Marsh restoration at Potawot

Log:
I spent a bit of my morning at Potawot Health Village. It’s such a tranquil place. I’ll explain more next week after I volunteer for a day in their gardens. In the meantime, you can check out their link.
I went to my first CCAT steering committee meeting tonight. I’ve heard differing perspectives on the effectiveness of meetings, but was impressed with tonight’s. Key members were able to step up and play devil’s advocate enough to answer questions that really needed to be asked.

Questions:
-Potawot Village, under United Indian Health Services, integrates the values and practices of a specific culture. Could such a thing be recreated centering around Appalachian culture?
-When are my efforts to adequately document my experiences counter productive?
-Ultimately which is more effective, to stand up for an organization to the administration or to try establish relationships? Is there room for both?

• Learn about Potawot Village

CCAT co-directors tabling on the quad

Log:
This morning I worked with Abigail at the Campus Recycling Center’s compost site. They collect pre- and post- consumer food scraps and compost them. She estimated that somewhere in the neighborhood of 40-50 hours a week were spent collectively managing the compost. HSU’s composting system is much more tightly monitored than the pre-consumer waste composted at Berea. I would love to see Berea implement a post-consumer composting program, however I think what we do works well for the volume of students we have.
Today was also a good day because I was able to actually deal with some of the feelings I had been loosing track of in the back of my mind. I also confronted the fact that I had been avoiding much contact with loved ones because I didn’t feel ready to address my confusion. I had a much needed conversation with a long time friend who reminded me who I really am. Sigh of relief! I also went on a wonderful jog in the forest this evening with a new friend, Krystal.

Questions:
-How can I arrange to visit Pat Adams?
-SENS needs a logo, what are characteristics of effective logos? (If you know, please share with me!)
-How have you expressed emotion today? (Seriously, please share with me)

Feelings:
I have them! I’m glad that I was able to relieve my emotional constipation (I know it sounds goofy).

Log:
Today we found out more details about the CCAT move. Folks from different sides continue to disagree. This process makes me grateful that the SENS house is not going anywhere.
I climbed a huge redwood today! It was both scary and exciting for a midwest kid who had only climbed deciduous trees before. The view was worth it though, I’ll definitely go again sometime, maybe I’ll bring my camera.
We prepared to table on the quad for the incoming freshmen tomorrow.

Questions:
-When could SENS table?
-How elaborate are the camps that tree sitters set up?
-How tall is the tallest tree?

Log:
Today I tried to work on the rock wall without Rosie, which was less than successful.
After work I joined Noelle for hot chocolate and journal writing at Café Mokka. I appreciated the atmosphere and the cat with a stub of a tail. I found myself overhearing other conversations and wondering what brought these people to where they are today. At times it was difficult to think of anything to write, and through these breaks I realized that maybe I should take the hint and surrender my voice to my ears.

Questions:
-What stories have the café folks lived?
-How important are stories?
-How did Clover the cat lose most of his tail?

Quote of the day/Feelings:
As Noelle and I walked back to CCAT from Café Mokka, I was amused at how easily I get disoriented in unfamiliar places. I explained to her that I get too lost in conversation or looking at flowers along the way to notice which direction I should go. “I pay attention to everything but where I’m going.” This quote is metaphorical of my life as well. I tend to focus on exploring the path I’m on rather than plot out my course and believe I’ll follow it.

Here's a closer look at the picture below.

Giants! If you look close at the tree on the right, I'm the dot to the left of the trunk.

Sunny Sunday

Log:
Carlita came home from the fire station this morning, so I took her to the UU Fellowship. Another enjoyable service, filled with personal stories and emotion. This week’s topic of conversation was credos (statements of personal belief). One member of the fellowship shared her credo with everyone. I appreciate this place of worship so much for the honest expressions and celebration it encourages! No one is being condemned here, all are validated on their personal spiritual journeys.
After the service, Carlita and I hit the road for the Avenue of the Giants, home to some of the world’s biggest trees. Honestly, this was an item on the to do before I die list. The trees were amazing! It was like being a small gnome or fairy playing in a forest of gigantic trees. They truly are towering, and what a change it is to see that nature producing things that tall. I feel claustrophobic in big cities with skyscrapers that block the sun, but I felt cozy being towered by creations of something much bigger than man.
Carlita and I explored our personal credos. It’s much easier to articulate what you don’t believe in. But revitalizing to remind yourself what you do feel inspired by.

Questions:
-Should I continue to go to the UU Fellowship because I personally find it enriching or continue church hopping to gain some insight into more religions? (I really want to know what you think, please leave me a comment on this one.)
-Am I correct in thinking that the UU Fellowship would allow me to see people more deeply than attending services with only a handful of people speaking?
-Is there a UU near Berea?

Perceptions:
When I saw one of the world’s biggest trees with its sign I felt almost as if I was approaching a depressed animal in a zoo. Because this tree happened to be bigger than a lot of the others around it, it gets extra foot traffic and consequently more compacted soil in its root zone. Personally, I was in awe of the tree, but felt like it had been turned into a bit of a spectacle, rather than the inspiring giant it really is.

Log:
A cloudy morning at my favorite farmer’s market. The Oyster Festival was today. I wanted badly to want to dance, but I didn’t. I couldn’t shake the feelings from a phone conversation I had Friday night. I gave up on dancing and continued my grocery shopping at Wildberries. I ran into Doug, who invited me to the birthday party of his friend Brian. I knew Brian and recognized my need for entertainment and some sort of companionship, so I went.
It was a re-affirming experience, reminding me of how much I don’t like parties. I appreciated Doug inviting me, but everyone just stood around talking about nothing much at all. Oh well, it’s good to reevaluate my conclusions once and a while.

