This is an early post because I will not be near a computer for a while. Activists took the Climate Camp location early and started setting up yesterday. So, instead of heading off tomorrow we're heading down today. Follow the Climate Camp news at their website, http://www.climatecamp.org.uk, on Indymedia, and likely in the corporate news sources as well.
Off to Camp,
Kasza
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
Week 17: Earthworm Wins the Tournament!
Yet another fun weekend at Earthworm and I'm proud to say that we are the champions of this year's Intercommunity Volleyball Tournament.
There were five communities competing in the tournament: Earthworm Housing Co-op, Birchwood Hall Community, Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT), Lifespan-Townhead, and Redfield with over fifty people attending for the weekend.
Although tension and competiveness increased as the weekend progressed, everyone maintained a positive attitude and loads of fun. It has been remarked to me that my attempts at imbibing a pint of ale an hour hindered my skills later in the day and probably was a large factor in jamming my thumb on the ball a couple of times. Nevertheless, we went on to win the tourny and with a duct taped bandage to hold my thumb in place, I participated in each match we played (the pint an hour challenge was limited to Saturday).
Since it's unlikely I'll be in England next year, I'm disappointed that I won't be able to participate in the next tounament which will be held at Redfield.
We now have four days to sort of chill out and prepare for next week as we head out for Climate Camp on Friday.
- Kasza
Here are photos taken by me and AJ
Seb (playing for CAT) with a textbook volley
Joe (Earthworm) and Danny (Lifespan) battling it out at the net
O.B., the Earthworm Head Cheerleader
Rocky doing a little breakdance between serves
This is what losing a point looks like
Aeris all tuckered out after a full day of ratting
Evidently, the crowd was thoroughly entertained during the final match
Trophy for the best costume change goes to Lifespan
Trophy for the best dives goes to Rocky
Dressing up for the winner's ball
AJ epitimizing cool in one of her many poses
There were five communities competing in the tournament: Earthworm Housing Co-op, Birchwood Hall Community, Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT), Lifespan-Townhead, and Redfield with over fifty people attending for the weekend.
Although tension and competiveness increased as the weekend progressed, everyone maintained a positive attitude and loads of fun. It has been remarked to me that my attempts at imbibing a pint of ale an hour hindered my skills later in the day and probably was a large factor in jamming my thumb on the ball a couple of times. Nevertheless, we went on to win the tourny and with a duct taped bandage to hold my thumb in place, I participated in each match we played (the pint an hour challenge was limited to Saturday).
Since it's unlikely I'll be in England next year, I'm disappointed that I won't be able to participate in the next tounament which will be held at Redfield.
We now have four days to sort of chill out and prepare for next week as we head out for Climate Camp on Friday.
- Kasza
Here are photos taken by me and AJ
Seb (playing for CAT) with a textbook volley
Joe (Earthworm) and Danny (Lifespan) battling it out at the net
O.B., the Earthworm Head Cheerleader
Rocky doing a little breakdance between serves
This is what losing a point looks like
Aeris all tuckered out after a full day of ratting
Evidently, the crowd was thoroughly entertained during the final match
Trophy for the best costume change goes to Lifespan
Trophy for the best dives goes to Rocky
Dressing up for the winner's ball
AJ epitimizing cool in one of her many poses
Monday, July 21, 2008
Week 16: Happy Birthday Sam
An enjoyable weekend of drinking and eating has been successfully completed. Although Sam suspected that his wife, Alex, was planning something, he wasn't prepared for the elaborate party she had put together.
A few of the party-goers arrived at the campsite Friday (including us) to help set up but the majority of people came the next day. Everybody arrived around noon on Saturday and crowded into the marquee ready to scream "Surprise" when Sam and Alex rolled in at one.
Finally, with that out of the way, we could resume drinking (proudly started at 9am) and dive into lunch (a plentiful potluck feast). The afternoon progressed with a rotation of eating, drinking, napping, and volleying (gotta keep practicing so we're in form for next weekend's tourny).
The party was also a trial run for the Earthwize energy trailer. Overall, it was successful run and we're getting better throwing it up and bringing it down.
Back at Earthworm, work week helpers arrived on Saturday and have been getting on quite well attacking a variety of jobs around the property. And now that I'm done typing this, I will go join in (I'm thinking gathering wood will be a good Monday morning job).
- Kasza
Photos (incl. some long exposure experiments)
this is a wind turbine
this is a marquee
this is a gazebo
this is an evening sky
this is a night sky
this is a campfire
this is also a campfire
and this was a party
A few of the party-goers arrived at the campsite Friday (including us) to help set up but the majority of people came the next day. Everybody arrived around noon on Saturday and crowded into the marquee ready to scream "Surprise" when Sam and Alex rolled in at one.
Finally, with that out of the way, we could resume drinking (proudly started at 9am) and dive into lunch (a plentiful potluck feast). The afternoon progressed with a rotation of eating, drinking, napping, and volleying (gotta keep practicing so we're in form for next weekend's tourny).
The party was also a trial run for the Earthwize energy trailer. Overall, it was successful run and we're getting better throwing it up and bringing it down.
Back at Earthworm, work week helpers arrived on Saturday and have been getting on quite well attacking a variety of jobs around the property. And now that I'm done typing this, I will go join in (I'm thinking gathering wood will be a good Monday morning job).
