Rec Lab 2017… and We’re on the Radio!

Tags

DIY, fun, Rec Lab

Well, Rec Lab 2017 was another wonderful week of seeing people I love and making Polymer Clay art.  But a big thrill mid-week was listening to the Call of the Wild show about the Harn.  https://beta.prx.org/stories/203798  What a thrill to hear how Milt Lee made a beautiful show of the much longer time we spent interviewing and touring at the Harn back on April 7th.  In 8 minutes, he covers a lot about our place.

It sure was nice to have a piece of home during Rec Lab.  The week at Lab is SO FULL of activity that I had to listen to half the interview before Tuesday’s Write Your Bio session and the second half just after class.  The Write Your Bio Fireside presentation of stories written during this Creative Activity session was just beautiful.  One of my favorite parts was when Ann read her story about her Uncle Galen (a long time Rec Labber who is sweet and funny) and she became so overwhelmed that another classmate came up to finish the reading for her.  Mimi started out strong but within a couple sentences, she too became overwhelmed.  Both finished their portions of the reading in tears but it was one of the most beautiful moments when they hugged at the end of it.  It was a wonderful example of how the beauty of writing can not only help us retain our stories but also find connection with each other.  This seemed to be a strand of continuity throughout this week at Rec Lab.

Our opening night of Lab included a Fireside of Stories giving various perspectives on how Rec Lab has impacted our lives.  Among the speakers were Lynn and Rhoda who spoke on the origins of Rec Lab, Gretchen on how a class can affect you by reading an A-Z poem she wrote during a previous Lab, Jane on how being a great creative artist is not a requirement for attending Lab, Mike on how we receive help and offer help to each other, and Katherine on how we can find acceptance just where we are in our lives.  I think it was a beautiful representation of the many ways that Lab brings us joy.  Colleen’s Joy for the Journey theme for Fireside this year made for many lovely nights spent in contemplating our joy before we headed to bed.  Or… as a brief, quiet respite between dinner/dancing and MORE CRAFTING!  I spent most nights in the Polymer Clay room continuing to work on my projects.

One of my favorite projects this week was a Fairy Door made for friend Char’s new Yarn Basket shop.  This photo shows it prior to baking and before I got the “knitting needles” (two little straight pins donated by BJ) in place.  I loved the mixed color I got with the lavender and metallic blue clays, the wood grain effects I copied from an example on Pinterest, the sweet roses, and the little yarn balls as a door decoration which were a perfect addition for a Yarn Shop Fairy Door!

Laura Burlis is an excellent instructor and helps each of us learn new techniques that we can use to continue instruction with people when we head back home.  I’m looking forward to having some friends over to make some lovely little turtles, ladybugs and other fun charms.  This year many made fairy houses and little gnomes and wizards as well in Polymer Clay.  This class is so fun that we often have visitors who stay to watch our work or check out our progress through the week. You can read more about Laura here: http://lolaartistsmn.blogspot.com/2014/07/laura-burlis-turns-polymer-clay-into.html?m=1

The one project I didn’t bring home was a Bottle of Hope.  The Polymer Clay Guild Laura belongs to does a project where they gather empty chemo vials and decorate them with clay, returning them to the hospital for patients to take home to brighten their days.  I used my favorite colors to decorate a whimsical jar that I hope someone will love.  The photo with me and the bottle was taken with my instructor and friend, Laura.  I also included a photo of Gretchen who made a lovely gift for her friend Alan along with a beautiful fairy house.  Everyone’s projects turned out so lovely!

Here are some photos of Friends’ work (Jenny’s painting and Will’s Clay and costumes by Jami, Christine and Tina):

There were lots of new things this year at Lab and some were a great success and some I know will be improved even further in 2018.  We had a LOT of information on classes prior to arriving at Lab and, once at Lab, had lots of info on where/when classes would take place.  Our implementation of Craft Talk (in previous years we did a Craft Walk) was OK but we hopefully will make that better next year.  Opening Night “Northland Derby” was tremendous with amazing food, games and decorations.  And the theme made for a laugh-filled Closing Night presentation created by Laura Burlis with loads of improv by the many Labbers in the show.  This show is our chance to poke some fun at the new Instructors and Discussion Leaders for the year’s Lab.  I really loved the bit on Paul’s Fly Tying class by Mike and Russ and the sister act of June and Gail on the Nature Pendants (by Kim) and Nature Hikes (by Dianne).  Ryan brought levity with his documentarian role (his REAL LIFE job).  The Basket girls (Amy, Hailey & Heather) were hilarious as were Lutz, Nick and Jacob as the “Horses” on their brooms and vacuum cleaners.  But my faves were likely Tina and Jenny who depicted our Energy Discussion Leaders Tina Simonetta-Samuels and Christine Simonetta.  They had me rolling on the floor, as were Tina and Christine!  You can see more about the Eden Energy Medicine the Discussion Leaders shared here: http://www.innersource.net/innersource/

Funny things I learned this year at Lab:

• There is an uncanny a resemblance between Jane and Nancy. (Also between Linda and Anita and apparently between me and Krista and Heather…)
• Lots of people enjoy dressing as poop collectors. (There were 6 of us at the Derby party – no fancy hats for us!!  Poo Crew from Iowa, me, Alan and the Discussion Leaders all donned our worst and swept up the Chocolate Bit-o-Honey poops!)
• Earthworms are BAD. (They eat all the duff – leaf matter – leaving nothing to protect the little seedling trees!)