Questions:
-What happened to the parties like we had back home with twister tournaments and fake pageants?
-Do most folks actually enjoy acquaintance level conversations at anonymous gatherings?
-What are my friends back home up to?

Feelings:
When you’re some place new it’s difficult to really express your emotions honestly. It’s easier to have a “game face” on, especially because no one knows you well enough to call you out on it. This has kept me from keeping in good contact with folks back home as well, because they could pick up on the subtle differences and I’d have to really face my feelings.

Log:
A slow day at CCAT. I started out my morning with the usual bike ride to work, except I finally remembered to bring a bag to pick some plums. Today’s Friday, so that’s good news but I wasn’t expecting much out of the ordinary at CCAT. I spent some time in the CCAT binders and was about ready to leave when a couple came to the door interested in a tour. Of course I was excited to show them around. They both lead Native American ceremonies and want to decrease their grounds’ environmental impact. We had a great conversation about how everyone is both a teacher and a learner. They were such a curious and excited pair! It was also refreshing to be in the familiar role of teaching others about sustainability instead of my recent position of only trying to learn. They told me a friend of theirs was having a ceremony close to Arcata and they’d see how open it would be and if I could attend. What an experience that would be! Check in with me next week to find out if I get to go.

Questions (From Fred, the gentleman on the tour today):
-How long does it take to get land certified organic?
-When using a cob oven, do you use less wood than you would in a regular fireplace?
-Did CCAT use locally grown bamboo for the bamboo shed?

Feelings:
Whenever I don’t feel energized about being here, someone comes in who reminds me of the importance of the sustainable movement. Thank goodness!

Log:
More meetings at CCAT. The move continues to be a big focus. CCAT is trying to be as involved in the process as possible. It’s so interesting to see politics in action. Everyone always avoids politics, but they are a reality in getting things done and working with people.
I met the third Co-director, Patrick, today. I think it will be very interesting to see how the three co-directors live and work together. Those are the relationships I’m really interested in watching grow.

Questions:
-What is the next step in the CCAT move, now that our original plan didn’t produce offers we could afford?
-What can I learn from how the co-directors work together personally?
-Why is it so difficult for CCAT to be involved in the process of moving their house?
-What’s the best way for CCAT to raise additional funds to ensure their original house will be moved quickly?

Log:
I spent the morning working on a structure to store lumber and the afternoon with my favorite retaining wall. In between the two I was soaking up the sun on the CCAT patio, hooray for thermal mass!
After work I went for a much needed run in the forest. Sigh, it was more needed than I realized. I had Rosie take my backpack and bike home. How interesting it was to be home without my laptop or books. I didn’t realize how entertained I am by both of them. I took advantage of that down time by spending some real reflective time in my personal journal. My reflection led me to so many questions.

Questions:
-Why am I not confident in my ability to read people’s reactions lately?
-Why am I holding back in some of my friendships here?
-What would my trip be like if I lived with different people?
-Why am I so uncharacteristically shy around a lot of folks here?
-What undercurrents in relationships am I missing?

Perceptions:
It feels odd to not live with the people I work with. I’m used to the SENS house, the separation makes me feel like I don’t get the full picture at either place (home or CCAT).

A solstice worth celebrating :)

The last bits of daylight

Sun over the Pacific

The first blue sky in a week!

Gorgeous canyons on the beach

Wild sea otters

Rosie and me at the ocean

Good morning solstice breakfast

Log:
Hooray for Summer Solstice! We celebrated the morning of the longest day of the year by making a special breakfast (check out the picture!). It’s such a treat to have people in your life to surprise with fun things like breakfast in bed and goofy songs in the morning!
I spent another day at CCAT working on the rock retaining wall. Hauling rocks in a wheel barrow down and up hills certainly leaves one feeling satisfied with a good day’s work. The wall is looking better, we’ve really made a great deal of progress. I have such a new respect for any masonry work! It’s like a slow motion game of tetras.
After work Rosie and I went to Patrick’s Point State Park. We went in search of old growth redwoods but spotted the ocean first. We decided to check out a rock called “wedding rock”. On our way out we met a couple who got married on that rock celebrating their 23rd anniversary. When we reached the spot that overlooked the ocean we accidentally walking into someone else’s wedding ceremony. They really weren’t kidding about it being wedding rock. But what a place to join two lives, it was amazing! The ocean was full rippling with sun drop coated waves. This was a huge deal because it was the first time we had seen sun in almost a week! The ocean was so alive with motion and yet so calming with the regular waves. It reminded me that although my life may be busy with time speeding past me, I can find peace in that whirlwind of movement. What a perfect way to begin my summer and utilize every hour of the longest day.

Questions:
-Where are the closest old growth forests?
-How supportive are retaining walls without grout?
-How many couples have been wed at wedding rock?

Feelings:
I felt so overwhelmed with awe for the ocean. It was great to reawaken that awe-struck side of myself today. I felt like myself more than I have recently. Also, it felt really powerful to be in a place that means so much to so many people.

• Patrick’s Point State Park

Carlita's officially a fire fighter now. This is her before the big first day of work.

