glimmer

Pierre

2008-12-04T17:41:00.003-06:00

a story needing told

Some of you have heard about Pierre. He's green, loves dirt and occasionally likes to "catch out" (hobo for hitching a ride). This i found out two months later. And not by sound, nor smell. After noticing dirt on the kitchen table near a house plant (French Sorrel)day after day and attributing it to Ahdin the cat, i felt the need to take a closer look. As i leaned in towards the sorrel, taking one of the leaves for tasting pleasure, two golden eyes appeared just below the surface of the potting soil. These eyes grew into a head, the head extended into a body and I began to see my source much clearer. The source of the dirt mess that is. Pierre the toad.

The story goes: After returning from Minnesota I potted a few plants and set them on the cement stoop in the front of our house. Soon enough it began to get cold and in came the plants. Two months later, i realized that Pierre had come in as well. He housed himself in the French Sorrel for the first two months. Then the day after a rather stressful time of attention (from little ones) he "disappeared". We looked all over the house, or as much of it as we could. We even cleaned areas that haven't been seen by human eyes for years, but no Pierre. A week or two later, we decided to do another search. As i was circling through the living room, Mark was down on hands and knees by the piano. I came running to the proclamation that Pierre had been found. A new home he had made - two room lengths away from his first home. (What would be at least a mile hike in my world. ) One hard day that must have been, from my perspective, but he was content burrowing down in this new dark place.

The decision was made. We didn't want to lose him again, nor harm him in any way. So, to isolate him we decided to move this plant, though tropical, into the pottery studio as the first step to the outdoors. We wanted to acclimate him to the colder temperatures. Winter is here you know. He burrowed down deeper, contentedly. Yesterday, two weeks since the day we re-found Pierre, I moved him outside, and said my goodbye's.

In his small way, Pierre brought humor and lightheartedness into our lives. Now i picture him sitting at the local toad hang out drinking his version of beer with his toad buddies, telling them of his adventure and hunkering down good for the winter.

- Pierre in the French Sorrel.

- Pierre's second home - a bit more tropical.

- Saying 'good-bye'

- Back in the Great Outdoors under the pile of leaves in our raspberry patch.

2008-10-15T15:10:00.004-06:00

At 4:30 today i hit a wall - exhaustion resting on me so heavy.
My response? To get my camera out and go for a walk around the house.
Not a walk of miles, just a short walk here.

This is what i saw.

2008-10-12T18:30:00.004-06:00

Sunday was a day for canning. I live in a rural area where many people still can - or at least know how to can. My parents generation canned everything - fruits, vegetables, and meat. I grew up on a farm and my family put up food but I haven't done much in my adult years.
This weekend Mark's mom came over and the three of us canned tomatoes, tom thumb peppers and grape puree. I never realized that canning is such hard work - and I am impressed with all those of you out there who can on a regular basis. Way to go! It makes so much sense and is very enjoyable when done with others.

An important tool.

Tomatoes and the cold packing container (in background).

Tom thumb peppers with artichoke, onions, garlic and oregano
with grape puree in the center (left over from making grape juice).

More tomatoes.

Mark and I also decided to get out the food dehydrator to try making dried tomatoes. It is a learning experience. We lost quite a few slices in our first batch b/c we cut them too thick but we also ended up with quite a few and have a better sense for timing, heat, thickness, etc. And they taste amazing!

The thermometer.

Dried Roma tomatoes.

We've come to the end of the day and I'm tired, but i have such a full sense of accomplishment and satisfaction at all that we did and learned. Hopefully we'll spend at least a few more days canning in the weeks to come.

If you have never canned anything but have wanted to try - go for it! You can do it and if you ask around, I'm sure you'll be able to find someone who has some experience and/or tips. And enjoy the process!

2008-09-22T07:14:00.003-06:00

2008-09-21T18:13:00.005-06:00

The journey to Ohio was completed in two days. One day from Ely, MN to Goshen, IN with a good meal to end the day and a celebration with friends at Constant Springs. Day two was spent driving from Goshen, IN to Kidron, OH and planning a surprise dinner for my fiance Mark, who was expecting my arrival at a later date. What fun to plan, to surprise, and to love. Now it has been a week. The past week was full of reunions, celebration of relationships, and a reorientation to this tiny part of the huge, huge world. Sunday I went for a walk in the woods at the Kidron Park and was amazed to see so much diversity growing and thriving on the land. Berries - bright red, fungi of all colors, shapes and textures and birds soaring and birds singing. Transitions always consist of energy output and energy input and can feel draining at times. I am grateful for this past week of slowness, of honoring relationship over work, of celebrating the small, beautiful images of love and of awakening to the reality of my life here.

Tonight i worked on my pottery wheel for the first time in over a year - and it was good. My body and soul experienced a deep coming home tonight, and i look forward to what will come as the studio continues to get worked on and gets worked in. Thank you to my family and friends who hold the vision of life, of creativity and of soul work.

I will add some photos both from my walk in the woods and from the pottery studio soon. I also offer a quote from Albert Einstein - a glistening truth - a call to awareness, a call to generosity and a call to community. ..

"From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know: that we are here for the sake of each other - above all for those upon whose smile and well-being our own happiness depends, and also for the countless unknown souls with whose fate we are connected by a bond of sympathy. Many times a day I realize how much my own outer and inner life is built upon the labors of my fellow men, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received. "- Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

over the weeks

2008-08-24T15:10:00.008-06:00

"And the deepest level of communication is not commuication, but communion. It is wordless. It is beyond words, and it is beyond speech, and it is beyond concept. Not that we discover a new unity. We discover an older unity. My dear, we are already one. But we imagine that we are not. And what we have to recover is our original unity. What we have to be is what we are. "
- Thomas Merton