Our week ended with a display at Art Show.  I will say this was a quite nice part of the week.  This had little to do with it being my committee and more to do with the many hands that jumped in to make it wonderful and, of course, the stunning array of art presented in the show.  There were several folks who helped set up and host the event (Mary L, Jewitt, Hailey, Jenny, Mary R, Vanjie – and whomever I forgot in all the hustle!) and the music truly made us look professional with Harp by Jacob and Keyboards, Guitar, Violin and Singing by the Jam Session crew (Jean, Jewitt, Marti, Nancy and Rhoda).  Thanks to Marti for getting that all in place for the Show.  I was so tickled with how it all fell into place.  I hope to get a video up soon of the event but editing my footage is still in process.  Watch for a link in next week’s blog…

There is just never enough time to do all the crafts you’d like.  I spent most of my time in Polymer Clay with a couple days in Write Your Bio and Yoga.  I also got in a Nature Walk with Dianne that taught me much about spring flowers, birds and worms.  A Naturalist by training, she gives a professional take to this Creative Activity!  And I made one of the two Book Group sessions as books are a BIG love for me.  I only taught a one-session class on Vision Boards / Dream Pages, but with First Day and Bulletin Board work, as well as Art Show and Tech Support, it seemed I didn’t have time for as much Creative Activity as I’ve smashed into the week in the past.  I wish I’d been able to check out the Jam Sessions with Jewitt and Marti, the Loom Weaving with Hailey, Paper Crafts with Amy, Heather and Paula, Cooking with Gail, Caning with Kathy, Silverwork with Alan, and Woodworking with Gerry and Abby.  I LOVE lathes.  But there is the Notebook (done this year by Heidi and Katherine with photos by Paul) that gives details on all the Creative Activities so I hope to be able to try some of these things on my own.

I hope you too are busily creating as we make our way through Spring.  Us Minnesotans are mostly still just waiting for the snow to stop…

I’m at Rec Lab!!

Tags

Rec Lab

This week’s blog post is a review of some Rec Lab 2016 photos.  The theme was Mardi Gras.  Next week, I should have some great photos and stories from Rec Lab 2017.

 

Just had to add some pipeline updates.

While at the same time they are requesting refunds on tax valuation from the state, it appears they are increasing costs the state must pay:

And here’s an interesting letter I got this week regarding the Pipeline…  seems there is a loophole that needed fixed and I commend this Citizen for taking action, though it’s sad that the step is needed:

 

Happy Birthday to Me!

Tags

Freedom, fun

What a great week!  I have now embarked on my 49^th year and it was sure a sweet birthday.  I got lots of calls, including the official Birthday Song call from Mom and Tom and a lovely call from my brother Rob.  FB was full of happy wishes and it’s so nice to see all the wonderful people thinking of me, people I think of often as I see their posts on social media.  It’s amazing how big the Social Media world can be and while I’ve probably wasted more time than I should on Candy Crush, I really appreciate being able to connect with so many people all over the world.  And I got some nice cards (a handmade from Momma Chris – she’s the bestest!) and a few gifts too – 5 books (they know me!), some cash (always come in handy) and a couple adorable family photos.  I am feeling so loved.

I also began Knitting!  Mom brought me an afghan a couple months back that was in need of repair – she was sure that Char and I could fix it back to good.  It’s a beautiful melba peach color and I would love to have it whole again as it’s really pretty.  I actually ended up working on it with Bernis at Knitting Club, first taking off the ruined part back to one level, and now adding back a finishing edge.  It’s tough but I’m getting used to the process.  It will take some time but I can soon add Knitting to my list of crafts.  I will admit to trying to impress Dan Saturday evening and realizing I just could not be sure about how to start that next row… so the impressing will have to wait!  I’m sure with the strong encouragement from the Knitting Ladies, I’ll be getting the hang of it soon.

And I joined the Garden Club.  Got started with these folks at their March Seed Swap – another early birthday gift?  I will say YES.  I scored dozens of seeds and look forward to getting them planted as we start our gardens here at the Harn.  Met some really great folks here, including Jeff and Angie from Split Oak Farm who have invited me to come over and see their “kids” (baby goats!).  I plan to stop there often when I’m heading to Bagley as they are expecting baby pigs any time now as well.  Everyone was friendly and it was a fun way to spend an evening talking about plants and phenology.  What’s Phenology?  It is the study of cyclic and seasonal natural phenomena, especially in relation to climate and plant and animal life.  There were a bunch of great reports: lots of swan sightings (including Trumpeters); pussywillow, rhubarb sprout and crocus sightings; and my favorite first hearing and sighting of Sandhill Cranes.  My neighbor Connie (new Garden Club friend) and I both heard them – she is around the corner but her back yard and mine are closer than our driveways.  I got a lovely offer for some lily starts which I will surely be taking her up on this spring.  Oh, plus I met a Death Doula (Lorrie).  How cool is that!?!?  Can’t wait to spend some time with her.

I share this birthday week with some friends and Dan and I were able to gift one of them with a present on her big day.  The other I had gifted with her present weeks earlier but I will from now on be sure to give her a gift on or super close to her actual birthday as it’s really special to have the specific day recognized.  This year having so many wishes truly made my day special.

Dan and I are keeping busy with helping friends in the neighborhood and getting to know more of the locals.  It’s really feeling like “our town” the longer we’re here.  Only a few more days until he’s here for good!  I am enjoying getting settled and look forward to lots of fun the more people and plants we get to know.  We had the neighbor from around the corner stop by… his wife had said to him, “That driveway has been getting lots of use!” So he came by to introduce himself which made me happy, happy, happy as I’ve been meaning (for months) to take a walk over to their place.  It will be an easier decision to head their way now that I have a standing invite to visit.  They are home bodies like us.

