New Adventures- February 2018
– By Brandon Moncrief
Today is a snowy dream in the rolling hills of the Little Applegate Valley. Just a few weeks ago we were enjoying the warming glow of the sun as buds began to swell with the early heat. A solitary goose has been enjoying a rest in the pond, seemingly indecisive about which direction to fly.
Though we have slipped into winter conditions late in February, much has been happening and plans have been bubbling up with the anticipation of Spring. Forage and Plow, the on-site CSA farm lead by Brock Rasor, is prepared to plant a flurry of cool loving crops. We look forward to his coming blog post next month. With the addition of a wondrous hoop-house, the planting timeline is gently pulled back into winter and can release a bit into late fall. The pigs and chickens, adding their fertility to the fields, will once again be a pivotal piece to our puzzle as we try to eat local.
Most afternoons music lifts up and out of our community. Anytime Quinton Rudock starts to jam others become magnetized and eventually end up playing for hours with him (especially Jo Ferneau). As May edges closer, many are practicing for the annual Battle of the Bands that often has been held at Wolf Gulch. There is a lot of musical talent in our midst! This weekend there is an open-mic night at the Brewery Barn down the road that should be a feast for the soul. Live music and poetry is bound to last into the wee hours of the morning.
The Dining Room, a community play helping to raise money for Wake Up, was a real treat to attend. Many Full Bloomers participated, including two of our youngest members Ocean and Skye. Wake Up supports families and individuals affected by sexual abuse. It is impressive to see so many talented actors in our community. The play actually used one of Full Bloom’s dining tables as a prop! A unique aspect of the play hinged on the fact that each scene took place in the dining room. So, the actors from each scene could gather to practice instead of the entire cast. With the busy schedules that everyone has, it allowed the play to take shape without intense coordinating.
Continuing on the artistic vein, Spencer Riddle recently mailed us a small collection of his water color paintings that he did during his stay as a wwoofer. Though they are subtle and hint at the landscapes they convey, there is an undeniable detailed aspect to them too. The shadows and depth create a nice combination in contrast to the vagueness and abstract strokes. Another piece that Janelle Sunshine has been developing over the last few months is complete! It is a mosaic of a Steller’s jay as it flies through filtered rays of light. The perspective creates a nice sense of movement through space along with the openness that the sun evokes. Janelle took a class offered by Mary Driver, who lives close and has an amazing home studio. Mary actually created the masterful stained glass tree on display inside of our common building.
Because Full Bloom’s bakery, Rise Up!, is always producing batch after batch of gourmet bread, no one here will ever go hungry. But also living in a place where local people share and stay in touch, seems to make it easier to survive in style. Today James Mulhern is helping to process and butcher a ram. It was injured at By George Farm nearby and needed to be harvested. We are excited about the many meals to come. Whether it is a potluck sauna Sunday or a weekday, the food here is typically better than what you can get at an expensive restaurant 🙂
