6/23/24/25/11

Thursday, Friday & Saturday ~ were days of restocking food, laundry, & rest. Also, sure takes some time to catch up on this blog ~ since life has been going at such a fast pace.
Sara told me of her thyroid problems ~ wish I could have gotten to her much earlier ~ seems life style, age & menopause changes have alot to do with thyroid problems in females. Rose, had this problem !! Tried to give Nalnee a heads up ~ will have to keep trying.
Heard from Oso that Corbin & she are selling the house in Bellingham & moving to Leavenworth, which is the center for rock climbing in Washington. Should be good for them to get a house large enough for Fin & Isla. Leavenworth is also a cool town ~ all sorts of outdoor activities in the area.

6/22/11

Well one would have to say that this day really started in the night. As I have said ~ after the dinner on the 21st ~ I curled up in my tent from the rain. Yet, as I awaken in the night to the desire to pee ~ the tent is all closed in around me. What had been room to at least sit up, had become a squashed little toad stool. Though I had placed a good rain-fly over my tent ~ I had created a pocket for water to collect & weight down my tent during the night. So with flashlight in hand & mouth ~ I 'crawl out of the tent & dump the water from the rain-fly. The tent still not regaining all of it's previous shape ~ but enough for now in the wee hours of this day.
As I awoke ~ no rain!!!! ~ packing up & out would not be so so hard. I got my gear together, as did John & Ivars. They hiked there gear on out & then went back in to the kitchen. When I get to the car ~ should I or shouldn't I trek back to the kitchen to see if breakfast is ready. Thankfully, a young couple came out with their gear & told me the kitchen was just getting started with breakfast. Shortly Ivars & John came down the trail to the car & we were off.
We took a different road back ~ beautiful country ~ coal has been raping the land & mountains in this part to Va. for years. Made it home in about 7 hours with 2 stops ~ not bad for going to a gathering.!!!

6/21/11 Summer solstice

With this being Summer Solstice ~ the morning is a morning of silence. i get up & make my way to the kitchen to get my water bottle filled. Sit around the bliss pit for a while & then on down to the main meadow, noticing that Brad & Cheri have packed up. Hugger checked in to make sure that I had it down to do the North in the ceremony. When Caterpillar piped in the Children's Parade & circled around the fire, then an Om. Then the Ceremony to bring in the spirits of the 4 directions to the circle of the family for their aspirations. After each direction was brought in to the circle, the circle started to walk around getting herbs in the East within which they were to put in their intentions, & blessings from each directions. When they reached the North ~ I had a crystal in each hand & said to them 'Blessings to you from the Spirits of the North & May your Dreams all be fulfilled', which got some interesting smiles back from many & especially the children ~who are still quite dream oriented. I then took the herbs the family had placed in the bowel of cornmeal (dirt) & called upon the spirits to hear my families wishes & returned them to the fire. Then there was a spiral dance to drumming ~ spiral dances are nice to be able to look into others eyes as you spiral around past each person in the dance. After the dance ~the food came out~ we eat quite well. I decided to go back to my tent for my drum & had borrowed john's flashlight since it had started to get dark. The trails had really started to dry out by now. As I am getting out my drum I hear thunder ~ so change of plans~ I put my drum back into the tent & got my poncho. I closed up John & Ivar's tents & started walking back down to main meadow. Ivars & John were on their way up when I ran into them. John went on up but Ivars & I went on back down. While talking to a guy named Steve (from Or. moved to Wv.) when it started raining. I took off with my poncho, Ivars stayed under a tarp. I got back & ducked into my tent ~ paths were really beginning to get slick. Got a bit wet in the tent as I was getting in but curled up & went to sleep ~ with the rain & lightning.

