environment was so evident as I shifted from inner city mode to desert Palm Springs, to spend a night in a cool, white low slung resort, which chose the 70's as it's decor. Owned by a Morrocan, the place combined that era's kitchy and colorful furniture, wall hangings, art and fixtures with Berber rugs and Kilim inspired pillows. Despite the tile floors the place felt hushed, perhaps as the heat weighed so heavily on the air, and gratefully there was no canned music so one could hear the footsteps, the cicadas, the laughter from outside.

Surrounded by these visual triggers of one of my favorite decades, which included many 2o-something guests, floating along on lithe limbs in aviator glasses, bell bottoms and gypsy inspired blouses, I was taken back to that era of hope and possibility. That time, as a teenager, when we were still questioning everything, were losing our boys (yet again) to a war, but protesting it vehemently, were feeling our dependence on foreign oil (will some things never change?), grew bean sprouts, defied beef, wore Earth shoes and wanted to change the world. We all wore long hair (back in vogue), aviator sunglasses, hip hugging jeans and love beads, sporting mix and match, uni-sex bodies that are again in vogue for both men and women.

The rooms all featured original books featured in that decade, including Portnoy's Complaint and a Jaqueline Susann novel, which I couldn't resist for some pooltime escape, and the wall paper of geometric figures had a dizzying effect. The welcome included service of Morrocan tea, the mint sweet brew which glues that country's social life, served in their traditional silver tea pots and this again brought back memories of a summer spent in visiting Marrakech, its savory tajines, noisy souks, dusty streets and groping men. A fur foot rug conjured up visions of 007 and his conquests and I laughed in delight at it all.

From that original hammock where we gestated, we are expelled into a world of bright lights and spend the rest of our lives exposed to various environments, all of which collect in our mind with attendent experiences and memories. When we build or design homes, cities, infrastructures there is an attempt to accomodate our human needs while also entertain our spirits in a way, that is most evident in the efforts which succeed, like the Disney Hall, much of our modern architecture, 1700's cathedrals, FL Wright homes etc. In the end, though, no matter how grand our estates, or environmentally responsible and correct our berm covered geo-friendly homes, there is nothing like the simplicity of a well hung hammock to soothe a mind and body. Throw in a pot of tea and a hookah and we've got nirvana in the desert!