2008-07-13T14:26:00.003-06:00

I arrived at Pine Ridge (Wilderness Wind base camp) in the middle of May- a time of settling for me and my co-workers, and as we found out a time of settling and nurturing for the woodland and water creatures living in this place.
After hearing noises under our office floor and glimpsing an adult red fox a few days, we figured out that she had chosen the space under our office as the place for her den. And in this den she had given birth to two kits. In the weeks to come we were given the chance to see the mother and kits interact for survival and play. The mother would bring food for the kits- introducing them to solid food, and she would watch them as they played and explored further and further from the den. During the day the kits would allow us to watch them - though always on edge - ready to run out of harms way. I enjoyed their curiosity and spunk. One time a kit grabbed a rope that was laying on the ground and began to tug it under the office - i was able to grab the other end and we played tug of war for a few minutes. Another time I watched a kit try and drag a piece of birch bark that was bigger than he/she was.
Some days we wouldn't see any of them but we would hear the flapping of ears and a few small barks come from underneath our feet as we worked at the computer or talked over the schedule. They were ever present and I was comforted to know this- also knowing that one day they would go off on their own - and we would live with the memories of their presence.
When we returned from staff trip (7 days on the water) we found out that the mother had been hit by a car. This was hard to find out. What would now happen to the kits? What response should we take - so that the kits would survive? On staff trip one of my fellow staff members had offered a reading that i had been carrying with me - and i continued to carry it with me after i returned to find this beautiful creature dead.
"Who is our neighbor: the Samaritan? the outcast? the enemy? yes, yes, of course. But it is also the whale, the dolphin and the rain forest. Our neighbor is the entire community of life, the entire universe. We must love it all as our self because in fact it is our self."- Brian Patrick
Here my neighbor had been hit by a car - killed because of a choice and because of inattention. Another effect of the speed in which we live. We act out of violence unintended, yet still affective in ways we never know.
Dave and I buried the mother behind the office and after Jenny and I found one of the kits also dead on the road - hit by another car, i buried it by its mother. I visit them a few times a week to burn incense and to offer a prayer. I'm not sure how else i want this to affect my living, but i know it needs to.
In the days following the two deaths - i started painting as a response to the pain and sadness and i share my painting with you. I honor the beauty of these creatures, i celebrate the part they play in our world, and the wisdom they have to offer us, and i leave myself open to the mystery.

2008-06-21T20:36:00.005-06:00

A lot has been happening since i last posted. I want to write soon about the foxes that have been filling my thoughts and heart - but want to do this when i am not tired and can be more thoughtful about what i write. I spent 7 days out in the BWCAW with the summer staff at Wilderness Wind. It was a good week of journeying into the role of a trip leader, journeying as a community of staff but also as a broader community of life, and also journeying into the spiritual aspect of wilderness travel. We have a small staff this summer at Wilderness Wind but they are gifted and will do well.
We returned from staff trip on Monday the 16th and have been working around camp since then- preparing for our first group doing a wide variety of projects. Cleaning, cooking, mowing, making phone calls, fixing paddles and canoes, seam sealing tents, and much more. Everyone is moving into the work with solid energy and we are getting much done.
I spent some time on Friday running errands in town (Ely) and had a great time connecting with folks in town. I visited with my friends at the Front Porch Coffee and Tea Company and stopped in to see Sue at Ledge Rock Pottery. She blessed me beyond measure. I had given her a mug that i made as a thank you last year, and i hadn't been in to see her yet this season. When i stopped in, she came to the gallery from her studio carrying a mug that looked very familiar. I bought 25 lbs of clay from her and made some comment like, "it is so good to see someone actually using a mug I made." and her comment was, "i love this mug, i use it almost every day." These words were a verbal hug- and a real encouragement. Thank you Sue.
I'll share a few photos from staff trip and then sign off. I'll be back to share from the wisdom of the fox.

2008-05-20T18:38:00.002-06:00

This is what it looks like here in Ely, Minnesota these days. Winter is gone. No more ice on the lakes, no more snow mounds. But spring is just beginning to come to the woods. Saw our first marsh marigold yesterday (usually they are in full bloom). The birch trees are starting to bud out. The temperatures remain - well cold. None of us are committed to getting the fire going in the wood stove though I'm sure we'd all appreciate it once the house was warm with heat and smelled of the delicious sent of wood, burning. We just layer up - blankets too many to count, and clothes upon clothes. The images of spring coming help as we unpack the buildings, clean out the winter dust, and start looking towards our first arrivals here at camp.
More pictures to come.

2008-05-11T17:57:00.002-06:00

Migration...

i begin my journey north today -Ely, Minnesota my final destination. A few days and I'll be thick into camp life: unpacking and setting up camp, training staff, welcoming groups to venture into the wilderness and learning along the way.

come back for photos and updates. And as you have time, give me glimpses into your living.

2008-04-22T19:22:00.005-06:00

There have been a lot of birthdays recently... or so my posts would imply.

This past weekend Mark and I with his twin nieces headed down to my sister Sarah's house for a birthday party.

Micah was turning 6 years old!

The party was a lot of fun but the best part for me came after the cake and ice cream when we had free time to play. Each child received a butterfly net to take home, and the excitement over catching butterflies and other fliers, crawlers and slitherers was high.

Off the kids headed. Next thing we knew, we were meeting a beautiful little salamander. (one of the 25 types here in Ohio.)
After introductions he went right back to his cool damp home under the rocks in the back yard.

What a glorious sight to see the kids exploring - eyes wide open, hands in the dirt and spirits soaring.

No one is too old to explore - and really we're all kids at heart - so get on out there... and have a good time getting to know your world!

2008-04-16T19:26:00.003-06:00

At Muddy Waters - I've been training the woman that will replace me at the clinic as i head back up to Ely, Minnesota for 6 months.
I find myself enjoying this aspect of my work, though I've only been with Muddy Waters since January. Not only am i enjoying this, but the woman I am working with is a DELIGHT!
Today she shared with me one of her favorite artists named, John William Waterhouse. After looking at some of his paintings, i realized that I've seen his work before but that I wouldn't have connected the name with the works.
In addition the days are warming up and we are moving into spring. Each year i am hit with the power that spring holds. Spring brings more light, more warmth and with these emerging life. Spring brings song, beauty, and renewed energy. And spring is a natural mood enhancer. I am grateful for all of this.
A few of John William Waterhouse's paintings from 1910 had spring as a theme and i share one with you in hopes that it inspires you and warms your spirit, as the sun warms your face.

Live each moment to its fullest. Embrace all that comes your way. Take time to see the beauty that surrounds you. And recognize yourself as a part of this....