- Kasza
Photos (incl. some long exposure experiments)
this is a wind turbine
this is a marquee
this is a gazebo
this is an evening sky
this is a night sky
this is a campfire
this is also a campfire
and this was a party
Monday, July 14, 2008
Week 15: Back in the UK
Another post missed. My excuse this time was that I was in Bristol last week and didn't have access to a computer. Maybe I should get a ghostwriter to handle my blog obligations.
Since my last post I have altered my plans and returned to Earthworm for the summer (I had been toying with the idea for a while). I will stay here until my UK visa runs at the end of September. I expect at that point I'll head to France, Switzerland, and/or Spain; who knows, maybe even Morocco. But I don't have to worry about that until September and I have enough going on here to keep me occupied/entertained.
I have been to a few cities in the last two weeks. Here's an overview of what I've done in July:
July 1
- left La Besnardiere in France early because the woman was quite irritating (my patience for WWOOF hosts has thinned considerably now)
- travel by foot, bus and train to arrive at Caen, where I stayed for three days
July 2 & 3
- visit Juno Beach Centre (overcast day ruined photo ops), William the Conqueror's castle, and some very beautiful local parks (favourite being la Vallée des Jardins)
July 4
- midnight ferry to Portsmouth (sooo very expensive)
- met a Canadian who had traveled around Europe for the previous three weeks and spent about $30,000 CDN, he figures (I nearly puked when he told me)
- train from Portsmouth to Bristol
- back in the land of the Pound Sterling (shit ain't cheap); compare the Caen hostel of 11 euros to the £25 YHA hostel in Bristol
July 5
- visit local sites
- move Saturday from the £25 YHA to the £17 Full Moon hostel, which is also environmentally friendly and much more sociable
July 6
- more local site seeing, kill time in the library
- finally get in contact with (Earthworm resident) Joe's younger brother, Sam
- hang out at Sam's place along with Joe, their brother Matt, Sam's wife Alex, and Matt's son Djindi
July 7
- Joe and I train back to Earthworm
July 8-12
- normal going-ons at Earthworm: gardening, maintenance, meetings and eating
July 13 (a very good day)
- the first sunny day all week
- future volleyball courts finally able to be mowed
- Lily's 8th birthday
- a portable, green energy solution of wind and solar nearly complete
- cob oven built
Upcoming for Me
Jul 18-20 - Sam's surprise 30th birthday, camping near Bristol
Jul 19-25 - Earthworm July Work Week
Jul 26-27 - Inter-Community Volleyball Tournament hosted at Earthworm
Aug 2 - Steve's sister's wedding (on route to...)
Aug 3-11 - Climate Camp
Aug 15-17 - Radical Routes gathering at Earthworm
Aug 27-Sep 1 - Earth First! Summer Gathering
Cheers,
Kasza
Photos
Smile for the camera
Comforting
Green pine cone?!?
Bristol Blitz victim
Overcast dawn (yet again)
Because I haven't taken many photos recently, here are a few more of the punk band at Fete de Music in Bauge. Maybe with some practice I could be as good Andrew.
Since my last post I have altered my plans and returned to Earthworm for the summer (I had been toying with the idea for a while). I will stay here until my UK visa runs at the end of September. I expect at that point I'll head to France, Switzerland, and/or Spain; who knows, maybe even Morocco. But I don't have to worry about that until September and I have enough going on here to keep me occupied/entertained.
I have been to a few cities in the last two weeks. Here's an overview of what I've done in July:July 1
- left La Besnardiere in France early because the woman was quite irritating (my patience for WWOOF hosts has thinned considerably now)
- travel by foot, bus and train to arrive at Caen, where I stayed for three days
July 2 & 3
- visit Juno Beach Centre (overcast day ruined photo ops), William the Conqueror's castle, and some very beautiful local parks (favourite being la Vallée des Jardins)
July 4
- midnight ferry to Portsmouth (sooo very expensive)
- met a Canadian who had traveled around Europe for the previous three weeks and spent about $30,000 CDN, he figures (I nearly puked when he told me)
- train from Portsmouth to Bristol
- back in the land of the Pound Sterling (shit ain't cheap); compare the Caen hostel of 11 euros to the £25 YHA hostel in Bristol
July 5
- visit local sites
- move Saturday from the £25 YHA to the £17 Full Moon hostel, which is also environmentally friendly and much more sociable
July 6
- more local site seeing, kill time in the library
- finally get in contact with (Earthworm resident) Joe's younger brother, Sam
- hang out at Sam's place along with Joe, their brother Matt, Sam's wife Alex, and Matt's son Djindi
July 7
- Joe and I train back to Earthworm
July 8-12
- normal going-ons at Earthworm: gardening, maintenance, meetings and eating
July 13 (a very good day)
- the first sunny day all week
- future volleyball courts finally able to be mowed
- Lily's 8th birthday
- a portable, green energy solution of wind and solar nearly complete
- cob oven built
Upcoming for Me
Jul 18-20 - Sam's surprise 30th birthday, camping near Bristol
Jul 19-25 - Earthworm July Work Week
Jul 26-27 - Inter-Community Volleyball Tournament hosted at Earthworm
Aug 2 - Steve's sister's wedding (on route to...)
Aug 3-11 - Climate Camp
Aug 15-17 - Radical Routes gathering at Earthworm
Aug 27-Sep 1 - Earth First! Summer Gathering
Cheers,
Kasza
Photos
Smile for the camera
Comforting
Green pine cone?!?
Bristol Blitz victim
Overcast dawn (yet again)
Because I haven't taken many photos recently, here are a few more of the punk band at Fete de Music in Bauge. Maybe with some practice I could be as good Andrew.
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