Log:
I spent my Monday morning in the dirt. Rosie and I have started working on one of the retaining walls in the CCAT gardens. What a job! I had no idea how complicated of a project it would be. To take a break from carrying heavy rocks, we spent some time grading a footpath. We realized the wall project would take a good bit of time, so we took a break to finish some sheet mulching so that at the end of the day we could say we finished something. I also spent time reading the CCAT biennial report.

Questions:
-How many people does SENS reach each year?
-Are there any city regulations dealing with retaining walls?
-Is it better to educate more people or complete projects efficiently? How can the two objectives be best balanced?

Log:
Hooray for sunshine! This morning the rain stopped long enough for me to go to church. This week I went to the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. This truly is a participatory service! Our chairs were arranged in a circle and they asked people to share their experiences with female divinity in celebration of the upcoming solstice. I appreciated that their religion has built in room for curiosity; it is a Petri dish for spiritual diversity. I also appreciated that they don’t argue with one another, they just share experiences and gain understanding about others’ perspectives. I feel as though I could almost go to this fellowship every week and see so much religious diversity throughout the summer. However, I want to keep moving even to see more narrow perspectives, because I understand what they’re saying at the UU Fellowship, it’s almost as if my work were done there. I will go back if I manage to round up another other interested folks to join me. Leave me a comment if that’s you! After the service I enjoyed my long walk home. Sundays are very meditative for me. I stopped to enjoy the sunshine and appreciated the lines I could see in my life all coming together: a lot of folks want to change the world to make it better religion and sustainability initiatives are just two of such avenues (I’m reminded of Lydia McCauley’s lyrics “with every breath we are taking, we are being changed, with every breath we change the world”), we want to believe in something (even the move Hook encourages us to rekindle our inner child who sees magic all around), “God has made of one blood all peoples of the Earth” (as I go places and tell how I got there I feel as though I’m an ambassador for Berea College and doing so reminds me of its ideals even more), watching the birds fly and remembering our tour guide yesterday in absolute awe of nature’s wonder, and the list goes on…


Questions:
-What’s the closest UU Fellowship to Berea?
-How have you felt Grace today? (I welcome your comments, I changed a setting so it should be easier to respond)
-How have my religious affiliations affected me throughout my life?

• Unitarian Universalist

Feelings:
I felt completely accepted at the UU Fellowship. That was probably the most comfortable I’ve felt in a place of worship in a long time.

Join the Redwood Region Audubon Society!

Log:
Glenn, Noelle, and I got an early start with an 8:30 a.m. tour of the Arcata marsh. It turned out to be more about birds than the marsh, so we decided to return another day and learn more about the marsh. Our tour guide was so enthusiastic about soaking up the world’s wonder. It was refreshing at that hour. After the tour we made a quick stop at the farmer’s market and enjoyed some sweet strawberries. Today was yet another consecutive rainy day.
In the afternoon it was great to catch up with Carlita, who I hadn’t seen in almost a week. I returned to CCAT for a movie night. I enjoyed the beginning of Hook, but of course quickly ended up taking a nap. My day was rather relaxed, as a rainy Saturday should be. Hmmph.

Questions:
-How does the Arcata marsh support wildlife and utilize an alternative sewage treatment plant?
-How personal should this journal be?
-When will it stop raining? What affect does rain have on the locals psychologically?

• Redwood Region Audubon Society

Take me out the ball game! (Humboldt Crabs game)

The Grand Canopy

Rosie at her beloved filing cabinet

Our super star Noelle on the pedal powered bike she'll be riding on PBS's California Connection to air June 24

CCAT living room, notice the lovely tee-shirt display :)

Log:
Another rainy north coast morning. By the time I got to work on my bike I was dripping head to toe, so I decided that I may as well go mud-puddling if I was already that wet. The HSU parking lot in front of CCAT really is supreme for mud-puddling, plenty of dips and potholes. I was having a good time when my mud-puddling came to an abrupt conclusion when a sideways hop turned quickly into a slip and I was reminded of the lack of tread on my sandals.
Another day with my nose in the CCAT binders. I spent today skimming articles about CCAT from the early 80s. The sense of history at CCAT is overwhelming! It’s inspiring for me as someone involved in SENS in the young stage that it’s in.
Also today, Brian from Sunny Brea Church came by to talk to me. It was interesting to hear him speak passionately about issues I disagree with. He kept saying that everyone is one of God’s children, but various religions were false and I should not visit their churches. How interesting it was to hear him talk about how he would change the world if he could. Then, it hit me, as he was speaking and I was oblivious to his words but recognized his passionate desire to improve the world. How interesting, this same desire is what led me to this west coast summer. So, who’s right? It was good for me to encounter this young man because he has shown me the type of attempted persuasion that is not acceptable. To be effective at changing our world, we need to learn how to reach people where they are, and not to condemn them. What an important connection for me to make. I believe most important lessons we learn in life are not ones we’ve never seen before, but ones we encounter again and again throughout our lifespan, lessons worth remembering.
My evening was perfect because when I finished the chilly, soaking bike ride home from CCAT I found two boxes from home waiting for me. The comfort of my familiar overalls and lots of goodies for my kitchen cupboard really brightened my day :)

Questions:
-What will SENS be like in 20 years?
-What did the students who started CCAT think it would be like in the future?
-What else can I learn from others who want to change the world?

Feelings:
It surprised me how much it meant to me to receive my overalls in the mail. I like to think that I’m not very attached to my clothes, but I do admit to being very attached to the comfort of familiarity.

