Finding Summer

Wow, it's been about a bazillion years (aka 11 days) since I last posted. My sincere apologies to the myriad fans I have.

Since I last posted I had the opportunity to drive to Albany, NY, to see my extended family and also my parents, who flew up to visit the old hometown. The visit was really good, and seeing my parents went well, and I even recieved some gas money for the ride home from my aunts. My cousin Mike is compiling a set-up so that I can play vinyls when I get back to school. I can't wait to have a turntable!

Although the trip was good, I have to admit that it was really weird being back in reality. I mean, living at Overlook is like a mini Utopia of people who earnestly work hard to achieve common goals and seek to make a real impact in the greater community. Being in a city was a little mind-blowing. I know that I'll have to get used to it when I eventually leave the farm (the summer is already 1/3 over!!!!!), so I hope that I can gently let myself back into a world where not everyone jumps at the opportunity to go to the Farmers Market on Saturdays at 8:30 am to get the best strawberries or doesn't mind trying a non-toxic way to eradicate our free-range ant colony from the kitchen before resorting to chemical-ridden ant traps. I think it will just mean that I will have to work that much harder at being an example of conscious living and ensuring that I don't give up on my convictions.

All that aside, I have had a great week and weekend since Albany. I had a really awesome group, which was followed by a few days of working in my garden, finally anchoring my beds and planting okra and preparing for my sweet potato vines. Yesterday, Lauren (a roommate) and I decided to locate the Rutland State Park for a relaxing afternoon. We ran a few errands, packed our bags, and took our bikes for a lovely afternoon ride. I don't think it was any farther than about 10 miles away, but we took our time to see the sights, and with about one mile to go, got a flat tire. It was ironic, since we had decided against bringing an extra tube. Luckily, we were close, so it was no big deal and we just walked our bikes the rest of the way there.

It was nice to relax and actually take an afternoon off and get off the farm. It's not that I don't enjoy being on the farm on my days off, it's just that I oftentimes become involved in a project or wander over to the garden or kitchen and start something. The Rutland State Park was a great alternative. We packed some sandwiches and water and enjoyed catching up on phone calls, reading, journaling, and attempting to even out our farmers tans. (Didn't work). Kim, our other roommate, came and picked us up after supper, and so ended our biking adventure.

Today was also a relaxed day of catching up on random things, and we're getting ready for the International Fair, which is scheduled for this weekend. I think something like 2,000 folks show up for each Saturday and Sunday to see cool demonstrations and shows and cultural displays. I'm not even sure what all I'll be expected to do, but one can only imagine the fun we're going to have this week prepping for that. I'll let you know how it goes!

Chelsea
P.S. Please feel free to send me mail or call me. I love to hear from the outside world. :)

221 Wachusett St.
Rutland, MA 01543