Magical

Dick Proenneke

I never heard of Dick Proenneke until tonight.  I was looking up some videos on how to build timber frame place out of logs and basically stumbled on this beautiful footage.  His footage, of himself, building a life in the forest of Alaska in 1968.

There is also a second video which was just released in 2011

The third is yet to be released!

If you love this, as I did then perhaps you will also want to read his Journals?  Which can be downloaded free here.

Sometimes the internet is so cool.  How else would I have ever met him?

 

 

 

 

 

Categories: Forest, Friendship, Magical, Nature, Off Grid, Open your eyes, Simple living, Sustainable living, View | 6 Comments

Kingston Pagan Pride

Today was the Pagan Pride Festival in Kingston.  I have been looking forward to this for weeks.

It was held at the Confederation Park in front of City Hall.  For those of you who do not know what Pagans are and are curious, events such as this are a fantastic way to gain understanding about the old religions (and why there is such a huge interest in the revival of the old religions).

Pagans are not one group of people with a single idea, there are many beliefs from many areas of the world and these are a very diverse group who consider themselves Pagan.  There are Native, Wiccan, Norse, Goddess, Nature/Earth Mother and many other beliefs.  I myself, identify somewhere within Native/Earth Mother spirituality.  This said, I am very interested in people’s beliefs, so much so that I took a medial in the topic at University moons ago.

There were workshops, a tarot reader and some vendors too, unfortunately, I had to leave before seeing the dancing and singing.  Hopefully I can attend for the whole day next year.  Kingston is particularly great in this way because there are so many really great people here who are Pagans.  It is a particularly friendly and open group of people!

THO is not being sponsored but, I decided to share the links where I have them because they are all small businesses (and artists) and if you are interested you may want to know where to access items in this area (or on line).

Anglin Bay Pottery
Wolves Den Pottery
Kingston Soap Company
Goddess Blends

We got a beautiful day for it and there was a good deal of foot traffic through.  It was nice to catch up with people both Pagan and non Pagan.

Categories: Art, Magical, Ontario, Open your eyes | 1 Comment

Forest Light

For those readers who are photographers, you probably shutter… at my photos because of my total lack of skill in this department… and because I always blame my crappy camera.  It turns out the problems are all mine.  Apparently, my camera is not as crappy as I have been telling you!  Sorry!  I am just a terrible photographer!

Up on the narrows a few nights ago I was telling George that I cannot get good photos of the forest light because of my terrible camera.  He explained to me that my camera is a pretty decent one… Illusions shattered!   I showed him the photo I took a few weeks ago which is the only forest light photo that I have been happy with.  George, it turns out, is a man who is seemingly made of light.  He knew what to do!  He told me about the half way button on my camera which sets the light.  I have had this camera for about 6 years and had no idea!

George told me that if I point it at a slightly darker place, set the light by pushing the button half way in and then point where I want the picture to be, then click all the way in, that I should be able to capture the light better.

My current project is to experiment with this technique.

 

Categories: Art, Forest, Magical, Nature, View | 2 Comments

KBOO.fm

I just got a note from the wonderful Rabia who interviewed me for her radio show on KBOO.fm in Portland.

It was a very cool experience and the opportunity to share was pretty awesome.   Rabia made this really easy on me so despite my nerves I don’t believe that I sound like a total idiot.  Thanks Rabia!  Too, I have to say that I totally agree with you when you say that this interview adds so much.   You give Tiny House Ontario a voice!  Thank you!

I decided just to copy and paste her email to me so that you can check out not just my interview but also her other links because she is an interesting person and I am sure that her shows are great.  I hope that I can catch a bit when I am on grid for more than a few minutes at a time.

A Tiny heads up: The interview is about 45 minutes in length so don’t start listening until you get comfy.

>>>>>>>

Hi Laura,

I think I sent this but I didn’t see it on your blog so here is the link to the audio interview.

http://www.kboo.com/node/48967

I’m certain your readers will love hearing your voice and the story. It adds so much.

Also here is a link for your ears to the show I do every Sunday night at Midnight called The Confessional. I’m pretty sure you will enjoy it. People listen around the world, even to the archive?? It’s the MOST fun thing I do. Happy Tuesday!

http://snd.sc/OrywQH, or try this if the link doesn’t work, both “should.”

http://soundcloud.com/contessa-1/confessional-august-13-2012

Categories: Building code, Environmentalism, Magical, Materialism, Readers, Tiny House Ontario, View | Leave a comment

Balance

I was up around Toronto yesterday morning and I am happy to report that the vegetation in that area is looking downright lush again.  Here in the Kingston area, I think we must have had significantly  less precipitation to carry us through.  There has been rain, as a matter of fact, it is raining today.  Even so, I think this is too late, we have lost a lot of forest here and I also think that it is way too late for most farmers because the root system is dead on so much.  The balance of need was not met.

We have a few red tomatoes in the THO garden but sadly this is because they are dry rotted on the bottom.  The Zero mile diet has been 99% flop.  I know I will find that the balance here was also thrown off, it will have been an expensive year at THO when I finally do the books this fall.

I am lucky that I have more than one option still and am really pretty happy that I put in a back up garden in Hamilton and this is doing really well.  I have had a number of meals from there already and also I have frozen one huge bag of tomatoes and my potatoes and herbs look really great.  While I was there I put away some Niagara freestone peaches too.  I think I will reap a lot of food from Hamilton considering particularly that I have only about 30 square feet of space to grow in at the house.  Still, I feel terrible for my farming friends in this area whose books will be red with the loss.

Back here at THO, here is some rain on what is left of the ant tree.  I would like to put a bird bath up on that post, one with a drain, so I am hoping I can find something which fits here easily. I am in town now to post this and also to get two 2×4 boards for a small project.  I will write about what I am doing when it is accomplished.

Categories: Drought, Forest, Gnome, Magical, Off Grid, Ontario, Simple living, Tiny House Ontario | Leave a comment