Log:
A northern California rainy morning made it hard to wake up today. I did get moving early enough to make it to CCAT on time, so it turned out okay. Because of the rain we spent the morning inside. Rosie was organizing her beloved filing cabinets and I was reading and taking notes on various CCAT binders. I was excited to find a binder with program/workshop fliers from over the years. What a great way to quickly look through past programs. Also, I found a binder with Appropriate Technology Transfers (the CCAT biannual publication) from as far back as 1989. I was impressed that HSU has been having “donation dashes” since their early days (For details on what donation dashes are see my June 7 entry).
I’m still stumbling around emotionally, losses are interesting to undergo. I’m reminded of the Janis Joplin quote “Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose”. I am certainly getting closer to freedom, and thinking more about what I want out of my life because of it.

Questions:
-If the SENS program were to start putting out a periodical, what time frame would be appropriate?
-CCAT staggers the terms of directors. This sort of happens in the SENS house. Would it be beneficial to institutionalize this practice?
-Would it be practical for SENS to have volunteers be tour guides to ease up some of the directors’ time?

Feelings:
I feel as though my personal loss may allow me to be more present in my Arcata life.

Log:
I got an early start today with a run in my favorite forest. Oddly enough someone must have fallen from the path because paramedics were on the trails looking down into a gorge. Needless to say, it wasn’t the most cheerful jog, but time outside none the less.
Rosie’s friends at the Arcata Educational Farm called her out for an emergency last minute potato planting to beat the coming rain. She invited me to join her. The Arcata Educational Farm was so serene. No huge equipment rumbling along, just the quiet volunteers planting in the morning sun. The 1.6 acre farm is run by two managers and countless volunteers. The farm provides produce for the local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). Technically, the farm is an Arcata city park. When we had planted a field of potatoes and mulches a row of onions, Kevin made all of the volunteers a delicious local lunch. I highly recommend volunteering, the managers are friendly, knowledgeable, and can really cook!
Fathers’ Day is on the horizon, so a quick stop at R.O.S.E. was in order. I’m not a fan of the usual consumerism that surrounds holidays like this, but I can’t pass up free, used goods. I would normally prefer to spend time with people on holidays, but because I’m all the way out here, that’s not really possible. So R.O.S.E. it was for a free HSU insulated mug.
Rosie and I spent the rest of the afternoon planting things on the CCAT grounds. Plenty of good work today to make me sleep well at night. So I needed a short nap before our weekly chocolate party. Honestly, it turned into a bit of a girl-talk session over salad, squash soup, and brownies. Everyone was sleepy though, so it didn’t last too long.

Questions:
-Who should I contact to learn more about the Arcata Educational Farm?
-How is the Arcata Educational Farm allowed to use city property for farmland?
-Why did Berea’s CSA fail?

Feelings:
I feel as though my personal loss may allow me to be more present in my Arcata life.

Log:
Today was a busy day at CCAT. First, I spent time removing those pesky weeds and invasive species and then for a change I actually got to put native plants into the ground. Rosie and I were successful at moving the vermicompost to the CCAT site, which was quite the task. My favorite part of the day was the kids’ day. Hooray for kids! It was such fun to see little ones get excited about a pedal powered tv, a solar fountain, a short walk in the woods, story time, worms, playing with musical instruments, and pedal powered smoothies. Kids are so joyful, it’s amazing what a good exhaustion you feel after working with them. My work today at CCAT was the ideal mix for me, hands on work in the morning and the excitement of little people in the afternoon. Exhausting maybe, but joyful just the same .
My evening was enjoyable as well, as I attended the Arcata Crabs baseball game. It was great to spend time with my housemates and co-workers together. We saw an amazing sunset as well. A few folks in the crowd claimed to have felt the earthquake, I was not among them. Some personal issues with relationships have come up in my life this evening, and the only thing I can do is have faith that in proximity to trial lives resolution. I’m finding more and more that traveling requires you to have this belief.

Questions:
-How many colleges are pursuing sustainable living demonstrational residencies?
-What can SENS’s involvement in Roots&Shoots teach CCAT? (Roots&Shoots is a children’s initiative that focuses on environmental education and service projects. The Berea Ecovillage has a Roots&Shoots chapter. Roots&Shoots was created by Jane Goodall.)
-Some very qualified gentlemen from Oregon visited CCAT today and invited the co-directors to a conference. The conference they are holding sounds like it would be very interesting for me, but at what point is it not sustainable to travel to conferences?

Links of the day:

• Humboldt Crabs Baseball Team


• Berea Tree Snakes Roots&Shoots


• Roots&Shoots International website

Log:
E-mails from folks reading my blog made me smile this morning  I seem to be developing some sort of schedule at CCAT. When I arrive, I spend a few hours weeding or removing invasive species and then I spend my afternoons with the co-directors in meetings or interviews to learn more about their program. I appreciate this insider-outsider vantage point that I have riding the fence between employee and co-director.
In the afternoon we had marathon meetings, which reminded me of my Wednesday evening meetings working with SENS. We met to discuss meeting architects at the site walk, meet with the architects, and finally to reflect on our first impressions. I’m not sure of the secrecy surrounding this process so I won’t reveal any names or specific details. I must say however that I had no idea what types of hurdles needed to be cleared in a construction job with state funds.
Another day, yet another conversation about religion. For some reason this has been a favorite topic of my housemates and me. Carlita told me how through studying the meteorological and topographical influences on fire, her vision to see depth in the world is renewed. Carlita’s about to embark on a career as a firefighter and believes that spending her days on the edge of danger will fuel her spiritual fire, reminding her that life is fragile.