2008-04-03T06:23:00.005-06:00

41: another year

Mark celebrated his birthday this past Friday and members of the community helped him celebrate his life on Sunday.

(Maria with Cake)
Ethiopian food. Chocolate Cake.

A houseful of friends.

(Stan and Marilyn) (Michael and Tucker)

(Wayne and Joann)
Dominoes - a gift, a game.
Lights on in the studio. (after a day of solid work by Dad, Mark and I - the lights came on -
Monday - a post birthday, birthday gift)
Roses.

Another Year.

Thanks to each of you who helped Mark know himself as the beloved.

2008-03-28T09:10:00.002-06:00

Orion, in astronomy, a constellation on the celestial equator.

Orion, in literature, a magazine offering thought on nature, culture and place.

Both are beautiful and both offer their own type of 'centering' to each who gaze in their direction - tonight, if the sky is clear, locate Orion the constellation and imagine yourself there, then visit Orion on line and read the article titled, Celestial Spheres: The Constellations touch down in Antarctica. Allow each in their own way to open your heart and mind to wonder and to awe.

2008-03-06T19:28:00.002-06:00

"The swallow is come!
The swallow is come!
O, fair are the seasons, and light
are the days that she brings,
with her dusky wings,
and her bosom snowy white!"

-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Today I sit at my desk, looking out on a March Ohio day. The two day ice formation on the trees has now melted - in just one quick hour-long warming. The crystal coated trees beautiful in the sun, lasted for a time, just shy of my camera. Nearly all the snow too is gone and I hear bird song. What bird song I hear I cannot say, but the above words seem accurate to my spirit. The earth knows as well as I that we still have winter days ahead; more snow, more freezing rain, more bundling up in winter layers - warm, yet the hope of spring is swooping in.

2008-02-10T19:42:00.000-06:00

i've had the bout of flu or winter illness that has been hitting folks everywhere. Early in January i was sick for three days - almost didn't make it out of the bedroom. a week later i thought the sickness was gone and that my body was on the mend.
this past week it struck again.
after going to the doctor i was told that i just have a cold but to keep an eye on it. i left disappointed that there wasn't anything i could do or take to make it go away. (a product of my society i am.) i vocalized to my house mates that the reason i don't like being sick is that i have no energy to be kind, to choose compassion, or to fight the negative thinking - all i can do is acknowledge my sore body, the cough that racks my body, and do the little that i have the energy to do. one of my friends said, ' it is a one of the few times that your mind and soul allow for the darkness that resides within each of us to simply be.'
i'm going to have to think about that some more. feeling anger towards the doctor, feeling impatient with the nieces and just being so focused on me - not the space that i'd like to be in...
but today being Sunday and my chosen day to cook. i had a dinner to plan and prepare for the household. no sickness was going to hold me back from enjoying the process and focusing on an act of giving. So, i shopped for groceries with Mark, and then began to cook. What came of it was a nutritious meal for all of us present and scrumptious at that. Curried Kale Soup, an asian pear- swiss chard slaw and bread. the girls tasted the food at the request of their mother (picky eaters they can be at times) and Olivia (usually the pickier one) chimed in - I like the green stuff - the "Kale" is yummy and so good for you - and encouraged her sister to eat it too. My heart skipped a beat.
now as i head off to bed, i'm grateful for those who help me to live outside my bounds and who help me to reach a little further beyond what i think i can. Amen.

2008-01-27T10:44:00.000-06:00

this week we won't be having Sunday night dinner - because of other plans - but it will resume next Sunday February 3rd. The menu: Chicken Soup with Wild Rice and Sourdough Cheese Herb Scones. For dessert, homemade ice cream.
i am beginning to connect with individuals in the Kidron area that are either artists or trying to live their lives making choices towards sustainability and simple living. I am thrilled. Friday I spent a few hours with Joanne Lehman at her home. She is in the Ashland University MFA program with a concentration on poetry. I had sent her a few of my poems. We sat with tea and discussed the artistic life, gardening, poetry and finding balance. I left with a sense of awe at this connection. I hope to continue to connect in this way.
today i am stopping to visit with Sue Steiner. she is a local artist: painter, and mixed media artists from what i understand. the Kidron arts blog was started by Sue who is trying to connect local artists and creative souls. i look forward to what my arise in our sharing.

A hand reaching
from another world
pours tea into
my cup.
-Yorifumi Yaguchi

come and eat

2008-01-21T20:22:00.000-06:00

it is so very rewarding to be a part of this world and to notice all that is around me. to notice the beauty, the creativity and the profundity. this ALL includes: the composting worms in the basement as they eat up our garbage and produce the richest of compost, the blurb in The Week (a magazine) that revealed that scientists have found that dirt may contain bacteria that help fight depression - encouraging us to play in the dirt more, laughter with a customer who frequents the coffee shop where i work, a new way to eat Cauliflower (as mock mashed potatoes) so that i get more nutrients in my body (boy are they yummy!), and the mental and soul processes that help in the choosing of the "good life".
and yet,
i find that at times in the depths of my mind and soul- i carry more fear than i realize, or want to admit.
recently (at least to my conscious mind) i have been thinking about my commitment to learn to know and love the earth, to strive to live in a way that is sustainable, to open myself to the mystery of God within these and to find the thread of community woven throughout. in thinking about these and living day to day: hearing the news about the american economy, the war in iraq, and climate change; stepping into the transition from single hood to marriage, and weighing the concept of career with the concept of making a living while trying to figure out what all these things really mean, i look and find that fear (of failure, of getting lost, of the dark) walks right along side the rest.
two weeks ago i picked up a book that i have had sitting on my desk and began to read it with the intention of discovery. within reading the first paragraph, i knew that this book was capturing my attention and that in reading it and engaging in the process along the way that i would maybe be able to make sense of a little piece of life, and discover new ways to lessen the fear and deepen the living.
this past week i have started a practice. each Sunday i will be cooking dinner, creating an atmosphere of beauty and providing a space for the Divine to surprise and delight - and sharing this with whoever comes to the table. i'm utilizing the book "Full Moon Feast: Food and the Hunger for connection." by Jessica Prentice as my main resource. with each Sunday dinner my prayer is that I'll find myself dropping a little fear so that i can embrace a little more life. and that those who share in this practice find that they have swallowed a little bit of magic: love, beauty, gratitude, and grace.
food served this week: butternut squash soup with yogurt and scallions, three cheese bread, and cheese.
the prayer that was present at our table this past week came from "Full Moon Feast". Jessica Prentice prays,
"May we celebrate wildness in all its forms, including the presence in our own souls. As we look carefully at the natural environments that we depend upon for our survival, may we make wise choices about how to use the precious gifts the Earth offers us. May we begin to rebuild the village, to create community, and to nurture a place in our hearts for all the creatures of God's green Earth. May we be blessed with the great fruitfulness that comes with true frugality, and may it serve us well for many - many, many, many-generations to come."
Amen.

