It’s a Happening

The great thing about where we are living is that, as rural as it seems, there are many fun and interesting events and activities to keep us entertained. Forget TV when you can take a trip over to Glover to catch a Bread and Puppet performance. Glover, VT also hosts an annual type of carnival that includes a handful of hand-built and human powered amusement rides. We decided to check out the carnival this year, so we headed out with a few farm visitors to Glover for the evening. We arrived when the carnival had turned into a wild festival.

Burning the stage props in the bonfire!

There was a bonfire blazing giving us a little light to navigate our way around. Before checking out any of the rides or happenings, someone made an announcement that there would be a champagne room set up in the woods… so we headed into the trees thru a shiny, clear cellophane maze illuminated by candles to an old abandoned truck from which some spirited people served the bubbly beverage. After sipping a couple of glasses (plastic sheets rolled into thin cones), we made our way back to the fair. We were then drawn to the sounds and images of a play/puppet show that was put on by some really talented and creative performers, full of song, puppets and shadows, sound effects, audience participation, and laughs. Later, we bumped into our friend and neighbor who rallied us and some others to get one of the rides going. The ride consisted of a pole and four seats around it connected and suspended by ropes. A volunteer spun us around as we wrapped up the pole, and when we let our body weight drop back behind us, we spun down… fast!!!! And spun up leaning our bodies toward the pole, and out and down again… faster! It was so much fun! Eventually (you can only spin so much) we grabbed someone to slow us down.

(Here is another person’s youtube video from the carnival)

Our final stop at the fair was a fantastic performance in the midst of a doughnut style roller rink that was filled with silly drama, fancy lighting from a tower above, and a row of bare buns. At this point, feeling very satisfied with our adventure, we were ready to head back to the farm.

A couple weeks ago, I (Amy) ventured out on my own and visited Wheelock Farm for the community farm day. Wheelock hosted a day of workshops and they were incredible. There were many topics to choose from, and I attended Aromatherapy, Holistic Sexuality, Feng Shui, and Homeopathy for illness. Each was so informative and I met a lot of interesting people and took home a lot of good information and inspiration. After a potluck, at sunset, I was invited to the closing ceremony where there were some really beautiful words spoken. One older woman even picked up a guitar to share her song with us to see how it would sound with a chorus of voices- it was about the political prisoner in Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi. It sounded beautiful, and since then I have learned more about the leader’s story. All in all, I left feeling pretty grateful to have gone, and did I mention it was all held on a donation basis?

Recently, (as we mentioned in the previous entry) we volunteered and took part in Montpelier’s first annual Yoga Festival. Besides helping out, we took some classes including Qi Gong, Belly Dancing (Jon opted out), and Yin Yoga. The festival also hosted other events including a couple of high energy kirtans in the evenings. We had the great pleasure to see our new friends, American Raga, perform and lead everyone in some very moving kirtans and songs. It was nice to get to know Jen, who organized the whole event, and such a pleasure to be part of such a positive thing.

Though we have not been around busy city life for some time, there is rarely a dull moment so far in our time up here! Lots to participate in, help out with, and people to meet. We’ll see how things change as the seasons get cooler, and cooler, and, as I’ve heard, just plain down right doggone cold.