Questions:
-Why is CCAT responsible for the cost of demolishing their temporary house?
-How can I get a counter on my webpage?
-How long will invasive species stay out of a plot after it is cleared?

Log:
My Church tour continues. This week I went to the Sunny Brea Church. The sign outside announced times of worship and gathering, but no denomination. I traded some time in the sun today for the chance to gain understanding about faith. I entered to find a young man at the alter in jeans and a tee shit practicing songs for the service. Everyone was very welcoming, and interested in the path I had taken to meet them on this Sunday. They proclaimed that on a scale of traditional to contemporary Baptist churches they were off the contemporary end, and farther from the traditional churches than most “contemporary” churches. I was excited to see children running around everyone’s legs and squirming about before the service. The young man at the alter, Smiles, opened the service with several beautiful acoustic songs of love, forgiveness, and appreciation for God’s creation. It was refreshing to get the chance to sing beautiful music with others.
I was there to learn about other perspectives and this goal forced me to try to set aside my own beliefs temporarily. This was difficult as the sermon sounded to me like a list of things in society that are to be condemned. The sermon spoke out against polygamy and emphasized that only Jesus is worthy of putting our hope in. Also emphasized was the concept that Jesus is the one and only savior. This was especially difficult for me to accept as I believe there are many avenues to personal spirituality/salvation in this vast world. I’m reminded of Abe’s belief that looking at God through one religion is like looking at the sun through a pin-hole, rather than feeling the warmth on your skin and experiencing the divine all around you. In my tour of Arcata churches I’m seeking to see from perspectives that I haven’t been open to understanding in the past, possibly encourage others to walk past their spiritual comfort zones, and gather ideas to add to my own tapestry of spirituality.

Feelings:
I felt inspired by watching Smiles feel a Divine presence. Even though I haven’t felt inspired within the confines of man-made buildings often in the past, watching others celebrate their faith was a moving scene to watch.

Questions:
-Is there a church that celebrates life and love rather than professes condemnation?
-How many churches are in Arcata?
-How open would members of Sunny Brea Baptist Church be to church hopping?

Log:
Sigh, it is the weekend. For some reason I feel like the weekends are so separate from the weekdays here. I’m not sure why this dichotomy exists, but I feel it. I had a laid back Saturday with a trip to the farmer’s market, a game of baseball, and a big feast of a dinner with my housemates. It’s interesting to me how much the topic of religion comes up in conversation with my housemates.

Questions:
-What is the cost of living in California, versus the cost of living in Kentucky?
-What will the rest of my California weekends be like?
-How many people are reading this webpage?

Perceptions:
Everyone who I live with is very reluctant to admit they subscribe to any particular doctrine or faith. They seem to be very wary of anything institutionalized.

Mountain Vista

Log:
Today’s sunny morning was a nice change of pace. At CCAT, Noelle and I had a meeting with one of the project managers who will be helping organize the CCAT move. The co-directors are very good at communicating with other departments. After the meeting Noelle and I finished stocking CCAT’s awesome tower of informational handouts. I spent my afternoon thumbing through CCAT’s orientation binders, taking notes for how SENS could document things better.
CCAT’s numerous interesting visitors play a role in what I learn about the Arcata community. Today I met Stillwater who I had an interesting conversation about the role children play in community. She believes that children can remind us not to feel boundaries with new people. Kids smile and talk to everyone. They’re not afraid to make human connections that many adults would shy away from. We also talked about the importance of educating children about sustainability, and what that education is capable of doing. I completely agreed as I impatiently wait for CCAT’s Kids’ Day Tuesday June, 14. I really miss the interaction I had with kids living in the SENS House as a part of the Ecovillage.
Alas, the weekend is here!

Questions:
-What Kentucky State guidelines did SENS work with in the construction of the Ecovillage and SENS House? How could we make our work more available to others interested in green building?
-Could the SENS House be Energy Star certified, or is that only for new buildings?
-How can we get more community involvement in the new Natural Building Laboratory to be built in the Ecovillage?

Log:
This morning was amazingly beautiful! The fog hid the mountains and made my morning job rather majestic. I was planning to visit Coffee Break and see Jerry, but he wasn’t in this morning so I went to CCAT instead. Rosie and I spent the first few hours of the day dedicated to singing folk songs and pulling out that darn ivy. We continued our work on the filing cabinet, which seems to be coming together quickly.
I accompanied Abigail to the library to borrow a few things from the CCAT display. While in the library display case Abigail and I came up with a fun display idea. It would be very attention getting if we actually had someone in the display case using appropriate technology. Maybe only for an hour a day someone would sit in the case and hand wash clothing, or make recycled paper. It would need to be in a high traffic area to make the display worth the effort, but it would certainly be fun and entertaining for anyone passing by.
We spent the major portion of the day cleaning the house for the PBS crew that was going to visit this evening. When the crew arrived, we were amused to find out that only one small section of the back patio would be on camera. Noelle was nervous, but she did a great job. The film crew was very interested in everything going on at CCAT. They left with a few instructional pamphlets and an hour’s worth of tape for a short segment on alternative energy.
After I left CCAT, I went to Rosie’s house to pick some of her neighbor’s cherries. The cherries were falling and she hadn’t seen anyone pick any, so she asked if we could pick some. They were generous and said that if we wanted to pick ‘em before the birds ate them all that would be fine with them. We got to work with a small step ladder we borrowed from CCAT. We ended up with close to a quart of fresh ripe cherries. To compliment our lovely fruit, we made a decadent chocolate dip. After a few trials we concluded the two were best separate, and we agreed to meet weekly to make some sort of chocolate snack.
The days keep going by more and more quickly, it’s starting to feel like I belong here :)

Questions:
-Would anyone in SENS be interested in participating in a live display?
-How much information does SENS have that could be useful to others if organized in a neat filing cabinet?
- How difficult is it to make cherry juice?
Feelings:
I believe that every time you put yourself in a new situation, you can redefine yourself. I think every time you do this the chance for re-evaluation enables you to keep narrowing in on who you really are and who you’d like to be.