2007-12-26T12:32:00.001-06:00

I received the book "Last Child in the Woods" by Richard Louv for Christmas - My mom hit it right on with this gift. So I've started reading it. .. more to come I'm sure. As i was flipping through a few emails and such i came across the following utube video "Last child in the woods"
Quite humorous and yet a place to start thinking about the state of our children and the state of the earth and the disconnect between the two....
enjoy! And may the New Year bring more frequent connections with the earth and a deeper appreciation and sense of wonder to your living!

2007-12-25T09:26:00.000-06:00

a poem written by Mary Oliver that i shared with my family
today - Christmas Day.

Mindful

Every day I see or hear
something that more or less
kills me with delight,
that leaves me like a needle
in the haystack of light.
It was what I was born for -
to look, to listen, to lose myself
inside this soft world -
to instruct myself
over and over in joy,
and acclamation.
Nor am I talking about the exceptional,
the fearful, the dreadful,
the very extravagant -
but of the ordinary,
the common, the very drab,
the daily presentations.
Oh, good scholar,
I say to myself,
how can you help but grow wise
with such teachings as these -
the untrimmable light
of the world
the ocean's shine,
the prayers that are made
out of grass?

- Mary Oliver

May each of you meet this day in
such a way as Miss Oliver invites...

with love!

2007-12-12T17:58:00.001-06:00

change in plans.
i didnt go to the writers group.
maybe that will start in january.
what i did do.
i cleaned the bathroom.
i made pickled red beets.
i wrote two haiku.
take them for what they are...

1. burning embers red
light on freshly fallen snow
trees take in deep breath

2. old man shuffles by
a toddler on his tip toes
both in one body

Mary Ruth

2007-12-10T17:50:00.001-06:00

A month ago I spent 3 days on retreat - at the hermitages run by the sisters of St. Francis of the Providence of God. For writing it was meant, and some writing did occur, but much more importantly was time spent resting, and walking; praying and listening. The picture above is from the cemetery owned by the sisters. These stones where 87 sisters are buried or intended for burial. Many of you know that occasionally i write poems. Some of you may have even heard one or two - thank you for your gift of listening...
Tomorrow, Dec. 11th, i am attending for the first time a casual writers group here in Wayne County, Ohio. Facilitated by a family friend who is becoming mine as well. i look forward to being in the presence of other writers, and of sharing a poem of two with them. And where this will take me, no body knows, but i'll walk that way with my soul wide open and my spirit ready to embrace the unknown.

2007-11-25T09:46:00.000-06:00

the month of november is almost coming to a close. during the summer in ely, minnesota i planned with excitement to move to cincinnati to live with my friend kerri for the winter. after returning to ohio and reconnecting with family and friends, i realized that this area is actually feeling more like 'home'. kerri and i have talked so much about rootedness, finding a place to know, building community and i was suprised to feel these things here in wayne/holmes county, ohio. the thought of packing up again for 6 months and feeling the state of readjustment for those months before heading back to ely just wasn't as exciting as i had thought - for many reasons:
1. i like mark a lot and decided that i'd like to spend regular time with him.
2. mark and i started working on a pottery studio and we're getting back into that process and i am enjoying the work and the learning, and it will be so good to have a place to throw pottery. i miss it.
3. i was able to find a part time job that fits perfectly with my work with wilderness wind and it allows me to work on building community in this place. i'll write more about my work soon. i start training on monday.
4. i'll get to see my family- siblings, parents, nieces and nephews more by staying up this way.

etc, whatever.

the weekend before thanksgiving (will i always be behind in my posts?) mark, michael (marks brother, Jim(mer) a friend and i worked in the pottery studio breaking up the old cement so that we can lay new plumbing - a floor drain and sink and a new cement floor. we invited jack the hammer and had a great time working hard. we got the floor up and out after working 3 hrs friday night and 3 hrs saturday morning.

Mary Ruth with Jack Bosch

Jimmer, Mark and Jack Bosch
working on the cement floor

Michael shoveling 'the stuff'

'the stuff' coming out the out the window

Jimmer being thrown

out the window window

a maple tree, the view from the window

onto the next....

2007-11-10T13:40:00.000-06:00

A week after the fall color peak here in Ohio, we went for a leisurely 3 mile hike at Hamilton Woods. Brisk enough outside to know that winter is on its way, yet still autumn in the smells, sounds and sights. For every broken silence, at least a hand full of leaves - unique in color and shape, found their way into our fingers and imaginations. The crunching of leaves beneath our feet and the wind blowing through the bare branches, single leaves remaining, holding on, being held; sounds companioned by laughter. All these things, not made for me, but I for them. Yet in them I find a healing salve; a reconnection to all things, and a truer sense of place - all things lost in the shuffle of day to day living. So much forgotten. This brisk day in November how quickly i am remembered, and how quickly i remember

2007-10-31T08:34:00.001-06:00

Yesterday was a true autumn day here in Ohio.
I took a walk with my mom Marilyn in the early evening.
We walked by a sheep farm, a chicken farm, and an Amish wood mill.
On our way back to the house, as we climbed a hill in the road,
the sun beginning to set to our backs - the light: amber, golden, diffused,
a glint of yellow fluttered by. Oh, beautiful day.