I spent most of a day with Anne to look at possible cabins and that was a bunch of fun.  We hit every resale shop along the way and I scored BIG finding not only a couple good books I have wanted (Mists of Avalon, Lee! And Cutting for Stone, KP!) but also a new set of 8 ohm speakers for Dan ($3) and a replacement crock for my crock pot ($2.50).  I also scored a nice pair of new house shoes for Dan ($3) and some ribbons and fabric (of course).  Anne took me to her favorite place in Grand Rapids for lunch, Sammy’s.  https://sammyspizzagrandrapids.com/ and I took her to my favorite place (which she LOVED)… Aldi’s! https://www.aldi.us/  They have a brand new store in GR and it’s the biggest Aldi’s I’ve ever seen – yes, I think it’s even bigger than the St. Cloud one which was the biggest in the state.  Now if they will just get one put up here in Bemidji…  I truly see them as life savers because they bring affordable and quality food to the area.  I was talking with a couple in front of us in line who have been astounded at their food bill reduction, which really helps having 5 kids.

I will say, the best part of the trip with Anne was probably Nigig running from the house with her arms spread wide.  I thought she was so happy to see Gramma home and I was smiling big as we watched her approach. But at the last minute, she came to me!  I got the first Big Hug!!  Just made my heart burst!  I think to her I’m this lady that shows up unexpectedly but it tickles me that she’s so happy to see me when I visit!  Later I taught her how to swing herself on the porch swing and told her she is powerful.  I think that’s a pretty good trade.

We had a visitor from Mann Lake Bees [They’re having a big sale but it ends soon! https://www.mannlakeltd.com/]. Our friend Patrick showed us a couple good places for bees.  It was great walking the land with the warm sunshine!   We will need to put up an electric fence for the bears but I think we’re gonna start with bees this year. This will be a good fit as we don’t have anyone close by doing honey.  We have egg people, meat people, yarn people, and flower and veggie people, but no one we know for honey.  This will make a great product that we use a LOT and give us something to give for gifts.  I have friended a couple bee people here locally online and hope to learn a lot from everyone.  Patrick was interested in the Rocket Mass Heater so we gave him an explanation of them and had a fire and some conversation.

The highlight of my birthday week was Sunday evening.  I did a writing workshop with Jamie Lee (not Jamie Lee Curtis as I reported to Anne the day before…) at Farm by the Lake (https://www.facebook.com/farmbythelake/).  You can find out more about Jamie Lee here:

• www.jamieleeonline.com (blog)
• www.thebeadpeople.org
• www.patriciajamielee.com (consulting/training)
• www.manykites.com (publishing)

I was full of writing ideas by the time we wrapped up and I’ll have lots to practice as I continue to pursue my writing.  I may yet publish a book as Mom foresaw when I was young.

I was also able to get in a visit to new friends Jeff and Angie at Split Oak Farm in Bagley on the way home.  They gave me a tour of their sustainable farm with pigs, goats, chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese.  Oh, and cows (who we didn’t visit… next time!). Their goose eggs are HUGE!  And they just had baby goats so I got to hold the little girl and she was so soft and sweet.  I’m really looking forward to their little piglets which should be here any day! https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009080365262&hc_ref=SEARCH&fref=nf  They’re super fun and we had a great time chatting.  The only thing that would have made it better is if Dan was able to join us.  But that will happen soon, I’m sure.  He moves up here this week!!!

Surviving the Cold

Tags

books, local, Reading

Well, it’s been a cold week here at the Harn.

Hmmm… I feel a bit like Garrison Keillor.  How strange.

I have had the thought, “What was I thinking… coming to the Harn as winter comes on?!?”  But I am truly grateful.  We’re finding all the holes to plug so winter will be warmer than this chilly end of fall. With the past week of truly cold temps, it’s hard to believe that winter has yet to arrive.  And I’ve been able to, thus far, convince the critter trying to dig through the wall to cease and desist.  I’m guessing if I wasn’t here, he’d have chewed through and made himself at home inside the Harn.  He was chewing again Sunday, after an eleven-day hiatus, and I yelled and banged and he stopped.  Unfortunately, he was back today.  I hope I’m hearing each time he comes and that I someday will be able to determine his entry point to block it.  So far, there seems to be no entry from outside.  I can only assume he has residence in the attic or was stuck in the wall when I blocked the outside access.  If he’s in the attic, he needs to stay there!  Of course, if he’s in the attic, I may be fighting this chewing as an ongoing battle.

Several times this past weekend Dan reminded me, “it’s a dry cold!”  This was the coldest weekend of the year and, indeed, it was dry.  But that does not help but when it’s so bitter… -25°F.  You just do NOT want to stay outside for long.  It’s just f-ing cold!  I got a lovely heated bird bath from Fran and Ed last week and just getting it plugged in was enough to teach me about wet cold.  Snow melts when it touches your fingers and, once wet, the fingers are fair game for the death the cold air can bring.  No worries, my digits are fine.  But even without wetness, I have learned that I need to wear gloves when I go out and it’s below zero.  I can no longer live the lackadaisical way I did in Indiana, shunning a coat until well into January or February.  Minnesota North Woods, I’m learning, can deliver a deadly cold.  My comprehension of cold has been a bit of a shock.  But I now always assure I have boots, hat, coat, and gloves on or in the car.  I’m considering adding the snow pants to that inventory!  I did find snow pants as we unpacked and they are so toasty!

The week involved lots of fires and running the space heaters overnight but I’ve been able to stay warm so far.  We continue to plug leaks and I found a breeze coming in from the closet so this weekend we insulated the concrete slab in there (which we didn’t think to insulate from the rest of the slab which is in the cold garage…  Hindsight is amazingly brilliant!)  The floor insulation helps but it’s still only about 40F in there with this heavy cold so the breeze persisted.  It amazes me that a 20-degree temperature difference can create such a strong airflow at that entryway!  We closed off the room with another piece of insulation and that stops the breeze.  The pump room stays warm with the heat lamps so I’m feeling relieved that one of our plans appears to be working well.  And it does seem like we’ve seen the last of mice in that area so – winning!