Log:
The Arcata rain cancelled our cob plastering plans this morning, we opted for indoor work instead. Rosie and I decided to begin tackling the filing cabinet. CCAT has so much information about all kinds of appropriate technology! The filing cabinets are so full, you could spend years reading through them. Rosie and I were making sure that no files were in the wrong drawer, files were cross-referenced well, and that everything was generally tidy. We started going through drawers when we realized that we needed to visit R.O.S.E. to complete our mission. We made a list and even grabbed the outgoing mail to drop off on the way (thinking we would get ahead). We entered the little office supply oasis and as always were wowed and in awe of all of the wonderful goodies at R.O.S.E. In all of our excitement over florescent file folders, tab dividers, free pens, and mugs we somehow placed the folder with the outgoing mail among the rest of the supplies. I felt better knowing that the only thing in the mail was a letter from me, but the problem was that it had a receipt I needed in order to get reimbursed. We searched high and low in R.O.S.E. No sign of the tiny valuable pink envelope. The scene reminded me of some cheesy t.v. show where people would be looking for something and then the camera would cut away to where the missing object would actually be located. We weren’t fortunate enough to have a camera crew following us, so we gave up the search and I was able to get another copy of the receipt faxed to me so all was well.
I also spent a good deal of time reading through and taking notes on the co-directors’ orientation manual. It’s made up of a maintenance schedule followed by various how-to’s. Also in this binder is a list of CCAT employees. This list will be helpful for SENS as we work toward deciding what roles are essential and who should have what responsibilities. Glenn added that he thinks the binder would be more helpful if it explained how to organize a workshop and was more up to date. Glenn also mentioned that if co-directors were able to take an independent study in leadership the reflections they would write for their class would serve as guidance for future directors.
I interviewed Jeff as the conclusion to my day. I thought this would definitely be one way to really learn about CCAT’s functioning. I found out so much! It was surprising to see similarities between the challenges SENS and CCAT face.

Questions:
-Would SENS directors be interested in taking a team initiated course in communication?
-Will the lost letter ever be found, or will it forever enjoy the company of stacks of office supplies? Would someone mail it if they found it?
-What role at CCAT would I take if I were an HSU student?

Perceptions:
While everyone seems to be honest with me, I feel like there is some amount of (possible subconscious) censoring that goes on when I ask about CCAT. I think in time, my perspective of CCAT will become more accurate.

Log:
We spent the morning at CCAT plastering a cob oven. The work went so quickly when we all helped out. While massaging a mixture of clay, fiber, sand, and paper pulp onto the over, we were entertained by Noelle’s Midwestern accent. Good times 
Scott (who would prefer to be referred to as “hot Scott”), told me about this thing the recycling program on campus does called “donation dash”. At the end of every year they have volunteers wait by the dumpsters and sort people’s trash. They sort out recyclables and anything that one of the local thrift shops might be able to sell. Scott also told me how at first he was very intimidated by CCAT and not confident that he would have something to add to the program. This story seems to be the case for a lot of folks at CCAT, as well as people in the SENS program. I asked Scott what enabled him to overcome that intimidation and he said it was that one of his friends became a co-director and he gained enough personal confidence to give it a try. Scott’s experience demonstrates the importance of individuals reaching out to people they know as an effective form of outreach. Scott also said that CCAT has been successful by holding events on the quad and other very visible, central locations.
As CCAT folks work to get their house back on their grounds and redesign their landscaping, it occurs to me that SENS should have something to offer them. The Berea College Ecovillage is an amazing demonstrational facility with state-of-the-art technology. It would be awesome if we could put together a resource explaining the materials used in this process and where other people can get them from. Because the SENS house is new I feel like we lack the real world application that CCAT has with their retro-fitted house. I hadn’t realized that we could offer such a practical resource for the public.
This evening I had an amazing conversation with Carlita. How refreshing it is to get past all of the acquaintance leveled chit-chat and move to real conversations about life and the lessons it offers! I appreciate her willingness to accept all people and sincere desire to learn from every person she encounters. Not only did I learn a lot about Carlita, but I was reminded of some of my own hopes and aspirations for my life. We also discussed prejudices towards religious terminology and what role spirituality played in our lives.

Questions:
-Would Berea College be able to run a donation dash at the end of the year? How could we make that happen?
-CCAT has volunteer Fridays, could SENS get enough projects going to have regular volunteer opportunities? With everyone having to work at Berea, would we get much of a turnout?
-CCAT’s herbalism class attracts a lot of interested people. Where could SENS incorporate herb gardens?