6/20/11

The night was fairly clear since once when I got up to pee I saw the moon. However, in the early morning it started to rain, thunder & lightning quite hard!! I decided to just curl up & sleep. This rain went on & on for 5 hours. When the rain stopped, I got up & made my way to the kitchen along a very very muddy trail. What timing, shortly after getting to the kitchen ~ there was breakfast ~ must have been afternoon by then. In sitting around with folks a man named Horse tells me he knows folks from Athens, Rob & Katie Kola. He goes on to say that after 3 months he has to ask them to leave. Horse says though Katie did a lot of cooking, that Rob just sit there & did very little. Horse went away for a few days & asked that they be gone when he returned, upon returning ~ the wood stove was still warm. After eating I went back to my camp & got my tarp set up even better over my tent. Hung out with folks @ Hooka Camp & realized that we had tripped on mushrooms on the same night @ different places. Drifted around with folks till dinner, after which I went back to camp for my drum & flashlight.
The drumming this night was quite good in that there was a good bit of singing & chanting going along with the drumming. This keeps the drummers from the speeding up syndrome, which takes over often. The ladies are the driving force behind the singing & chanting. Chatty Panda fulfills her name by chatting ~ quite a nice looking lady who I understand is an aerobics instructor from Boone. There was this beautiful song about the water falling from the wall, on to the concrete, & breaking through, & bending the iron bars down, as it turned into a ripple, & flowed into the stream etc. ~ song by Beautiful DaY? I go back to my tent & enjoy the night.

6/19/11

Got up & had a good breakfast before leaving to meet Ivars & John @ ACEnet. We were to meet @ 9:30, of course we were already on rainbow time. Ivars & Lisa were already there, but John was about an hour late ~ but hey it is rainbow time. Good conversation & an uneventful trip down to SW Virginia. We find the gathering quite easy & meet up with the front gate man, who gives us the heads up as to where things where. The day & night before there had been quite a rain, this had driven quite a few folks away from the gathering. We made our way up into the gathering along a rather muddy trail, stopping at the hooka camp for a quick toke, little did we know this was the trail where we would take to camp. We went past main meadow to the kitchen where we meet up with Cheri & Brad. Cheri took us back up to the Hooka Camp trail, where we set up our camps ~ after going back to the kitchen to get our gear that we had left there. As i was finishing up setting up my tent the conch blew for circle in the main meadow. Dinner was rice, veggies, & temple. After dinner I went back to get my drum & headlamp (which I had left at home), but I did have a backup flashlight. The drumming was good, Cheri let me have Brad's bucket to sit on at first then when he wanted it she gave me a chair. Had a good position, & the drumming was good. It was mainly a heavy handed drumming, but was quite good. Ivars was there & seemed to be drumming with quite intense energy. The drumming went on till 1:30am. I went back to my camp pretty easily knowing the trail by now. Sleep came pretty easy.

6/18/11

There was another party this day, but we were not really up for another party after the night before of tripping. So I had to get myself ready to go to the Katuah Regional Rainbow Gathering. Took awhile with the fog of the night before, but I did get it together except I forgot my headlamp. This day was a day of rest.

6/18/11

Well off to another party ~ @ Karin & Jarocs up @ lie-ers conner. Took a walk down the hill to Weston's Cob house. Of course this was after eating ~ good food again @ a pot luck. Lots of volleyball ~ then there was a ceremony by Crow & Becky which called in the directions. Becky channels spirits ~ which is quite interesting to do on Que. After the ceremony the fire spinners started up (Justin). While the fire spinning was going on I joined the drumming & after awhile I was given mushrooms covered in chocolate. When I was given this I asked ~ this whole big piece? Well, I ate the whole thing! I continued drumming ~ even moving where I was drumming & really not noticing anything. The rains starts & the drumming breaks up & I go in & out to the front porch. This was when the Trip Started!! Sitting there with feet up on the railing & the lightning & thunder were quite stimulating to the trip. There where others that were & were not tripping on the porch. The laughter was quite intense. At one point Nalnee moved off the porch but at some point she returned & was leading me out to the fire. However, at some point as we went through the house ~ I lost her. I laid down on the couch ~ for some reason there where drummers that where drumming very close to me for a while. In laying on the couch ~ I seem to for some reason started looking for my hand & could not find it!! A few minutes later when I Found my hand ~ I had it up in-front of my face giving it a good talking to about not telling me when it decides to leave. While this conversation with my hand was going on Nalnee walked up ~ so this got spread around to others. As Nalnee was leading me out to the fire ~ the ground was like mush which came all the way to my knees. It was quite hard to find where my feet were since through the mush though I could feel my feet in the grass ~ I could not see where they were going. On the path to the fire ~ there was a tent & some lady sitting there & there was some conversation ~ but I do not remember the conversation. I do remember that I had to go pee & while I had my pants down & had finished peeing ~ started looking at the moon which was quite beautiful ~ Nalnee comes over & suggested that I pull up my paints which I had forgotten to do. She then takes me to the fire & I find a chair. Nalnee then goes away somewhere ~ I made some comment that 'you are leaving me here & these people are crazy''. The conversations were quite interesting ~ Jamie was quite a big part of this continuing conversation. Some people went down to the swimming (mud) hole, but in my condition I knew it would not be a good Idea for me to go or would I even be able to make it down the hill. Laughter, conversations & messages provided quite an interesting & pleasant evening. Nalnee was going to have to go to work the next morning ~ so she went to the car to sleep for an 'hour'. Mira ~who was also Tripping~ & I were going to sleep on the straw mat ~ she had gone to the car & gotten more cloths from my laundry. So she & I curled up by the fire on the straw mate ~ with no covers. After getting up to pee several times I realized that by sleeping with my feet to the fire ~ I could feel warmer. At some point there was a blanket brought out & placed over Mira & myself. Now this sleep only started after ~though it was still dark~ after I heard the 1st bird of morning. I did get to see the moon still up in the west & the sun coming up in the east. Mira & I slept!! As the morning sleep came to an end ~ Mira, Carina, & I found ourselves skinny dipping @ the swimming hole ~quite beautiful young ladies for a man of my age to be skinny dipping with, was quite relaxed ~ got to show Carina a bit of Ti Chi, which she was interested in ~she has a desire to 'Know'.
We make our way back up to the house for the breakfast that was being prepared. Justin, the fire spinner & another young man were hula hooping with a sense of professionalism. Breakfast was served ~cheese~ so I cooked myself some eggs. We go shortly after breakfast. When we get back home ~ it is sleep sleep sleep.