We did entertain our first guests for a meal – Char and Wyatt!  Made a chicken and red lentil soup and some cornbread.  It was a simple meal but good to see them both.  They have been a huge blessing to me and Dan.  For me, it’s great to connect with Char for so many reasons.  She’s a knitter and has a yarn store – so it’s nice to have a crafty gal close by – and she raises her own food and I hope to learn much from her in the coming years.  Plus she’s just adorably funny and the sweetest gal you can know.  I think Dan and Wyatt are hitting it off too.  Wyatt did our concrete work in the garage and Dan reciprocated in part by helping Wyatt with his electrical work at their place.  And they are finding more in common as we go – turns out they are both album fans.  Yes, vinyl!  They both have turntables and record collections, and, though Dan’s is much smaller than Wyatt’s, I believe Dan will be expanding his collection.  They’re both good and handy guys so Char and I feel pretty lucky in our picks!

I was able to read a couple books this past week: Out of the Woods by Lynn Darling and Siddhartha by Herman Hesse.  I’ve now started The Monkey Wrench Gang by Edward Abbey – can’t believe I haven’t read any of his work until now!  What a character.  I love his description of State Police in his opening paragraphs as it reminds me of the officers at Standing Rock.

The proud tough sensitive flunkies of the rich and powerful.  Armed and dangerous.

As I watch Trump fill his cabinet, I fear, will continue to see the use of government forces in collusion with the goals of the rich and powerful.  And I have a foreboding sadness for those who voted for him in the hopes of finding a better life as I believe they will soon find the same disillusionment I felt when Sanders was ousted.  It’s a bitter pill to swallow and often makes you feel like swallowing many more bitter pills in hopes of ending it all.

Back at the Harn… I have continued putting up trim so the place is looking a bit more finished.  I was also able to get a laundry cabinet hung.  Almost had a major issue with this as I did not thoroughly plan the process before I got started.  I hung a board on the wall on which the top rail of the cabinet back would rest.  Then I put up the cabinet and put one screw in the bottom, not assuring I had a ladder at hand to reach the top screws… When I tried to let go of the cabinet to grab a chair or ladder, the top of the cabinet pulled away from the wall and off the rail.  I realized this before letting go but was left standing there holding the weight of the cabinet and unable to reach for something to get high enough to put in a top screw.  I looked about and ended up pulling over a box of books that was within reach.  I was able to stand on it to get a couple screws in the top rail.  Then I got the chair to finish the rest.  Lucky break!  Looks good and feels sturdy now.  The cabinet was a $30 find at the ReStore.  I decoupaged the exposed end and hung a picture on it and I think it looks pretty good.

I was able to get down to Alex for my U-Group meeting and it sure was nice to see so many people I love. 🙂  Got to see Momma and Tom and that was great too, though Mom had some disturbing news.  I was able to help her through it to a great degree and that felt good.  I think she was more concerned with how the news would affect me than she realized and, when I took it OK, that helped her relax about it quite a bit.  I will say that some things are just too strange to understand and you have to just let them be and not try too hard to unravel them as there is likely to be no comprehensible explanation.  It did help to talk with my good friends Steph & Lee about it and I am grateful that I have them.  They have lived through similar circumstance in their own lives and empathy is the greatest of soothers.  Of course Danny was his steadfast self in keeping me on track about it all.  In the end, I’m just moving on, doing my best to be myself and loving everyone.  I have a peace about it all.  While in town, I did get a chance to sneak by Cherry Street Books to see Shawn and KP and I stopped by ABE @ ATCC to spend a bit of time with Minerva which was delightful.  I have missed our ESL time each week and am hopeful that we’ll be able to connect on Skype sometime soon.  I gave her a book we can use to practice pronunciation and a bar of the homemade soap I made and she astounded me with a lovely red, white, and green beaded bracelet and a pair of earrings with Frida Kahlo on them!  That I would receive a gift depicting an artist is such an inspiration to me.

I had some mail delivered to the door – three packages!!  I was on the phone with Steph when the driveway alarm went off so I kept her on the phone as I wasn’t sure who it would be.  Was exciting to meet Chad, the fill-in mail dude, but when I checked the packages after getting off the phone with Steph several minutes later, I realized they were not for me!  The address wasn’t even close!  Actually, there were two different addresses for the same recipient.  Oh, geez.  Another round of weirdness with the Post Office.  I left the flag up with a note to let them know but have not seen them yet.  When I got to the mailbox today, the flag was down, more mail was in the box – this time for me! – and the note was gone.  I dropped off the packages when I headed south today.

So with all the recent cold, I am super happy to be in the 20’s this week.  It’s a heat wave!!  I’m thinking my buddy Plumbob (who moved to MN from IN a couple years before I did) may prove to be right in saying, “26 below ain’t as cold as you think!” as 20 now seems balmy. I needed to gather more wood for the stove so this heat wave came at a good time.  I like seeing a rack of wood that will keep me ahead in the heating game.  I have a wood stash closer to the mandoor to the Harn but my stockpile had gotten quite small!

With the warmer weather, I’ll be burning less but it’s nice to have the wood ready.  I’m guessing this load will get me into the new year.  I’m hoping so but I do plan to get out in the woods this week and gather more wood while the weather is nice.  That’s a nice way to get outside, get a bit of exercise, and also get some much needed work done.  I took a brief walk out the back yesterday and gathered a small handful of sticks for kindling as I went.

The best part of the recent work at the Harn was being able to get some big moving done and the craft room is starting to take shape.  It will be an ongoing job to unpack but I am feeling closer to being able to get crafting again and that will make winter much more productive.  Yippee!