Log:
Today I got down in the dirt and spent most of my time removing invasive species. This work was difficult and satisfying. After working four or five hours, Rosie and I had only cleared a relatively small area (See today’s quote for more details).
Aside from pulling ivy and digging up catoneaster, I went with Noelle to see the campus and learn from her visit with Debi who handles the funds for all Associated Students programs. It’s been very interesting to see politics that I’m not involved in. While we were out we stopped at R. O. S. E. (Reusable Office Supply Exchange). It’s a small storage room filled with binders, folders, and other office supplies. I was really surprised to see that they even had book bags. I was even more surprised to find a laptop book bag, I’ve been looking for one of these for months and was never willing to pay the steep prices. Happily, I swapped my thrift shop bag with the new laptop bag and left a note of thanks on their clipboard. I have gotten lucky so many times since I’ve been here!
Late in the afternoon the co-directors regrouped slightly off-site, to enable more focus on the conversation. We discussed current projects, most of which deal with landscaping the new grounds. After our short discussion we got to work moving plants from the nursery to the area surrounding the yurt.
After a full day at CCAT, I went to the coffee shop to check my e-mail. The shop has wireless internet that puts out a strong enough signal that even the outside picnic table is a fine spot to use the internet. I like to check my e-mail when they are closed because that’s when I’m off work and then I don’t feel rude not buying anything. Today a few people were gathered eating a picnic dinner at the table. I asked if they wouldn’t mind my sharing the table. They were fine with sharing. We talked about the coffee shop and many other odds and ends. After they finish their supper they were preparing to leave when the man offered me a ten dollar bill. I turned him down, and he insisted that I take it and pay him back later in the summer. He said I should use the money to come inside and get a cup of coffee sometime, and that I should always feel welcome in the shop because he’s friends with the owner who is a really good person. What he said next stuck with me the most, “It’s just a game piece, and the object of the game is to empower one another.” I’m familiar with the saying “vote with your dollar”, but this older gentleman’s words offered a more intimate look at what money can do for a person. I often regard money as something I should deal with only because I have to and something that there will never be enough of. I had overlooked the empowerment money can be to a person, along with the support you can give to an honest business. I appreciated this change of perspective, and concluded that there really is something sort of lucky about Arcata.

Questions:
-How much extra time would it take Berea’s recycling program to start and run a R.O.S.E.?
-What location would be best for a R.O.S.E. on Berea’s campus?
-I witnessed the conflict between co-directors living in the house that they worked in today, in what ways do the CCAT folks deal with the fish-bowl effect?

Feelings:
I can’t help but feel appreciative to be in Arcata. I’ve had so many lucky experiences. I get the feeling that people really look out for each other here.

Quote of the day:
“If you confine your gaze to this small square you can see what accomplishments we’ve made” –Rosie (while removing invasive species)
Isn’t that the only real way to see such success? You can’t fix the world in a day, but it’s the small jobs well done that add up.

Links of the day

• Learn about invasive species


• HSU Recycling Program


• Berea College Recycling Program

Log:
Because I’m only here for a short amount of time, I need to take a lot of different approaches if I want to get to know all of Arcata. I decided one good way would be to attend a different church every Sunday. I started my rounds today at the Arcata Christian Science Church. It was a very quant service with only about ten people. I found it very unique that the church did not have one specific leader, but rather leaders that rotated weekly. They apologized numerous times for the awkwardness of today’s service in the absence of their organist. I appreciated being able to hear everyone’s voices join in song.
Later in the afternoon I hand washed my laundry (I’m on a tight budget right now). I found it satisfying to scrub everything clean with my own hands. After hanging my clothes to dry, I rode to my favorite place in town, the community forest. I’m beginning to get back into running shape, I attest my success to the phenomenal scenery.
Carlita and I made some scrumptious split-pea soup for dinner. I appreciate cooking with others so much. I concluded my first Arcata weekend with a few exciting rounds of Scategories, which I was pleased to win.

Questions:
-Is there an Arcata church directory?
-What is the Christian Science denomination about?

• Church of Christ, Scientist

-Does it take more water to hand wash clothes or machine wash at a laundry mat?

Feelings:
Walking on foot to that tiny simple church this morning was really peaceful. I felt almost as if I had stepped out of a scripture somewhere, wandering about alone in the early morning looking to observe kind people celebrating life.

Log:
Excited that it was finally the weekend, I headed for the Arcata farmer’s market I had heard so much about. Before I could do that, I needed to take my bike, Sugar, to the bike library to have a tire fixed. I visited Gabe, the young volunteer who had checked my bike out to me just a few days ago. It’s really great to see kids involved in their community at such a young age. He was able to fix my tire in no time. He also loaned me a crate for the back of my bike to make my grocery shopping a little easier. I had been hearing the music at the farmer’s market the entire time Gabe worked on my bike and my curiosity was certainly building.
The market is held on the town plaza. It’s actually misleading to call it a farmer’s market, it’s more like a mini festival. Local farmers were selling food and plants, but to the jams of NAME OF BAND. People were dancing, juggling, and lounging in the sun on this gorgeous Saturday. I got some fresh greens and went to the center of the plaza to watch the drummers play. Luckily, I ran into Carlita, who secretly wanted to dance. With the help of Rosie, one of my new friends from CCAT, I was able to persuade Carlita to join us dancing in the sun in front of the band. The music was amazing as were the other dancers. People of all ages from all walks of life were feeling the beat and expressing joy through dance. I danced with an elderly woman and a two year old. When the dancing was done and the band was packing up, Rosie invited Carlita and me over for dinner at her place.
We accepted happily, assuming that she was having some sort of gathering at her place. We were a surprised and flattered to arrive to an empty apartment aside from our hostess. Rosie shared some of the most amazing food with us! She had prepared a beautiful salad from her garden, delicious potatoes, and yummy tofu. We all had a great time eating and chatting exchanging goofy stories from our pasts. We were in the middle of a conversation when the most perfect sunset sent a beam through the dining room window and we had to admire the last bits of day over the Arcata bay. I couldn’t have asked for a better Saturday.