6/17/11

Classic example of not having (taking) the time to Write. Not sure what happened on this date ~ think that we went to some party.

6/15/16/11

There was lots of energy coming from Mira & Nalnee for the arrival of Helen & Mary Mary. They were up & @ it! Food cleaning ~ day goes on Guest do not arrive early so Jim's car comes up sounding like a W. Va. car & hangs for awhile & leaves. H& MM arrive, by now I have arranged a ride to town with Sara to go to Full Moon drumming @ Manynames ~ but as of now no ride from town to drumming. Hang out with H, MM, S, M, N, J, RR then Rush & girlfriend Name? & I am off to town with Sara. In town feel a bit hungry, so O'Betties run into Dave Kola & off the drumming!!! Good Smoke, good company, great drumming, I stay @ S&MN's for the night & get ride to town & then home with MN. The party is still going on @ home. Hang with H& MM & others ~ food ~ toke ~ life is good & so is afternoon nap & bed time with Nalnee. For dinner I make rice cereal eat & Nalnee goes out to Mira's bus & comes back with Tyler ~ Jeanette comes back with a story of being handed an iPhone by a mysterious black guy ~ go up & check on Henry for joday with Tyler & Mira. Life is good ~ good energy & good friends~

6/14/11

This day was such a shot day as far as what my body was able to do ~ the work of ladder & rope step & heights add to the tension with in my body!!! Since writing this a few days latter ~ memory is of taking the day For My Body.

6/13/11

This was quite a day~ started a bit late ~ but started out by roof coating the bedroom Yurt. Went well ~ this is latter work ~ so tiring but was fairly easy. Moving the latter ~ up & down ~ any latter work is tiring with the added tension of height. Eat some lunch & then got it ready to do the top of the big Yurt. Moving rug, getting ready for the latter in the yurt to go up through the 'gateway to heaven'. With the step latter I moved the skylight off toward the hallway roof. Then I moved in the 12' er to stick up through the gateway to heaven & some plywood scrapes to set the roofcoat cans upon. Now after having to look for the old hole for the eye bolt for the rope step. Yea, the rope step is a design I came up with to hang out through the gateway to heaven & be able to stand on a 4x4 that has a rope going as a swing would. This allows me to stand leaning up against the yurt roof.
This part of the yurt roof has been neglected for I believe 2 years & it really showed. This part of the job of roof coating really takes the tension to a new level. This went pretty well, with the help of Mira, moving the latter, paint cans, & rope. Started from the front of the yurt, but believe starting from the back is where I will start next time. Finished the big yurt coated, then went to hallway roof to finish off the big yurt top by being able to reach from this roof for the part where they meet. After doing this I did the hallway roof. This took the very last of the roof coat & patch. Was good to have enough such that I did not have to come back to this the next day.
Cleaning up took some real scrubbing with a hit in the outside tub. This only took off the major roof coat off my body. Have got to get a work shirt for these sorts of jobs. Then on to Jeanette's tub for a hot bath. This day really wiped me out!!! This was a Good Day even with a late start ~ finnished on the roof before bath @ 8:30pm!!!!