photo from: http://www.cirrusimage.com/butterfly_csulphur.htm

Vero Beach, volume I

2007-10-28T19:39:00.000-06:00

Wanted to share a few pictures and stories from the past week.
We started off by visiting Jekyll Island where the Georgia Sea Turtle Center - with a Sea Turtle Hospital and all. It was intriguing to read about the variety of work that the staff and volunteers do at the center. While visiting the learning stations, we were able to watch the staff clean the wound of a soft shell turtle who had been hit by a car and had his leg amputated. All the "kids" were amazed by the process and experiencing this place.
We then headed to Vero Beach and met up with Lauren and Michael at the Driftwood Inn and Suites - what a beautiful place. It was wonderful to stay at a place that had creative character and wasn't just another cookie cutter hotel or resort. The original owner created a unique look by building the first building with all driftwood, and now the buildings still have that appearance, though they have been rebuilt. There are tiles and relief sculptures on the walls, and floors and rod iron accessories in many nooks and used in furniture as well.
Every day we spent a few hours on the beach swimming and building sand castles. A few days we sat in the "breezeway" working on art and visiting over coffee while enjoying the wind and the shade. It was hotter than it normally is at this time of year. We did have a few days of scattered showers and marveled at the powerful waves and wind over the ocean.
Here are a few photo's... more to come as i settle back into a routine here in Ohio.

2007-10-14T11:24:00.000-06:00

It has been less than a month that I've been back in Ohio but i feels like years. I mean you transition back to a place and life settles in for you - maybe not always, but this time ...
the warm days of Ohio are filling my bones and my breath comes easily.
Have been spending my days working on the newsletter for Wilderness Wind, with some great articles written by staff, volunteers and campers! And once i get it sent off to be printed, I'll move on to some more projects, one of which is starting to plan and schedule trips for next summer. Any one out there interested in journeying through the Boundary Waters - gleaning from the natural environment, exploring both the inner and outer landscapes and just having plain fun... get in touch...
this Thursday the Dal Pra family (including the girlfriends (me and Lauren)) leave for Vero Beach Forida .
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a beach 'home' awaits and endless time to sit together, to play together, to talk .... and yes, to love...
I told Mark the other day that our room will have the educational corner. I was sitting on the toilet at my folks home (not a humanure system - sorry Camille) and came across an article in the national parks magazine on ocean shore lines and the issues that these face - i learned a lot and decided that since the nieces (Sophia and Olivia) who are in kindergarten will be out of school for a few days that it would be fun to explore what the public library has on beach environments and oceans and take a few library books and maybe a puzzle or two that talk about the area that we're going to be in (borrowing and enjoying) for 9 days. ..

pictures to come...:)

Back in Ohio

2007-09-28T10:34:00.000-06:00

After a few days of driving and visiting friends a long the route from Minnesota to Ohio, i'm back. The first few days have been lived at Mark's home in Kidron - playing with his nieces, talking with his mom and sister, welcoming home his brother, and spending time with him. And also reconnecting with my parents. It has been a full week and wonderful. Most of my blogging so far has been in Minnesota and so pictures have been from that region and community. Here is a picture of Mark and I. The big introduction to "mi amore". I'll start back a bloggin' more regularly in the next few weeks. Peace.

Shanti - Pax - Dohiyi - Shalom - Amani - Pace - Salaam - Peace

2007-09-18T20:25:00.000-06:00

n. A state of quiet, calm; repose; public tranquility; freedom from war; concord. (definition according to Webster's)

September 11th has passed once more. 6 years after we (the united states) declared war on Iraq.
I remember the day - the emotions - the chaos - the shock - and the creative response from a friend.
The invitation to create Prayer Flags - a call for peace - on a college campus in the middle of Ohio.
This year I found myself sitting around a peace fire - with 15 other women after paddling on the Mississippi River.
Listening to my (our) Grandmothers share their wisdom.
What beauty.
This same day, Michael arrives back in the united states after spending a year in Iraq -
can't begin to imagine what he saw - what he thinks- and how he has changed because
of this.
And I visit a Japanese Peace Garden in Minneapolis
- the instructions on how to make Peace Cranes there for everyone to see - learn - engraved in steel and stone.

Where is the Peace?
Where IS the Peace?
Where Is The Peace?

The Hjordis - Grand Marais

2007-08-28T16:45:00.000-06:00

the summer is coming to and end, as travelers on the road thin, staff head to their fall committments, the foliage begins to turn the shades i love (yellow, orange, brown, red), and the air is cool and crisp.
aryn and i were speaking about life and celebration. celebration becomes a part of life because it is chosen by the living. i am one who chooses the celebration of the little things; a smile, a bird song, a cooked meal, a place to sleep, as well as, the big things; love, compassion, peace, justice, transformation. knowing that the little things are so very closely connected to the big things.
one of the ways that i was able to celebrate this past weekend was to travel with two of my fellow staff - dave and aryn to Grand Marais, a harbor town on Lake Superior; to dawdle along her shore, picnic on the rocks, walk the contours of the earth, gaze into the blue-greenness and then to end the day with a sunset and moonrise sail on board the Hjordis. the Hjordis is the sail boat of the fine organization called The North House Folk School.
a poem will most likely come from the evening sail, as it was a dream - in its blue/grey goodness. keep your eyes out for this in a future post. and check out the school website at the link above.
i send out a grand ol' thank you to the captains Ben and Adam for their care of us and their participation in our celebration of the end of another great season here in the north woods.
three more weeks here in Ely before i head back to Ohio to spend time with family and friends.

a reading

2007-08-16T08:22:00.000-06:00

Come here,
beside this tree
and feel sacredness
grow like a crystal
from your heart.
This seed in you
and all the magic
that you are,
awaiting
only the discovery of
Now.

