Summer Solstice

The expression "the only constant is change" is made manifest in a forest. We think of a forest as one thing, a single, discrete entity, but it is a communal organism that is constantly evolving: growing, dying, being be reborn.  In 16 years of living in a forest, I've watched seedlings grow into trees and mighty trees fall. Some years we plant, some years we cull, but the forest keeps evolving, with us or without us.

The camp out is like that: always changing.  People come and people go.  All we can do is plant the seed and watch what happens.

With love in my heart and good will towards all, I make this offering of community, celebration and beauty, an island of respite in the river of time.

So much love for the people who make the trek over the mountain this weekend. So much love for those who want to be here but can't.

In Which a Platform is Built for a Piano, a Statue is Moved and a New Swing is Hung

It starts with a piano in the meadow.  Can't just sit on the ground, now can it? It must  have its own platform.

Then David must be moved to his final resting place by the swimming hole because we can't leave him standing around just anywhere.

Then a new rope must be hung for the swing.  If you don't have an answer to the question "How many years has that swing been in the tree?" then it's time for a new rope. 

Lordy, it was a busy weekend.

Field Hands

After a particularly hard day, my mother used to say that she had “worked like a field hand.”  That woman knew from field hands; she was sent out to the fields as soon as she could walk.  Last weekend, some campers worked like field hands in the meadow to stabilize and finish the new platform. I didn't work all that hard; my job was more along the lines of cheer leading.  Our pals with the real skills shimmed the new platform (so it would stop shimmying), added railings and built a new set of steps leading down to the kitchen. It’s beautiful, and there’s no danger of the whole damn thing collapsing under our weight, which was a distinct possibility with the last platform.

My deep and abiding gratitude goes out to the folks who worked like field hands all weekend:

Louise (who showed up first, of course)

Greg Hartley

Pappy and Carol Bonney

Laney

Lowell

Ezra, Cliff, Carolyn, Sue and Juniper, a.k.a the Severin Clan

Joe

Jesse

Cathy

Peter, Sasha and little Daniel, my new sweetheart

In all, we got a hell of a lot done and I'm feeling much more prepared than usual. What a gift! Thank you! 

 spent much of the weekend cleaning and organizing the kitchen and am compliing a list of things we need and things we don’t need.   We have plenty of the following and do NOT need:

Ziploc plastic bags

Paper plates

Plastic cutlery

Folding camp chairs.  (we never buy them, but have collected several over the years.)

I’ll post a list of requests soon. The menu is unchanged: on Friday, grilled salmon and Yukon gold potatoes. It would be great if someone grilled a bunch of veggies or made a big salad.  Saturday is all about barbecued meat. Sequoia and I will provide some kind of starch.  It occurs to me that, since Ruthe and Matt will not be in attendance this year, no-one is standing by to bake a Dutch Oven treat. Guess I better learn how to bake…