I have recently moved to Nevada City, a few dozen miles or so from Auburn. Just being in Clark Ashton Smith's neck of the woods has been so inspiring and a rarified experience. There truly is a mystical weirdness in the woods and skies at night. So, yesterday, I drove to explore the region he lived in. Stopped by a fine bookstore in Auburn, where I could not afford a fine Smith tome encased in glass. Drove on to the very developed Poet Smith Drive.( Existing photos are on this site by others. I hope to post some new ones.) I found what I knew in my bones was his cabin site. Not much to see at first. Large boulders here and there covered in furry, grotesque lichen. Some seemed to form leering faces of mold. Fragments of an old wall, hand formed from old stones. A large rock stood out that had a valley-like scratched ancient groove hand-cut into it, showing years of wear. this looked like a sharpening stone, which one might use, venturing outside when needed, to use as a whetstone. Not sure if this was the spot. (later photo comparisons affirmed the locale) Poked around. Ancient wood. Picked some up. Burnt, charred smell. Felt utter frisson sweep over me. Past the vacant field I stare beyond to the dark and looming hobgoblin woods. Past the lurid modern development. Hungry for the antiquated and pure. Twisted old trees still danced their arthritic wooden dance. Mere saplings at best after Smith had moved. Seeing how much had changed was not so dreadful. Our minds can render lost glories timeless. It was an honor to be there, in the warm late afternoon wind. In a most sacred and silent spot in the cosmos where a great magician had once wrought uncanny magic in ink and stone. I shall return very often and, perhaps, secretly plant exotic, decadent & carnivorous plants there (in season) in hopes that they might thrive on that blasted heath.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2 Sep 08 | 02:03PM by Charles Schneider.

A few decades ago, I passed through Auburn and stopped at the public library. I asked for any special colleciton dealing with science fiction or fantasy and was told there were none. I then asked if there was anything on a local author named Clark Ashton Smith and was shown many volumes. So often it's how one asks the question.

JBP

Despite the fact that Folsom and Cameron Park keep growing and growing, Auburn is still somewhat stuck in time, much like Placerville. I remember I spent one Christmas Eve in Auburn at the local cinema that obviously had not changed since the early 60's. Also, at the time, the road down toward Folsom still had a little place called Sams which had a skating rink and the old dime and nickel movie periscopes where you could watch exotic scenes or bar maids teasing with their skirts. They tore that place down in the mid 90's, but I am sure CAS must have passed by it or visited at one time or another. It's a wonderful place and it definitely still conveys the sense of magic that CAS sensed.

Hi Charles:
Welcome to Averoigne! Contact me or Ron off line, it's always great to meet new Smith fans.
Best,
Scott