1 week down......

So since we last spoke a lot of things having been happening (obviously). My whole first week on the Island and what an experience already.

We are building 4 houses. Each house is for a community member. These 4 members are all in their early to mid-30s, they have kids and all are partnered, but one. What a great place to grow up. We finished the bottom plate work on 2 houses and are pouring the other 2 slabs starting this week. I think on one of the houses that's further along we're going to raise some walls this week too, thats pretty exciting. I've been learning how to use/feel comfortable with a myriad of power tools from a chop saw to a cement mixer.

Last week the weather was so beautiful and I actually got a sun burn. ouch! I forgot about those.

The week of building from 8am-5pm left me (and my fellow builders) exhausted. On Saturday, they have a cute lil' farmer's market, which is actually (right now at least) more of a craft fair. But its super awesome. Then my housemate Luke and I took a bike ride out to a preserve on the tip of the island and hung out on a secluded beach for quite a while looking at rocks and building things with drift wood. What a beautiful bike ride! Then we stopped at the best community free area I've ever seen. Super organized, lots of stuff, completely free! I've tried contacting city council people in Arcata about a community free box for a while, but i get no interested responses. It's such a great idea...and...it really works. I got a pair of perfectly good shoes, a hat, magazine, 2 shirts....it rocked.

On Sunday, i went to a work party to help put in an earthen floor in a guy's newly build barn addition. It was so much fun! Lots and lots of digging, passing, wheel barrowing, mixing, etc. Definitely was pooped at the end of the party (1pm). I had to come home and take a rejuvenating nap. And besides alla the building and working, I've been meeting so sos so many people. I can barely remember most of their names (but I will). Went to a woods party the other night, pitch black except for the fire.

You know how usually people saw watch out when ur driving and dont hit a deer? Well here, you have to watch out that the deer dont hit you. When theyre starteled at night (from a bike) they'll just leap out! People say that sometimes there are deer hitting people accidents. eek! You just have to sing while biking so ther know you're coming (kinda like bears).

So I have a plethora of pictures and here some (a lot) of them are:

 

Sprout out.

Happiness

I finally arrived (with help from my mom), thanks Mom. This little island is paradise! It's super progressive, community oriented, good food, nice people, rural, bikable, lush, and all around wonderfully magical.

There is another intern living in this house with me, along with the house owners (a sweet older couple), his name is Luke. He's from New Hampster and is about to be a senior majoring in Physics. Luke is a sweetie. He's super kind, and easy to get along with. We make a good team when we work together. That's always a plus when working in these summer things I do.

The room I have is my own. It has a super comfy bed and I can see a 33 acre lake from the windows lining the wall where my head is when I sleep. Something I love about going North is the fact that there are no: poisonous spiders or snakes or anything, no ticks, and poison ivy or oak. The only predators on the island are racoons and the deer are the only animal to watch for when you're biking at night or early morning.

My first day at the building site and I've already learned so much! We are building 4 sustainable houses. They will have solar panels, cellulose insulation, natural plasters/paint, utilize passive solar design, and many more smaller things.Today was the first day of framing! We put the bottom plate on the newly poured concrete slab and learned how to measure/layout/read engineers plans. It can be kinda tricky, but I want to master it. I'd love to be one of the head framers.

The Island/whole project is pretty female dominated. This is such an awesome dynamic to come in to. A bunch of strong women running the show...with VIGOR!! There are also many older activists in the community and they are still fighting for what they believe in. This is a very inspiring place to have the pleasure/privilege to be able to visit.

I will post pictures in my next post. I realize I live a privileged life and I don't take any of it for granted. I'm grateful for my friends, family, health, and just the chance to be able to live this life like I do.

The video of the day goes to a really cool silk performance with a style and energy like i've never seen before in standard silks with pointed pretty feet and grace and stuff. Although it is quite graceful, its just diff. Take a look! And have a great night....

Sprout Out.

Almost there...

Hi All!!

I leave for Lopez Island on Saturday morning, my mom has been nice enough to give me a lift up there. That plan definitely eased a major worry. Speaking of that, a few "to-dos" have been checked from the previous list: I'm subletting my room to my other roommate until December (when I return for a while), First Aid/CPR is given on the San Juan Islands somewhere, Sarah Lee showed me how to simply rig a silk (for aerial silks) on a tree/rafter/beam, I've de-cluttered my possessions for the most part---> this feels so good! To know that only a few large gladware containers fit alla my materials is a weight off my shoulders, and i bought/received/played  with my brand new beat/drum machine.

Akai XR20: Beat Production Station

This machine was rated the best in drum machines for this year and it wasn't too spendy either! Just from playing with it today for a few hours I learned many things, but there's def. soo so much to know and do with this...probably infinite possibilities.

I will leave you all with 3 videos of the day:

You may be askin yourself "WHY?! WTF!" for the last one--Primus. Well, there's many reasons, but just imagine you're in the back of a dune buggy racing over the dunes with lots of bumps and flailings.

It's interesting when you're leaving your home for a while. In the "last" week, everything becomes the last: the last weds, the last thurs, and so on and so forth! It's a trip because it feels like you have to re-visit every special/awesome place before you leave and see every single friends. In reality though, it'll all still be here when I get back and I can live it up yet again. So I can't wait 'til next time Arcata, my home.

Oh yeah here's a grad photo (eventhough I was done in December 2011):

Sprout Garden and Beetle Newby Class of 2011 (2012-ish)

Sprout out!