So my Christmas is looking like it will be a happy one.  Though I feel I have done little along the way of presents, I am finding a joy in hearing the Christmas music on the radio – something in years past I would turn off quickly.  Not sure what this means…  but I hope all your Christmas dreams come true.  I believe we are going to have a white Christmas here… 8-12” deep!   Lucky will remain in his new favorite spot on the Rocket Mass Heater.

First Week at the Harn

Tags

books, DIY

Well I’ve survived the first week at the Harn.  Still don’t have a real routine as Thanksgiving happened this week, but I have developed a few protocols.  In the morning, Lucky wants to be fed as soon as I leave the bed.  But first thing is go outside to pee (usually) and then start a fire, depending on how cold it’s gotten over night.  We typically have the space heater on in the bedroom overnight but on nights I don’t I’m surprised to see that the Harn holds at 60°F.  When we have a heater on, we’re usually at 64°F in the morning; the other side of the Harn (unheated area at night) will usually drop to 60°F.  After the fire warms the water in the teapot perched on the top of the stove’s barrel, I will use that to wash me, dishes, or both.  Barring a need for either of these tasks, I can use it to make some oatmeal.

I’ve spent most of the time this first week moving boxes and unpacking a few.  Mostly I was clearing out the shelving unit that was the original wall of our 20×30 cabin space so that I can unload some of the boxed things from Indiana.  I’ll post a photo next week of the wall of books as I forgot to take one for this week’s blog.  It’s filling fast and I still have many boxes of books remaining to unpack.  I’m realizing that we will never have enough room for all the books we’ve brought and I’m leaving some of them for later unpacking, first pulling the best or most urgent reading materials for immediate shelving.  In the bedroom or on my bedside table are most of the current reads, recently acquired items, and permaculture/gardening/homesteading books. I have not made too much time to read as of yet but hopefully with this longer week of solitude I will make some time for a bit more of that.

I’m going through wood as Clay (our Rocket Mass Heater) is not fully massed and a lot of the heat goes right up the chimney.  Luckily we have lots of wood here and Dan and I pulled a half cord from the front woodpile (circa 2012) into the garage so it’s readily available for burning.  We did pull the clay buckets (and one manure bucket) into the garage to warm it up and this week I hope to get some of the structural cob started.  Since I fire the stove daily, it will be a good chance to use that heat to dry out the new applications of cob.  We hung a big mirror and the cloth wall hanging I made this past week to cover the construction-y looking wall behind our bed.  We also got the lazy susan cabinet’s countertop base cut so I can start working on that project. I’m hoping to use bottle caps to cover the surface and then pour acrylic onto them for a flat surface.  So many projects!  But now I’m here full-time so I can plug away at them through the winter.  Dan also put up the mailbox I painted so I can now get mail!

Meanwhile we had a lovely Thanksgiving at the Mississippi Headwaters Hostel. Another couple was there and Mom and Tom could have driven up with them as they were from Alex too!  It was a real blast sharing stories and photos of our adventures as we digested our Turkey Day meal.  There was chicken (I know, blasphemy! But there were no fresh turkeys at Aldi’s, only frozen.), cranberry sauce, stuffing, sweet potatoes, and pie – all the makings of an authentic Thanksgiving meal.

And I am grateful for so much of late.  Mostly I am thankful at this moment for Mom and Tom helping make this 2-year transition to the Harn so much easier than it could have been.  Not having to pay rent while we stayed at their place, being able to get so much work done to make things livable before we had to live here, being able to transition everything slowly up to the Harn rather than in one big move, the truck that made moving all that stuff possible, and all the support they have given as we’ve been making this transition the last 10 years – it’s invaluable.  I know parents are supposed to take care of their kids but they have done so much more than we could ever have expected and lots more than many parents even dream of doing.  I am grateful for the freedom to be able to make this move, even if I am a bit unsure at this point where it’s all going to take us.  I’m grateful for my son Tom and for Celia, who has his heart now.  They are good for each other.  I am also grateful for my grandkitty Jax ~ a big, sweet, fluffy ball of fur that makes Celia and Tom happy.  And I’m grateful for Fran and Ed who took care of Tom those last few years while he was finishing school.  They too have been extraordinarily supportive through the last quarter century since fate brought us together and it’s tough not being able to spend time with them every week like we did while Tommy was growing up in Indy.  And though I never knew him and barely had time to know her, John and Natalia Obert are often on our minds as we spend time at the Harn.  Some of the furniture, books and housewares that were once a part of their household are now special to us.  It feels good to know the history of these things, to be a part of a bigger family than just my birth family.  I am grateful too for all our friends and acquaintances who I am reminded of every day in little places around the Harn.  The calendar from Muzamba, the shaker from Anne Dunn, the wall hangings from Vicki, the fragile blue glass dish from Char, the suncatcher and small painting from Mariah & Virginia, the photo from SDI of everyone wishing me well (well, one guy was flipping me off… but I get it ~ he got my old job!), and the Christmas tree from Dan’s Mom, another I never had the chance to meet.  It reminds me that one day, once we are gone, our things will pass on to another who, hopefully, will love them like we have.  As Dan often says, All of our possessions will one day serve another.

I hope you too have much for which to be grateful.  And I pray that your possessions will serve you well for a long time to come.  And once you are gone, that your memory will last with others in a way that brings joy to their hearts.

Northern Fun!

Tags

fun, living local, Volunteering

What a week full of unexpected fun!!  From chipmunks to virtual reality, we found ourselves enjoying the most unexpected of pleasures.

