Retrophoto

Karl climbing at Moscow Renn Faire 2008 - 4
Originally uploaded by JosephEH

From May of 2008, we see Karl climbing the wall at Moscow's annual Rennaisance Faire. Check my flickr page for more of same.

Hidden Lake

DSC03328
Originally uploaded by kittehpants

Friday afternoon of camp, 9 or 10 of us went to this lake for a dip. Some little mayflies were hatching, and in a shallow cove nearby little fish were leaping out every few seconds to gobble them up. After the swim we went down to Terwiliger Hot Springs to get blissed out soaking up the lithium-laden water, ancient cedars and hemlocks all around.

Last Circle, me

Last Circle
Originally uploaded by JosephEH

Here I stand in our last circle. Do I look full of joy (from music and friends), sadness (at departing), anticipation (of returning home to my family), and exhaustion (from 10 days of emotionally intense music and community building)?

Well, I was.

For me this camp has become much more than the music. It's Boot Camp for Intentional Community, where everyone is there for a purpose and is working not just for themselves but for the love and advancement of each other and the community as a whole. It's an opportunity to re-examine one's aims and action, to try hard things with the support of others, and to offer support to others without arrogance or superiority.

And the music is damn fun too.

Last Circle, part 2

Last Circle
Originally uploaded by JosephEH

Last Circle, part 1

Last Circle
Originally uploaded by JosephEH

We sang and otherwise gathered in a circle throughout the camp. Here we gather in the circle for the last time, outside our concert hall. Starting 3rd from the left you see our three teachers, Dessi (of London, born and teaching Bulgarian), Frank (American ex-pat from Paris, teaching Georgian) and Amity (from Vermont, teaching American shape-note and Spanish Renaissance).

The Deer at the River

the deer
Originally uploaded by Janice Boughton

The McKenzie River flowed not 10 paces from the back of the lodge where we gathered daily to learn our songs and sometimes dance and play. The quiet rushing rumble of the river was a constant vibration underlying everything we did. The plastic deer detracted little from the river's beauty.

In the concert hall

IMG_1632
Originally uploaded by mcknyz

This is our big performance at the Mennonite Church of Eugene, Oregon. You can just see my face peeking out from the back row, left of center.

It was a wonderful concert, full of love amongst the singers that quickly and thoroughly infected the audience.

The Josephs sing outside

the josephs
Originally uploaded by Janice Boughton

Photos from Camp! We took advantage of the beautiful late summer weather to sing outside several times. Here the men's section practice under the direction of Dessi, our Bulgarian music teacher.

There were really only two Josephs but we all became Joseph after a few days.

Catapult me a beer, would you?

We had an intense week at the co-op. One of my online co-op tech buddies (yes, there is small, deliciously geeky and organic tribe of us), the most excellent Shanester, came for a 3-day consult regarding our point-of-sale system ("Catapult"). We've had the system for 6 years and everyone here who got the original training has since departed. I could have gone to advanced training but thought it would be better to spend a little more money and bring the training here.

Shane was a great choice of trainers. He learned Catapult by being the IT guy at a co-op in North Carolina, and since then got hired by the vendor as a systems installer and integration specialist. So he not only knows our software, but intimately knows our business situation too. And he's funny and knows his beers. w00t!

Having the training here for everyone proved to be a wise choice. I think everyone is a lot more committed the POS system and understands it a lot better. We have well-defined plans for making the database work better and to have uniform policies for using it. I'm going to have more of a leadership role now, telling people how to use the system right rather than helping them use it any way it occurs to them. Maybe the best thing of all we got this week is a consensus that such policies and leadership are needed.

So much gained. But I have a to-do list two pages long and my brain is full. Full Full FULL.

Beer, please.

Another good reason to end the war.

Jamie's most-requested bedtime song this week is, "The bear jumped over the mountain." I'm still trying to decide what the bear sees when he's jumped instead of just "went".

Karl and I are reading Patrick F. McManus's book A Fine and Pleasant Misery. Karl is enjoying the short stories immensely, and I can tell he connects with the young boys (McManus and his friends) depicted therein. If you have read any McManus, you'll know many of his childhood outdoor experiences revolved around gear he got at his local Army-Navy Surplus store. Karl certainly gets a gleam in his eye as we read stories of sieve-like life rafts and bullet-riddled canteens obtained at Grogan's Surplus.

I've told Karl how surplus stores were an outgrowth of the end of WWII, and why you don't see them around much any more. A couple nights ago he asked me if the war in Iraq will end soon. He hopes the war ending will result in a new flood of military surplus, which will in turn spawn a new generation of Army-Navy Surplus stores for him to buy the stuff of adventure in.

Yet another good reason to bring the war to an end.

*tap* *tap* Is this thing working?

With no particular excuses I present recent goings-on at Maison d'un millier projets inachevés.

Jamie has moved up to the Green Room at her daycare. This means she's with all 3-5 year-olds. She's very excited and having a lot of fun. In the summer the kids who don't nap put on their swim suits and go out to play in the sprinklers. While inspecting the fit of her new swimsuit a few weeks ago, Jamie exclaimed, "It's just right for little me!"

Karl is doing a 2-week expedition day camp, learning about gardening and sustainable agriculture. It's an "expedition" because it's presented by our town's newest charter school, based on the Expeditionary Learning model. The camp includes working in the community garden, picking and bagging produce for the food bank, painting the new rainwater cistern at the local enviro-institute, and learning Morris dances relating to planting and harvest.

My wife the artist: the solar batteries seem fully charged, and she has returned to writing with gusto after a nearly 3-year hiatus.

My music: a Jellybeans subset sang a couple of gospel tunes for the annual Gospel Music Sunday at the MUWOAUU Church. There was quite a crowd, unusual for a summer service. It would not be unfair to conclude there are Christmas, Easter, and Gospel Music Sunday Unitarians around here. Maison de 1000... is not entirely innocent in this regard.

Jellybeans' first piece was "Roll Jordan," a Fairfield Four tune brought home from last year's Village Harmony camp. The other piece was "Zen Gospel Singing", a delightful little ditty by Mark Graham. I cannot imagine a more appropriate piece for a Gospel Music service at a UU church. It relates the story of a former Baptist turned Buddhist who left behind the theology but misses the heartfelt and beautiful music. He doesn't seek salvation, just "Om, om, sweet om."

Proprietary Babbling

Jamie: (riding in back seat) Open shuckie open shuckie open shuckie open shuckie...
Me: (driving) Open shuckie open shuckie?
Jamie: No! I'm saying that!

Don't step on my lines, Dad.

1095 Days = Chocolate

After much anticipation, Jamie's third birthday has finally arrived.

By command, I made a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. Cake from a box, frosting from scratch, decorated with gummi bears and chocolate chips and rainbow candles from the co-op. Even birthday candles come in tie-dye at the co-op.

The guests are here!
We're starting with the chocolate cake and ice cream. Got a problem with that?

Papa was too busy holding the camera to help with the singing, alas.


The play cook set (with handy backpack for carrying) was a hit. Here Jamie is pouring "coffee" for her friend Marcus.

Chocolate, dolly, cook set, and friends. What more could a three-year-old girl want?
"I want another birthday," was the reply.