-John Squadra

On a rainy day

2007-08-09T08:01:00.000-06:00

Today is the day - before we head out on our 30/50+ mile paddle to fundraise for Wilderness Wind and to have a full day of cycles - rising, moonlight, fresh, chilly, heat, eve, hunger, weary, starlight, celebration.
There are 15 people here. Staff and volunteers; all friends. It is a full house. The energy surrounding us is one of anticipation and readines for the journey ahead.
Last night we welcomed Aryn home from Uganda. She made it in time for dinner and a special cookie/cake cut into the shape of Uganda. Chocolate Chip/oatmeal/coconut with cream cheese icing and blueberries for the water (Lake Victoria, Albert, George...) Of course, fun to create and to eat.
Lots of living has happened in the past few weeks that hasn't made its way onto this space.
Now I know what it feels like to have a back log of information, and to know that much of it won't ever get posted. Quite a shift in thinking having not blogged until this summer. The universe will continue to move and breath ...:)
i'll be back after my muscles have worked and we've celebreated and honored this place of beauty.

skipping on a little.....to the composting toilets

2007-07-25T15:30:00.000-06:00

I have so much to blog about and yet have not had any time in the past weeks to do so. I have today off and while my dad takes the nieces in to see the black bears, I am taking
time to share a bit of the past few days. My mom is out on a trip this week, and so dad and Naomi and Maddie are here to volunteer and hang out. So far it has been a great week.
I did get sick in the beginning but i've been juicing as much as I can and taking naps when i can. I head out on a trip Saturday and need to be in good shape by then.
Monday during the work day I worked with Camille. Camille came up to volunteer for a month from Reba Place in Evanstan Illinois. She has become a wonderful friend. And she has brought just the right energy to get projects done that we've been wanting to get done for some time.
One of these is the Humanure -composting toilets. We took an evening to design our toilets and the composting bins and to select the sight for each. Last friday we built one of the toilets, and finished the last one the next day. We used them all weekend but found it necessary to add the shelter over the toilets on Monday b/c of rain and heat. The last thing that we need to do is build the composting bins themselves. I have a book called The Humanure Handbook by Joseph Jenkins, which we used as a resource. A great 'tell all' resource. I had a great time planning and problem solving on this project and it is great to see folks actually excited about using them. Not only will this save on water consumption but it will also give our septic a bit of a break. And in a few years we will have more fertilizer for the gardens. Yehaw!Here are some pictures...

If you want to learn more, check out The Humanure Handbook
This will be continue to be a learning experience. Thanks Camille for helping us get this
up and started!!

Life in the fast lane

2007-07-15T19:09:00.000-06:00

As I'm living and working in Ely, Minnesota
and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness I
try to take life slowly and try and savor it all.
But you know, sometimes I do feel like we're in the fast lane - moving
at the speed of light with no time to stop and be.
And then sometimes miraculously I experience both of these simultaneously.
This past week was one of those times. A shout out goes to Brandon Miller, who helped get the MDC/Goldenrod residents here and care gave through out the week, because, as you can see I get to ride in style.

Back at... The End of the Road

2007-07-14T06:42:00.000-06:00

Hello All. I spent a week in Ohio visiting with family and friends. After dealing with my broken down car - she feels brand new- I arrived back at Wilderness Wind Tuesday at 1:30pm to a group of joyful and energetic friends from the Goshen, Indiana area. For the past 15 years, if not more, we have had a week of camp with folks from the Mennonite Disabilities Committee group homes in the Goshen area. This year due to many circumstances, MDC/Goldenrod were unable to organize the trip, but with the work of a few Wilderness Wind staff and board members we were able to provide a Lakeside retreat/camping experience for 6 former and current MDC/Goldenrod residents. We were joined by Charlie, Dirk, Jeff, John, Phil and Stephen . I have been able to form friendships with all of these men from previous years, except for Jeff.

I was gifted each and every day by these guys. Tuesday we spent the afternoon at the Wolf Center, learning about the wolf population in the United States and sharing stories from the day before. Wednesday we worked on a puzzle and told more stories and then spent the afternoon at the newly opened Bear Center. We watched a movie and viewed the two black bears that find their home at the Bear Center. This was a really good experience for many of us.
Thursday the group went canoeing and i spent the day at camp working on projects there but we all cooked our pita pizza dinner over the fire and roasted marsh mellows while the sun set and the birds sang.
Friday was a relaxing morning at the lakeside cabins. In the afternoon we took a field trip to our friend Pamalot's home to visit her and the goats (pygmy and kinder goats). They are beautiful and friendly and provide tasty milk that Pam uses to make yogurt for herself and soap to sell in Ely.
This morning was an early beginning, with breakfast at 4:30am so that the crew could head back to Indiana. I am very grateful for the light and joy that i and the rest of staff experienced while these guys were here. Many of us voiced last night in our staff meeting that we will miss them, and that we have much to reflect on - and learn -from our interactions with the gracious and patient, energetic and humorous, present and positive personalities that we were given the opportunity to live with these past days. Thank you!
More pictures will come! Enjoy and welcome back to camp and my journey. I will post pictures of my time at home once i figure out how to get pictures off of my cell phone.
Find the treasures in your day today... they are all around and within~

a transition, a grieving time

2007-06-25T16:43:00.000-06:00

I've been here in Ely for almost two months now. My co-worker and friend Aubrey joined us pretty straight away and due to other commitments, all important, can only stay until the 2nd of June. Aubrey (or Haubi or Aubit as she is sometimes known) has been on staff for three years. We have grown to be dear friends over these years and i have come to appreciate much of what she offers to the world (and to me as a friend).
This summer she has been my roommate - sleeping in the top bunk, sometimes with my cat pungkin to my envy, whispering (not so quietly) into the night and sharing in many adventures and escapades in the woods and in town. Aubrey is the one who formed with me the Haubi and Husni show this summer out of our desire to learn to use power tools and use them well.
This morning as Aubrey led singing during worship with her final group for the summer, i was able to enjoy her love of music and her gift at inviting others into that love.
A few days before Aubrey leaves i head home to Ohio for a week with my family. Tonight is our last night as roommates and we plan to celebrate and grieve. I will miss Aubrey dearly. One of the many things that i enjoyed doing with Aubrey this summer was planting the gardens, both vegetable and floral. Enjoy the pictures below of the planting of the giraffe flowers (sunflowers by another name).
Aubrey is heading off to Bolivia this August, to spend the year teaching traditional Jesuit music to folks in a community called, . I wish i could be a little bird and watch her as she teaches, as she learns and as she loves. Partly b/c then i could see, but also because she delights in birds. My thoughts and prayers will be with her...
and i will continue on here in Ely until the end of September... walking with gentleness in other relationships and in my job here at Wilderness Wind. Even in the transition and the grieving, I overflow with gratitude.
(on our way to the planting)

