THE BUMMER-FREE ZONE HAS MOVED...

Like a band of nomads that settles into a spot until the area's resources are depleted before moving on again the Bummer-Free Zone has struck it's tents, extinguished the fires, roused the beasts of burden, and have moved on to the next valley, which is to say that Blogger won't let me upload anymore photos without paying a fee.

www.bummerfreezone.blogspot.com

I'm still unpacking boxes and setting things up over at the Bummer-Free Zone's new home, but feel free to come over anytime- just excuse the mess.

PERHAPS THE MOST COMPELLING SASQUATCH FOOTAGE TO COME ALONG SINCE THE PATTERSON FILM

MY SHOES UPDATE

As you well know, I have three pairs of boots (1, 2, and 3). With all of the snow we've gotten recently they have been getting the start over the Captain of my footwear, the Champlain Boat Shoes. When one pair of boots gets too damp I set it out to dry and grab the next pair in the rotation. By rotating my boots through in this manner I always have a dry pair of boots at the ready.

A couple of days ago I pulled out these old boots to add them to the rotation and realized that I hadn't worn them since our trip back to Vermont in October, and thus they were still encrusted with mud from the very shores of Lake Champlain. I almost declined to wear them, but then decided that was silly, but being a sentimental person, it made me miss all of you back there.

MORE SNOW ACTION...

Snow=Work

Yesterday.

Today.

The famous Southern California sun made its return today, and the blue skies, sparkling snow, and crisp air made for a picture perfect day here in Idyllwild.

The gully which runs through the middle of the camp is absolutely perfect for sledding. It forms a big "U". The slope on the eastern side is much steeper than that on the western side.

Here are some of our campers shooting down one of the steepest inclines.

This guy is absolutely crazy. He made his way to the dining hall this morning in shorts and flip-flops. We don't have shoveled pathways so he waded through a foot and a half of snow like that, and then later I saw him sledding in shorts and a t-shirt.

This is a very poor shot of Sarah and Lucy wiping out.

Here they are a little dazed afterwards and checking themselves out to make sure everything still functions as it ought.

Snow angels.

SNOW DAY

We woke up this morning to a heap of snow, which continued to fall throughout the day, and even now is softly swishing against the window as I type.

Not only is snow wonderful, which it truly is, but the wonder of waking up to a world transformed was magnified by the news that Bowden's school canceled classes today. He was positively giddy. Unfortunately, the snow and the arrival of two groups here at the camp made extra work for me, which largely prevented me from enjoying the snow holiday with him. I did take a break from work in the afternoon though to go sledding with Bowden and Lucy. Camp Maranatha has an awesome sledding hill! It's a little too scary for Lucy though.

I like this picture. Sarah is such a good Mom.

Our little mon-chichi (sp?) slave was tasked with clearing the driveway.

Lucy likes the idea of snow, and will lobby hard for sledding and building snow men and such, but without fail, five to ten minutes into it her fingers are cold, she wants cocoa, her bottom is soggy, there's snow in her boot, she wants to be carried, etc... All of that is captured in the little face above.

"Get back to work, slave!"

I think that songs and smells are the closest we’ll ever come to experiencing time travel. They can really transport sometimes, can’t they? I wonder why we are so designed. Occasionally a smell will waft to my nose or I’ll catch a song on the radio and I find myself removed to a nearly forgotten moment or season. It’s more than a memory though- it’s like my whole person is shifted. Yet it’s also spectral in that, while vivid, it ultimately lacks substance. It fails to satisfy whatever it has aroused. Try as I might to regain the fullness of the conjured moment, person or place- try as I might to drag the past into the present with all of its imagery and emotion- I usually end up just feeling titillated. The veil of time never parts.

SCOTT BROWN!!!

BOWDEN LOVES HIS BANK, GRANDMA AND GRANDPA TATE.

LET'S PLAY ILLUSTRATION- The game where I give you a scenario and you tell me what spiritual analogies can be drawn from it.

LUCY

(In a crowded and noisy dining hall.)

"I want to draw a present for Mama."

"You want to draw President Obama?"

"Uh-huh"

"Why?"

"Because I love her."

"President Obama is a man."

"So."

BOWDEN

"Daddy, don't go!"

"Why?"

"Because I want to do something with you."

"Like what."

"I want you to run around the room so I can practice shooting at a moving target."