In the midst of putting in the lake pump, we saw a delay in getting water to the spigots and headed down the steps to check for leaks in the line.  As we started into the woods, we heard a scurrying to the right and looked over to see a couple of chipmunks “wrestling”.  It was adorable.  There was a bark platform on which they were rolling around and we watched as they wiggled and twined together through the woods, chasing and catching, rolling on their little bed of bark.  Dan finally went to get the camera but were too late to catch anything too risqué.  Just as he was heading to get the camera, I heard the water squirting from the spigot.  Our wonderful distraction kept us from fretting over the plumbing and meanwhile, the problem remedied itself!  While we missed much of the playful time in the woods, we did get some great shots of the little guys and girls up at the patio, along with a good video of some dragonfly eating: https://youtu.be/mENwj8voPx4

We headed to The Cities Friday for the Northland Rec Lab Board meeting on Saturday.  With construction season in full bloom (Indiana and Minnesota both share the concept of two seasons… winter and construction), we decided to take the back roads and wound through Meire Grove, Paynesville, Eden Valley, Annandale, Buffalo and more headed towards Uptown.  The country drive was a lovely one with rolling hills of green. We arrived in Minneapolis and enjoyed the remarkable diversity.  Apparently, the neighborhood just north of where we stayed is the most diverse neighborhood in the country!  So many people of varying shades, hipsters to young families, old folks and young.  An array of smells to make your mouth water as we cruised down Nicollet’s eatery row.  We spent a relaxing evening at a super new AirBnB.  Headed to the Midtown Global Market for a bite late and saw some amazing mosaic sculptures made by an artist friend of my artist friend Laura Burlis.  http://lolaartistsmn.blogspot.com/2014/07/laura-burlis-turns-polymer-clay-into.html

Saturday had me headed to the Board Meeting while Dan enjoyed another trip to Northern Sun (he was so proud of the title he came up with for this blog which plays on the name of this favorite of stores…) and some sightseeing in Uptown.  He found the Trader Joe’s (a must stop when we get to Minneapolis) and new hangout, Peace Coffee.  We enjoyed a wonderful potluck after the Board Meeting at Roxanne’s – what a lovely place she has!  We even got to meet her two fancy kitties, Hannah and Zoey.  They were long-haired beauties but very pissed at being in Kitty Jail all day while the humans played in their house.  Hissy and pretty scary, we kept our distance as needed to avoid a smack.  But I snuck in a couple pets while Hannah sat on Mom’s lap. 🙂

Our friend Kathy Bahaug had mentioned that she was volunteering at the Northern Spark event that evening so Laura, Dan and I headed toward the Mill City Museum – the old Gold Medal Flour plant, now housing history and art displays.  We found Kathy making the most of her volunteering time!  Northern Spark had a Climate Change theme this year with wonderful CG interactive displays (didn’t get a photo of that, sorry, Tom and Celia!) and loads of other exhibits.  This is a dusk to dawn event and we arrived early enough to get on the front end of the line for the Virtual Reality display.  We were on swiveling chairs and could look all around at the various parts of the video.  I watched a documentary category video called Hard World for Small Things by Janicza Bravo depicting a day in the life of a tight-knit community in South Central Los Angeles. Cast included: Keith Stanfield, Brandon Scott, Hannah Heller, Idara Victor, Jodie Smith.  Well done. It was very interesting to experience VR.  With an apt name, it definitely feels very real.

Dan wanted to sit on the balcony at the Guthrie so we headed there next.  As we strolled, we passed:

• a silhouette puppet show with Indonesian music in the courtyard of the Mill Ruins
• Aniccha Arts display “Census”
• a view of the river and bikes and food trucks along the way
• a video of melting glaciers projected onto the flour silos with silhouettes of us passersby below
• the Making the Best of It: Dandelion display where you could see the Gut God giving blessings https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJMnG_h6WBw & https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtP99uwZl0Y

There were people EVERYWHERE!  So fun to be in the city amidst such vibrant crowds.  We made it to the Guthrie and headed up the elevator to the 5^th floor where we encountered displays of Bee Honeycomb, Lino Block Printing, and an explanation of the making of Batik cloth.  We arrived at the balcony and it was such a beautiful evening.  Warm but not sticky.  A breeze stirring all around.  Dark but loads of city lights.  We wandered more through the Guthrie, finally taking a rest in some unoccupied chairs overlooking the river view where Laura and Dan took a photo of themselves floating.  We were so grateful that Laura talked us into heading into downtown for the evening.  She says this town is wonderful for young people.  There are bikes everywhere and loads of bike friendly roads.  And she says that the Vikings are hiring at the new stadium… hear that, Tom & Celia!?!?  😉

Rec Lab 2016 Part 2

Tags

cooperation, Volunteering

What a week!!  Rec Lab 2016 was as much fun as last year – maybe more.  Where to even begin covering all the creativity, laughs, hugs, projects… well, at the beginning, I guess.

Thursday afternoon Dan & I arrived just in time for me to participate in the Instructors’ Craft Walk. Since many of us are presenting our workshop info for the Rec Lab participants on the Friday morning Craft Walk, this is a chance for us to walk through all the projects together and explain our workshops to each other.  It was neat to see the variety of activities from Making Tamales & Canning Basics, to Polymer Clay & Stained Glass, to Leatherworking & Woodworking, to Coffee & Conversation and Book Group, to Tai Chi Chih & Yoga, to Magic & Jugging, to Creative Writing & Instrument Making, to Blue Jean Weaving & Rec Doodle, to Dancing, Singing, and Nature Walks.  There are always too many options and not enough time to do it all, though some try.  I learned this year to commit to a few tasks and incorporate a few smaller things and I found myself quite happy with the output for 2016.  Dan was only there for the weekend but he made a belt and a stained glass piece while also taking lots of time for walking the grounds and getting some great photos.  Here are a few of my favorites.

When I asked him what he liked best about Rec Lab, he said, “the people”, and he took lots of time to chat with a wide range of the participants.  I would have to agree that, as much as I love the techniques and projects, the people are what make Rec Lab truly wonderful and memorable.