(digging the holes)

(planting the giraffe flowers)

an outpouring

2007-06-23T16:48:00.000-06:00

Our first groups returned on thursday and friday from their trips. I was pleased to pick them each up and have reunions with both the trip leaders and the folks who joined us on this wilderness journey. Two of the groups were from 8th Street Mennonite Church in Goshen, Indiana. They were full of enthusiastic youth mostly ready to encounter mystery, beauty and challenge and some residing in the place of unknowing and a bit of anxiety. They returned from their trip with mountains of stories. One of the groups actually felt like they portaged up a mountain. (they had a rather steep and long portage their first day)
To end their time here with us we had a celebration dinner together and then walked up to the cathedral in the woods. Imagine red and white pines towering overhead and 20 people of all ages and personalities sitting in a circle under the pine canopy. I led them in a few readings: i thank you God for most this amazing day by e.e. cummings and a quote from The Color Purple by Alice Walker, "Listen, God love everything you love - and a mess of stuff you don't. But more than anything else, God love admiration... I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it."
Before we started the next portion of our closing, we all gathered an object from the forest floor. After returning to the circle we moved into a time of sharing the moments during our week that we would most remember or that we were most grateful for. As each person shared their story they took their object and attached it to a piece of birch bark with whatever color thread they wanted. What we ended up with was a visual prayer: a conglomeration of beautiful and natural objects wrapped in sacred stories and celebration. Amen.

Morning Reading

2007-06-21T06:46:00.000-06:00

We're staring our day with this reading:

When people praise me for something
I vow with all my being
to return to my vegetable garden
and give credit where credit is due.
- Robert Aitken Roshi

groups have begun to journey...

2007-06-19T13:53:00.000-06:00

We returned from our staff trip on Friday and our first three groups arrived Saturday evening. I am enjoying the new role that i am in as Assistant Director. As we were finishing up dinner a van drove up the drive way to the top of the hill. You could feel the nervous energy and excitement in the air - and we all cheered as Aryn and Kate went to meet their first group of the summer.
This moved us into a night of sleep and a full day of orientation. My post for orientation day

(after a days work)
was in the kitchen: setting up for food packing, making lunch and dinner and answering questions as well as giving hugs packed full of support. We rounded out the day with a time of meditation and song. It amazes me each week as new groups join us, how much space there is for exploration, celebration and healing community.
We dropped the groups off Monday morning to begin their journeys into the Boundary Waters. We now sit in expectation as we pray for the shaping of their days and the weaving of stories that will occur in this wilderness.
The morning of the last day of our staff orientation trip we awoke to a beautiful morning on Nina Moose Lake. The night before we had spent time creating a birch bark canoe, gathering symbols for ourselves as well as for the groups that would be joining us this summer. We placed all of these symbols in the canoe and Friday morning sent it out on the lake as a prayer for all that will come and all that will be this summer; trusting that the current (God) will carry us through in beauty.

an offering

2007-06-18T10:08:00.000-06:00

Mary Ruth nestled with Old Turtle on Agnus Lake.

This newly written poem is offered in vulnerability, and with my shoes off: as this is holy ground. May you also experience that which is holy and wholly other...

The breeze coming off
the lake -
Agnus, her name
carries
the scent of Red Pine -
baked in the heat
a scent that brings immediate
recognition and floods
the memory
of knowing
my body rests
at the base of
a white pine -
my elder - wise
I stretch my spine,
my legs,
my toes
out -
following the path
of her roots -
wanting the depth that she possesses
My arm,
hand,
fingers
exploring
the mouth of a granite sister -
Old Turtle
covered with lichens and home
to ants,
spiders and
other living things
i cannot see.
a rock tooth,
chipped -
wedged within the orifice
propping her tired
mouth open
she breathes
accepting the breeze
the life giving air
the product of our sister
White Pine
my hand caresses
her face
i lean into her
rest my head
i listen

-Mary Ruth Kamp

(Please do not reuse this poem in any form without contacting me. I want you to share it with others, but i want to know about it first. Thanks for this respect.)

the days are wet with goodness

2007-06-07T06:09:00.000-06:00

The winter here in Ely was a dry one, there wasn't much snow and the spring started out very dry, low water levels and the fire hazard high. Soon after the Ham Lake Fire was fully contained, the clouds began to pour down and the rains have not let up much since. With the rains, our gratitude mingles. Last night we had one of the most amazing lightening and thunder shows. Today there has been hail and rain non-stop - we have a few cricks a startin' at Pine Ridge...
We head out early morning this Sunday, if i don't have the chance to post again until after our staff trip, i'll be sending out prayers of love and gentleness.

one week and counting

2007-06-05T06:22:00.000-06:00

We have less than a week before we head out on our staff orientation trip here at Wilderness Wind. Two of our new staff arrived last night and two more arrive Friday. Sunday Aubrey and I went kayaking and so I'm sharing pictures from that expedition. We had a good time. It was 'healing' as Aubrey put it, to be out on the water. We had rain fall on us, saw calla lilies - wild, took cookies to the Piragis rental staff and met a neat girl named Christina; we explored Snowbank lake, laughed a lot, worked our muscles and realized again that we have a lot to be grateful for!

21st century greek goddesses

2007-06-04T06:16:00.000-06:00

Aubrey and I on Saturday decided to spend the day looking for material for skirts that we wanted to create. We ended up finding a bunch of cloth for $.99/lb and bought some great colors. When we got it home we needed to play a little - and these pictures ensued...

woman with pitcher

woman carrying water

two women

goddesses in the woods

giving

2007-06-02T11:26:00.000-06:00

I recieved an email from a friend who works here in the northwoods and his words are clear and true, "It is wonderful to be here and to be called to such an amazing place. We are blessed!"
I find myself living these words even in the small moments, as I make the short trek from the office to the staff house or walk the mail out to the end of the lane or spend time thinning the seedlings in the garden. Yesterday I glimpsed a most beautiful thing as i walked one of these paths.