6-11-11

Day started out ~ well really @ 3:34am ~ Maliki must have treed something as she went out with me to pee. Started barking right outside of my bedroom ~ & would stop for just a few minutes ~ then start up again. Just enough spacing of barking to make it imposable to return to sleep. So I got up finally got Maliki inside, so others could sleep. After breakfast at this ungodly hour ~ I curled up on the couch & slept till about 11.
Then off to mow the lower yard ~ things going well till I thought ~ this is Sat. & Arron might take those windows to ReUse. So tried calling Jim to no avail. Got Arron's # from Sara & made the connect ~ he & Jim were just loading the windows on to his truck. They brought them over!!!! Got the one unloaded in top of hill yard ~ went well. I had measured & there just was no other space for the second window. Showed Arron, Eren, & Arthur my Yurt home & they left. There had been this push by Nalnee to take the second window ~ true it was nice ~ but no real place to put it, even in the barn (not enough of an opening to even put the window in in the barn ~ big window!!! I thought great~ so went on back to mowing, after finishing ~ I took a bath in my outdoor tub in cold water ~ felt great relief from the heat of the day & mowing. As I come in to make myself some food ~ Nalnee is in one of her ever increasing mood swings of anger ~ she says I negate her ideas ~ tried to explain that there was just NO place the window could be place & that to store it for an extended time would just deteriorate the window ~ so better to go to ReUse & someone that could & would use window could have this window. Arron had done the same by having the windows sit for some time @ his home thinking that 'someday' he would use them.
Well this anger from Nalnee prompted her to gather up Mira & go off to Hocking hills. Not paying attention to the needs of the home front ~ Mira at times is facilitating the emotional swings that Nalnee is going through. Not sure how to reach either ~ have decided to just avoid & not add to fires of confused anger.
Well, with house empty, I emptied shit bucket, covered up new windows, took dogs for a walk, cooked myself my 3rd meal of the day, & layed down on couch & fell asleep ~ getting up @ 3 again ~ but this time off to bed to a good cool sleep.

6/10/11

Was an early day ~ when ya catch the bus ~ ride to town ~ the departure time is decided by someone else ~ a lot of the time. Good day ~ cooler early, got a new tent, a fan, some food ~ so good day 'in town'. Home ~ some webtime, a bit of midday melt~time, dog walk ~ love the Onion Creek Path ~ magical place, defended by the dreaded Deer Fly ~ big burdock leaves make great fans. L/I dropped in for dinner/mind~touch ~ beautiful evening in garden, front/back yard. Food ~ ay Salads Leaf & a wonderful M salad of beets, potato ~Russian salad ~ fruit ~ & N's great pie!!! Days well spent are such jewels in one's life.

Back dating to a 5/27 Waterloo hike

6/9/11

Well, seems all the rain we have had brought about the need to till the garden for the 4 or 5th time just to get it to dry out. Hope to plant if it doesn't rain this afternoon.

Sent from my iPhone

^/9/11

This is probably the latest that I have ever gotten my garden in! So today I planted ~ collards, chard, thai peppers, bush beans, butternut squash, zucchini, Zenia, green beans, Moon Flowers, & 4 kinds of 'Herb'. Will be interesting to see just what time frame by planting this late ~ as to how the garden grows.
The temperature & the dear & horse flies were hard to deal with today, so after a nice late bath ~ I took the dogs for an hour long walk walk along the path of Onion Creek ~ still fanning with a big burdock leaf for the flies that still wanted my blood. Keeping a record of my life living in community in the woods in rural SE Ohio ~ in my Yurt complex ~ should be interesting to look back upon.

6/9/11

6/9/11

Setting up cell post ~ hope these work.

Sent from my iPhone

Life in a Yurt

Today I got the roof repair done ~ w/ Jim's help. Then I got roof coating on lower part of the roof. Will have to wait on rain to stop to Finnish. Good day of accomplishment