While I didn’t make as many projects as last year, I made a few great things: a belt, some Rec Doodles, many polymer clay pieces, tamales, and a few new friends.

I tried Tai Chi Chih again this year and quickly remembered why I didn’t pursue it last year… it’s really tough on my knees.  I perhaps needed to not push so hard but I decided it was too early in the AM to make it past one time, when I found myself up to midnight-2AM every night.  I would have gotten up for yoga but it wasn’t available in the AM this year instead being a workshop session.  Hopefully that will change next year and I can make more sessions.

My main focus this year was Polymer Clay and I jumped in the first workshop session with gusto.  Instructor Laura Burlis is one of my favorite people at Rec Lab; she is amazingly talented.  This year I believe I finally got into the P/C groove as I made some great canes (rolls of clay that you cut into slices) and finished several fun projects with which I was quite happy.

By the second workshop of Rec Lab, I was again “Pulling a First Year” as I bounced between the Rec Doodle and Blue Jean Weaving workshops, trying to learn both techniques in one session.  It worked! Thank goodness they were next door to each other!  I was able to complete a few Doodles and convince myself that I actually WAS capable of the practice – though I do need LOTS more practice.  And while I didn’t make a rug, I was able to comprehend the teachings that Dianne Rowse shared.  As a 2^nd Year, she’s jumped right into the Rec Lab philosophy of sharing a technique and the rugs everyone made were terrific!

Each year at Rec Lab we have Fireside at the end of the night.  The first one was Rhoda sharing about the history of Rec Lab and it was accompanied by a wonderful video of Mary Lou Woodward playing her harp.

We lost Mary Lou this past year but her spirit lives on at Rec Lab and I was able to share with her daughter Marti what a wonderful impact she had on me during the 2015 Rec Lab.  Marti provided lots of beautiful music again this year as the musical Labbers are known to do.  It was nice to craft in the workshop while hearing lovely songs from up the stairs in Cross Fire.

The second Fireside was me!  I was accompanied by Nick & Dianne Rowse and Jerry Brown who played the Josephine Waltz to open and closed with Ashokan Farewell,both beautifully played.  My talk was on Atul Gawande’s book Being Mortal and its important message of improving the way we deal with agingand the end of life.  I followed up with a visualization I do with the Dying the Talk! class I facilitate for Community Ed where we imagine the last event we experienced around death.  It’s a quiet process of looking again at the experience we had and thinking about the good and not so good of it.  Many people thanked me as they found it to be a profound experience while a few expressed that they were unable to stay.  Death is difficult so I understand not being ready to walk through such a practice, depending on where you are with life & death.  But it was touching to know that one of the first people to come up to me had just lost a family member just weeks before and she processed through it so beautifully.  Some told me it brought them peace or a new perspective and I was glad that we had done it early in the week to give people time to process and share the meditation in a safe place surrounded by friends.  I was honored to listen as people shared their stories with me throughout the week.  And I was grateful that several asked me to include the meditation in the Notebook.

The 2016 Notebook (Paula DeReamer)

What’s the Notebook?  Every year, Rec Lab is documented with all the instructors providing handouts/info for reference once Lab is over.  It is also full of photos and documentation of some of the special events.  One downside is that, because it is provided during the Closing Show, nothing from that show is included.  And it’s the highlight of the week… but we’ll get to it in a moment.

The other Firesides were also terrific.  Lutz Jackel shared about his musical instruments, art and home in Germany noting how Rec Lab has transformed his life.  Jane & Hsien Hsin Chang shared about dealing with Dementia.  June Anderson talked about her books on ghosts and the Creative Writing participants shared some excellent work.  Lots of focus on the theme of Transformation.

A major focus of the week is our Discussion which was led this year by Dasha Kelly, an author and speaker from Milwaukee, WI.  Her husband, Kima Hamilton, was an integral part of the presentations and I was overwhelmed by the work they both did in bringing us interactive creativity by reading her work (Almost Crimson) and giving Rec Labbers a chance to react to it, teaching us about how we use words, walking us through looking at personal needs for change, helping us to evaluate racism, and knowledge to allow logic to evaluate our writing only after creativity has played its role.  Her wonderful lessons, full of tools and ideas, gave us all much to contemplate during the week.  I had a pivotal moment that gave me pause to consider a lifetime of experience and how I will move forward following this new comprehension.  Truly a beautiful transformative experience for me.

Mardi Gras night was our celebration evening and it was full of hilarious games.  Krista Hegland and Karen Jacobson really made the event rock.  Our team struggled with a couple of the events but we had a fantastic time playing!  Almost as much fun as the games was the diversity of creative costumes.

I had good attendance for my Saturday Book Group and even more people came for the Tuesday meeting.  We learned about a flurry of wonderful books.  [For those interested in books, you will find a listing of the books we discussed in next week’s blog.]  And I had a few show up for the workshop on How You Want to be Remembered.  While this was not truly a review of Obits/Epitaphs/Funeral Plans/Legacy Letters as planned, I believe if we did this as a 2-part workshop, it could be.  As it was, it became very much a typical Dying to Talk! session.  I enjoyed learning from everyone sharing their experiences and I hope others found it to be worth their time.

Another aspect of Rec Lab is the Auction.  Lots of participants bring items to auction.  Sometimes these are purchased items, sometimes things we’re ready to let go to another, some bring arts & crafts they’ve created and the most coveted things are often the homemade candies. We ended up spending a bit more than expected but we went home with lots of great items, including some of the homemade caramels!