Questions:
-How long has the Arcata farmer’s market been going on?
-How do they get bands to come?
*Either the farmers or local businesses sponsor the performances.
-MERJ market in Berea often has music. Would it be more successful at a location that was more central in Berea, such as the college quad?

Feelings:
Dancing on the plaza was exactly what I needed today. There are few activities that absolutely pull the participant into the present and dancing is one of them. There’s something so honest and joyful about dancing that makes it so special. I was able to express myself fully.

Arcata Farmer's Market

Slug hug

A real heavy load

Amazing roots!

CCAT's temporary house

CCAT sculpture

CCAT Yurt

CCAT solar sign

San Francisco Airport Art

Log:
Today had a rough beginning. My breakfast cereal had been taken over by tiny ants. Appreciating the mango cereal for how wonderful it really is, I decided to eat it anyway, along with the added protein. I think the ants gave me that little extra bit of energy I needed to keep up with the co-directors all day.
Co-directors do so many different things in a day! We started our morning by tidying up for a tour. After that we fixed wheel barrows, which was no small task, and met with a group interested in writing a grant for CCAT.
I’m still adjusting to being in a new place and not knowing people very well. I went to the forest after work to unwind because you don’t have to strike up conversations with trees. This small break really boosted my mood and reminded me of the beauty in Arcata.

Questions:
-What roles do the CCAT employees have that we could mimic with SENS?
-How can we copy CCAT’s orientation binders to increase institutional memory?
-Could SENS and EPG have a grant writing workshop?

Log:
Today I finally got a taste of what I came here for. I started the day by removing invasives at CCAT, planting some native plants and, touring the grounds. I also met Melanie Williams, who will be my CCAT supervisor. Everyone at CCAT was entertaining and so helpful.
I accompanied the co-directors and Melanie to a meeting about their house getting moved. Not knowing much about the project or a lot of the acronyms that were being used it was almost like listening to a foreign language. Like watching other cultures, emotions were more obvious than literal translations. It was obvious that communication was not clear between the two parties. Also, it was obvious that there was a sense of frustration with the speed of bureaucracy. Seeing CCAT face these struggles helped me put their program into perspective. I had always looked up to CCAT and held it to unattainable standards in my mind, it’s good to know that established as they are, they still have issues to face.

Questions:
-How does CCAT typically run meetings?
*CCAT usually holds meeting for 12-15 people (employees and co-directors). An agenda is written on the blackboard, and all items are addressed. The meetings usually include food of some sort as well as updates from the co-directors. Glenn commented that meetings could be more efficient, but the challenge is that there are so many different groups to address and not all information is pertinent to everyone. CCAT also holds monthly potlucks. Noelle would like to see CCAT hold open meetings for community members as well as any other interested parties so that CCAT could function more like a typical club. She feels that these meetings would enable people to get involved with CCAT who didn’t already work there and were too shy for potlucks.
-How could the process CCAT is going through be applicable to others? (working with a project committee within state spending regulations, designing changes to their house, selecting materials to build with, etc.)
-How can SENS improve its institutional memory?
*SENS could mimic CCAT’s filing system to keep track of previous projects, as well as take time in orientating new employees to leaf through these.

Feelings:
I felt so welcome and comfortable at CCAT! I’m really excited to make these connections. It’s so refreshing to be around amusing, enthusiastic people. It makes such a difference that the CCAT folks put effort into welcoming me. I appreciated it so much!

Tip of the day:
Make your own fruit fly trap by putting balsamic vinegar in a jar and poking small holes in the lid.

Log:
I woke myself up today with a short jog in the redwoods, the jog was short, but the stay was long. I feel like I could do an internship on redwood exploration and would be completely content. (That’s saying a lot because I’m psyched about working with CCAT.) I saw the foot-massaging kid and was able to get past him without any further harassment. Having not heard from the CCAT bunch by noon I agreed to go to the Headwaters of the Elk River for a sunny afternoon hike. Of course, as luck would have it, I did hear from Jeff on the way to the hike. We agreed to meet tomorrow at 9 to get started.
Carlita and I talked about childhood dreams and happiness this afternoon. She believes there are two types of people-those who can be content with what they have, and those who need constant stimulation and only “chase” being content. If this divide exists, I’d probably be closer to the side who can be content in their current circumstances.
Something else I’m contemplating recently is the level of social interaction I’m looking for during this internship. I know that I’ve been here four days and spent a great deal of time in solitude at the forest. I really value this opportunity for such reflection and introspection in my life. Honestly, at Berea, I can’t say that I have made such alone time a priority. However, on the other hand is the possibility of endlessly interesting friendships. I think I will look back to find that I’ve had a balance of the two, solitude and interaction.
It’s interesting to me to find that members of this house don’t cook together or for each other routinely. This makes me realize what an important tool for facilitating community sharing food is at the SENS house.

Questions:
-Should I take this time and grow in solitude while I have this level of anonymity, or direct more effort to reaching out to all of these new faces?
-What types of relationships will I develop with my housemates?
-What type of first impression do my housemates have of me?

Quote of the day:
“Being new in a place makes you feel like you have to be ‘on’ all of the time, it’s hard to feel comfortable enough to be your honest self” –Carlita