T-Shirt War

Renewal, Return, and Undiscovered Treasures

It has been almost a year since I last posted. For those of you who manage to keep up with my constant moves (or "evolution," as I prefer to call it), you know that the last year has not been my favorite, nor am I sad to see it go. It challenged me on many levels, and while I appreciate how it helped me grow as a person in an abstract way, it sucked to deal with it in the every day.

That said, 2010 has been pretty kick-ass so far. I moved to Eagle County on the first day of the new year to start my new life as a teacher, and while it's been pretty hard to leave the community that I consider "home" (especially after six months back in Denver), I am so happy to be back in the mountains and starting along a path that challenges me and allows me to move forward in my life.

My birthday is tomorrow. Dirty thirty. For a while, I was pretending that it's no big deal, but as Brianne and my mother can attest, I've been a little freaked by the whole deal. There are certain pressures that exist whether I like it or not, and my path has been a little more serpentine than most so I am missing pieces that society tells me I should have. I've been constantly reminding myself that I wouldn't want to live my life any other way; that I am blessed to be where I am; and that I have to keep the opportunities open for good things to happen.

I'm sure there will be more musings about life, love, and fear. For now, I wanted to let out my inner dork. The video above is part of a free lecture series that Yale offers online. In those moments when I realize just how little I know and how much more I want to, this is a goldmine. So freaking cool.

God Hates Figs

The counter-protest at a recent gathering of the Westboro "God Hates Fags" Church. Heh...

Very cool loops

I can never figure out how to embed videos, but definitely follow this link. I used to see him a lot in the NW, but never in this context. So cool...

I love frisco...

Here is a link to the latest episode of Focus on Frisco, where Lisa and I get to talk about the Town's new plan, CleanTracks. These are my favorite meetings to go to because we have a great group and we actually get things done. In spite of getting frustrated sometimes, initiatives like this make me feel optimistic about what Frisco will be. Maybe I'll even be able to afford to live here!

Ullr

Ullr Fest happened a couple weeks ago. We had a float in the parade. It involved a drunk W with a "Will Work For Food Sign," a greedy Saudi (Jason looked quite a bit like Jesus, I must say), some American slaves, and a veggie bus. I'll leave out the more sordid details.

It was a little offensive, but I have to say, we had a great response, namely a million snowballs aimed directly at our former president and the Saudi.

Mom and Jack are Oldie-McMoldies...

Mom celebrated her 60th and Jack turned 50. This was the cake some of their clients got them. It was really funny. My mom looks like Vanna White. Jack looks like some German dude named Hans. Or Friedrich.

Perfect music

I love Bon Iver. And DeYarmond Edison. And anything that Justin Vernon has ever done. Why can't I write just one amazing song, let alone many?

Sprouts, strawberries, and skis

Over the past few months, we’ve been having a lot of talks here in the office about one conundrum of living here in the high country--we’re absolutely in love with our mountain environment, but we crave that most simple and ever-elusive delicacy: the fresh, homegrown vegetable.

Local food is a hot topic in many areas of the country, including here in Summit County. And while we may have rich opportunities for hunting and fishing, our fruit and veggie options fall somewhere between “extremely limited” and “non-existent.”

On our office Dream List, we have several dreams that involve growing, eating, and learning about local food options. One of my recurring daydreams involves a community built, state-of-the-art greenhouse, with its very own Community Supported Agriculture group, where families and friends can share a plot and eat carrots together in the middle of winter.

Maybe it’s just my food-addled brain, but since we started talking about it here at the Conservation Center, I seem to find local foodies everywhere I turn. I never realized how many people imagine fresh broccoli while they’re skiing, or see Buffalo Mountain as a gigantic fresh strawberry as they head to the summit. Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but we really do love nature in all its forms here in Summit County, and food is a pretty integral missing piece.

It was great to see the article about Silvana’s Community Gardens last week in the Summit Daily News. Apparently, other people have daydreams too! Conveniently enough, we’ve also just set up our summer workshop schedule and we decided this year to focus on local food, including workshops on home brewing, canning and preserving, and local farms and markets.

Are you interested in learning more about growing veggies here in the mountains? Do you wonder how much impact your diet has on the planet? Would it bring a smile to your face to have our wonderful restaurants here in Summit serve food grown in our own backyard? If you answered yes to any of these, we’re looking for you to be a part of the brand new local food group of the High Country Conservation Center.

This group will provide space for people to contribute thoughts, ideas, and expertise about high country growing, as well as look into possible options for local food production in the future (greenhouse, anyone?) If you’re interested, send thoughts, comments, or ideas to: food@highcountryconservation.org, or call the office at 668-5703. We look forward to hearing from you!

The "radical" lyrics

Thankful that Woody Guthrie wrote it, and that Pete Seeger sang it, all the way through, in front of the world.

This Land Is Your Land

This land is your land This land is my land
From California to the New York island;
From the red wood forest to the Gulf Stream waters
This land was made for you and Me.

As I was walking that ribbon of highway,
I saw above me that endless skyway:
I saw below me that golden valley:
This land was made for you and me.

I've roamed and rambled and I followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts;
And all around me a voice was sounding:
This land was made for you and me.

When the sun came shining, and I was strolling,
And the wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling,
As the fog was lifting a voice was chanting:
This land was made for you and me.

As I went walking I saw a sign there
And on the sign it said "No Trespassing."
But on the other side it didn't say nothing,
That side was made for you and me.

In the shadow of the steeple I saw my people,
By the relief office I seen my people;
As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking
Is this land made for you and me?

Nobody living can ever stop me,
As I go walking that freedom highway;
Nobody living can ever make me turn back
This land was made for you and me.