The Old Co-Op in Moab

the old building that housed the "health food store" and later known as MoonFlower Market was torn down this week

this beloved spot dates from the 70's when the poor rundown former mining down of Moab was discovered by hippies, dope growers, back-to-the-earthers, river runners, mountain bikers, and other escapists like someone falling in love and running away to live in the mountains / smile

it was always called the Co-Op / it was never specifically or technically a cooperative / its foundation of staff and customers were exceedingly copacetic / warm / loving / and generous

it was never really a building either / it looked like a building shielded by a dense cloak of vibrantly blooming orange trumpet flowers / it was actually constructed of wooden ammo (ammunition) cans stacked upon one another / these formed the walls and provided the challenging shelves for the original store

over time storage space was added, a library and an art gallery / streetside a lovely shady ramada with benches

the summer of 1977 was my second year living on Wilson Mesa high above the town of Moab / i had dumped my popular and successful little cafe in Topanga canyon to come and live "away from it al"l with a customer who had whisked me away on a bright and shiny Ducati

i lived hand to mouth in those glorious days / going to fairs in Colorado / selling crochetted and knitted items and making just enough money to buy cat food and some for me / oh yes, gasoline for my darling car, DreamBoat

at the end of the summer i was gathering resources to have enought to return to California for the birth of my grandchild.

the high mountain rose hips were especially big fat red and glowing that year / i picked a gallon of them and went to the co-op where i traded them for a jar of honey / ah those were the days

i shed a little tear for the old store / the current MoonFlower Market has nice new digs across from the Post Office and we all like it very much / it has a kitchen and a library and an art gallery / a beautiful garden in front

it is the same but not

later, darlings