There is Folk Dancing every evening at Rec Lab and, while I’m not a big participator in this, I did attend the Chair Dancing evening.  And, since we had a new instructor for dance this year, we chose this night of dancing as the one to use for the Closing Program.  More on that in a moment…

I spent most of my free time in Polymer Clay, but I found a free workshop period to spend with Danny making Tamales as BJ Hall shared her cooking skills with the group.  As an experienced restaurant owner, she not only gave us detailed instructions but she also spiced the session with her sarcastic wit. Making tamales is a lot of work but a simple process.  We made about 10 dozen in a little over an hour (the meat was already cooked).  I think it’s something we can do at home but it would be a major project… and certainly not as much fun without a gang of people.

Partway through the week, and after Dan had left, I had a minor medical issue with this growth I’ve been dealing with on my right shoulder.  I had showered being careful to not
get the bandage wet which was a mistake as it stuck to the wound causing it to break open when I tried to re-bandage it.  I tracked down one of the medically trained Rec Labbers and she was able to patch me up.  Unfortunately, the medical supplies were limited but an eye patch and some colorful duct tape gave my treatment the Rec Lab touch it needed.  I joked that my Psyche Nurse gave me a Psychedelic Bandage.  [Update – I’m having the alien removed today, before I head for Indiana.]

Closing Night is always a celebration of the week with a spoofing of some of the new instructors.  This year’s show was MC’d by Tina Rohde and Colleen Shaskin with lots of interweaving of Laura Burlis and it was fantastically hilarious!  The story was of a Mardi Gras float being built and it was made on a frame of Metal Clay painted with Rosemaling (both new classes this year). The entertainment for the float included the outdoor game of Wüdd (spoofing Krista’s Outdoor Games), presented by Sherry Bruckner as “quick, fun & easy” and played by the Florells (Paul and Judy playing as John and Sarah).  Sarah shared with me afterward that she’d been looking for her Capri pants and couldn’t find them.  When Judy jumped up to play Wüdd, Sarah was thinking, “Hey, that’s my headband.  Wait, that’s my shirt.  Those are my Capris!!”  Judy was totally decked out as Sarah and she and Paul impersonated the kids with flair ~ it was a total laugh riot.  Danny said he was out walking the day they played the game and it took forever.  They asked him to play but he declined, seeing the endlessness of the game.  The spoof wound through the show with the Florells coming up three times to show the game as taking from afternoon, through dinner and into total darkness. Krista was laughing out loud with the roast of her event.

Jenifer Burlis-Freilich and I demonstrated the Chair Dancing (taught by Caron Grantz Keljik) where we spoofed her single-armed instruction by presenting our instructor, Laura Burlis, with both hands tied up at opposite shoulders.  We did an outrageous stretch of the practice by having me lie on the floor under Jenny’s chair for a portion of the dance… a great place for “seniors to take a nap as needed during class”. 🙂 And we left the stage dancing with our Chair Dancing partners… our actual chairs.  So much fun!

The only group to get not one but TWO standing ovations was a duo with 180 years of experience.  Yes, 180.  One is 89 and the other 91 and combined, they made quite the pair, and definitely the best of the pre-parade entertainment!  Ladies and gentlemen… Rod Gist & Galen Cain.

Closing night always ends with an announcement of the new Boss (President of the Board) who will lead the development for the next Rec Lab and this year it will be June Fettig.  Newly elected Board members this year are Kathy Tapper (1-year term for Tea Time) and, for the 3-year terms: Sarah Florell, Colleen Shaskin, Laura Burlis and ME!  Should be a great team and I’m excited about what we’ll be doing.

Only 51 weeks to go until next year!  As a member of the Board, I’m sure those weeks will go faster than I will believe.

See y’all next year!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Tags

being nice

Today is Valentine’s Day and I am finding myself blessed and want to share some of the beauty that has come into my life.  These photos today are from friends who swap fabric postcards – literal mini works of art – as a hobby.  It never ceases to amaze me when I see the variety of ideas and it tickles me to know the love and attention that goes into making these cards.  All through the last couple weeks, I’ve been getting love in the mail.  This first card was the first to arrive from my lovely Momma Christine Moore. This is a perfect card for us because, when we are together, it is BIG LOVE! She is my hero and guru for staying young via an ongoing crafting addiction. 😉  She sends out love every week in handmade cards (her specialty) and she gives so much to her friends in teaching crafts of all kinds. She also is a prolific quilter. I can’t wait to see all her projects next time I visit. I am really looking forward to getting the chance to spend time with her when I head to Indiana in May.  We always have so much fun crafting away.

 

What’s shakin’!?!  This card above is from Marilyn Earles and while it’s not clear in a still photo, it has loads of seed beads trapped between the fabric and a plastic overlay creating a card that you can shake to create pattern after pattern and a lovely noise like raindrops falling.  Marilyn is pretty new to our group and it’s neat to see the progression of her work.

This card is from Les Clarke – a beautiful embroidered heart.  I absolutely LOVE hearts.  They are my kryptonite.  If I see heart beads or buttons, it’s always hard to resist buying them for crafting.  And embroidery is so intricate and fun – creating pictures with thread – magic.  And this one came all the way from Australia.

 

Fran Andrews’ card arrived this weekend, just in time! And how lovely!  Fran has such a perfection about her cards, balancing colors, adding dimension and detail.  It’s always a joy to see a work from her in my mailbox.  This is a great example of her classy style.

This last one is a card that I made.  It is for Mom & Tom who celebrated 15 years of wedded bliss this Valentine’s Day.  It seems many people celebrate a Valentine’s Day anniversary.  I was telling my puzzle friends Dale & Marlys Weber of Special Memories this past week about how my parents still share a wedding anniversary even though they’ve been divorced for decades, because both re-married on February 14^th.  And these puzzlers too had married on this same day!  Even my son and his girlfriend celebrate this as the day they began dating.  Ah, love is in the air!!

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