By Kevin Alan Lamb
For some of us the very notion of home is intertwined with a calling to the road. Adventures at the precipice of a dream, and those who usher in its becoming. Passion is interstellar currency, burning at a temperature so palpable that it is sought after, commodified, and planted like seeds gifting others permission to wake their dreams. Lifetime’s are spent without taking chances on ideas nor dreams. As a result, there is a natural attraction or magnetism towards those who invest their love into their life, and gravitate towards a calling as a career. We are impressionable beings moved by the serendipitous unfolding of another’s story; because, whether you are a romantic or not, hard work is at the heart of “the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.”
It is by no coincidence that my arrival to Three Trees Vineyard in the Leelanau Peninsula was the derivative of such a synchronicity. Spiritual synchronicities are “strategically orchestrated and perfectly aligned to deliver a message, provide guidance, or provide reassurance that we’re on the right path.” (Well + Good)
I met Lyle and Phil Cifuentes in June, when they were called to attend Forest Sun’s performance at Trinity House Theatre in Livonia. They happened to be listening to Culture Shift on WDET, where Forest and I appeared live for a studio performance and interview to promote his Follow The Love tour. Lyle required extra motivation that Friday night, and thankfully Phil was already a fan, and sensed breakthrough energy ahead. With their cooler packed, nervous the show might be sold out, the Cifuentes arrived at the theatre open to receive.
No matter the attendance on any given night, at any given show, even a couple true fans can go great lengths to raise the vibration of the room. Lyle and Phil helped lift the room that Friday evening in Livonia, and their tears were a reminder of the path we’re on, and mission we’re called to.
In brief, but sufficient time together after the show, our conversation revealed that they were our tribe, and in the process of opening a vineyard in the Leelanau Peninsula. We exchanged information and planted the possibility of hosting Forest Sun for a show next summer. For the first time since we met in June, I reached out to Lyle on Friday letting her know that I was heading north for respite, and would love to stop by if they happened to be at the vineyard.
A little over 24 hours later I arrived at Three Trees Vineyard in Leelanau, along the West Arm of Grand Traverse Bay. A little surprised I followed through, and even more so that I traveled alone, I was embraced with warm smiles, joyful hugs, and a glass of bubbly. I gave them a Good Sign, which accompanied us on an immersive wine stroll over their sprawling acreage in the heart of Northern Michigan. But what they offered in return is something this world needs more of. On the 45th Parallel where summer fades vividly into fall, halfway between the equator and the North Pole, Lyle and Phil remind us all what dreams are made of. They invite you to wake your dreams, by walking alongside theirs, and letting the land speak for itself.
I stayed the night despite having paid for a room in Bellaire. It wasn’t even a choice; rather a reminder to fall in love with what wants to happen. They treated me to dinner at Farm Club, where Michigan chef and The New York Times- and James Beard Foundation-heralded author Abra Berens has returned to a region near and dear to her heart. We broke bread as if we’d done it a hundred times before, intoxicated with passion and gratitude for a journey that brought us together, with the blessing of these lands.
Stay tuned for the coming musical adventures and more at Three Trees Vineyard. Visit ThreeTreesVineyard.com, follow them on Facebook, and Instagram for updates on their journey.
This Is A Good Sound 