A birch tree, a magnificent vision in its full glory as it grows strong with its silver and green leaves celebrating in the wind inviting me to dance, carries its beauty and glory even into death and decay as it gives back to the soil and nurtures the ones who will sprout and grow after it.
Thank you.

My "prrrrrrrr" life.....here "prrrrrrr" at Wilderness Wind

2007-05-27T20:57:00.000-06:00

"Purrrrrr". I am happy here. Today I spent time in the office. I like to keep an eye on who is coming and going. It seems that somecat should do this.
I also spent my day off in bed with my friend Aubrey. The top bunks are my favorite and Aubrey and Mary Ruth have constructed the best type of staircase to "heaven" for me in their room. But I also have a favorite perch on the second floor too. I like everyone that is here working for Wilderness Wind so far. And just so you know...when I'm running around in the woods and laying in the sun and getting a rub down I'm definitely a happy cat. "Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr"

Haubi and Husni: Episode II

2007-05-27T20:15:00.000-06:00

The Haubi and Husni Show aired their second episode Sunday evening at 9:00pm CST. It was a full and exciting show. Not only did they build a book shelf to add to the bedroom, but they built a birch bark- end of the bed-hanger apparatus with much style.
Step 1: Aubrey tromped around in the woods to collect materials to use for out projects this go around. She came back with some beautiful birch logs - 1/2 - 2 inches in diameter, white to golden, to red in color.
Step 2: The hanger apparatus. Start cutting the branches to the desired length and at the right angle so that coats, sweaters, scarves, bags, etc, do not slide down onto the floor.

Step 3: Attach the branches to the back board that will get screwed into the end of the bed.
Step 4: Set to the side.
Step 5: The bookshelf. Sand to perfection pine and cedar boards to use for bookshelf, so that no one gets splinters.
Step6: Cut birch logs to use as braces for the bookshelf.
Step 7: Attach braces to bookshelf.
Step 8: After carrying the newly completed projects to the bedroom, install them as seems most fitting.
We were able to install the hanger apparatus but left the shelf for another day. We will supply photo's of the finished products being used in episode three.
Thanks for tuning in. See y'all next time.

"the one who eats grass"

2007-05-23T20:35:00.000-06:00

I have to share a very important secret... well its not a secret at all.. but it needs to be told in the same way that secrets are told - with a hush, honor and a twinkle in the eye.
We think we have a resident bear, "the one who eats grass" is her name. Now i use the term resident loosely; we don't feed her, we don't pet her and usually when we see her it is for a very short period of time. But we have seen her. And .... she has two baby cubs that hang out with her. Oh momma bear, how beautiful!
I tried to take a few pictures of her, but it was dusk and i didn't want to scare her with the flash, so the pics are fuzzy. It is soooo important that you see them, and know "the one who eats grass" that i'm going to share the photo's anyway.
So here goes.

a hike on the secret /blackstone trail

2007-05-23T19:27:00.000-06:00

Needing to get my legs and lungs moving, I decided to go for a hike and choice one of my favorite easy to moderate hiking trails near Moose Lake.
As Aubrey and I entered the trail a woman came breathlessly towards us with her two dogs. She stopped and proclaimed that she had just seen the biggest bear she had ever seen and coming right towards her on the trail.
We were excited and intrigued. Would we get a glimpse of this beauty, too?
We reached the point on the trail where the bear was first spotted and spent some time wondering if we should keep on. But the following realization came, "What is the difference between knowing there is a bear around, and not knowing if there is a bear around?" So, we decided to keep going.
We met a lot of flowers along the way, and small groups of humans but no bear. No matter, we were very glad that we hadn't turned back.
The following images are just a few of the flowers we met a long the way...

Columbine Aquilegia canadensis

Wood Anemone Anemone quinquefolia

Jack-in-the-pulpit Arisaema

The Haubi and Husni building show

2007-05-22T21:20:00.000-06:00

Take One.
Haubi and I decided that we needed to build something for our room, now that we are roommates. Around 8:00pm we went down to the garage with the intent to just mess around an play dress up and make our co-workers laugh. We soon realized that we really wanted to build something and that we had it in us. Haubi doned the tool belt and I (Husni) prepared for everything else with heavy duty gloves, ear and eye protection and a hard hat. And we were set.
Step One: Measure the space in which you intend to place the piece of furniture.

Step Two: After measuring, collecting all your gear and wood, etc, the next step is to utilize the wood glue, screws, saw, and other power tools. Here is Husni pictured with the electric drill - Dewalt.
Step Three: Once the piece you are working on is finished, you must celebrate your good work. The H-team celebrates over their wonderful table.
In the next episode, the H-team will be creating a coat rack to attach to the end of our bunk bed. We will be using both local and salvaged materials. It is going to be a very exciting episode, with step by step process as well as pictures of the installation. Stay tuned and remember that you are capable of anything you choose to put your hand and mind to.

A few sightings from the last week...

2007-05-22T20:15:00.000-06:00

We begin our work days here at Wilderness Wind with a short reading and 20 minutes of silence out in the woods. During one of these times this past week my co-worker Aubrey discovered a most beautiful flower near our swamp walk. We found out it is called a Calypso or Fairy-Slipper, so befitting of what a real fairy would wear. Check out more images of the Fairy-Slipper.

And just around the next tree I spotted some wolf scat. It looks just like dog scat but it is very hairy.

Later that day, I saw a white-tailed jack rabbit hopping in the woods. I would follow it and take a picture, it would hop on deeper into the woods and i would follow it, take a picture when it stopped and then it would hop on again. I enjoyed playing a version of "leap frog" with "jack". After following this guy around for a bit i ran into this other one. I think she is called an Aubit. And she seemed to be listening ever so carefully, but not to me. I think she is a lover of birdsongs.

I hope you are all enjoying glimmers of gift and gratitude in your days! If you have my email, please share your glimmers with me.

at a slow pace

2007-05-20T20:38:00.000-06:00

After a week here in Minnesota and experiencing many amazing things, i decided to figure out a way to share these moments with all of you. I'm new at this, so i'll be following the turtle way.

The updates will be from me and sometimes from my pal pumpkin who adventures with me and is settling in just fine. i do think he misses a few of you.:) You know who you are.