August 25 - September 11

Painting Pictures with Words

It's a well known aphorism that one picture is worth a thousand words. This week's entry will attempt to turn that premise inside out and provide a written portrait of the activities of the past few weeks. This is driven somewhat by necessity, as we were away for some of the time and I somehow wasn't inclined to pick up the camera immediately upon our return.

A Musical Interlude

On August 26, Indralaya hosted a donor's appreciation picnic for the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival, with over 80 people attending. Indralaya was chosen for the setting in part because festival co-founders Aloysia Friedmann and Jon Kimura (Jackie) Parker have ties here that go back many years, to when Aloysia would visit for summer programs with her parents. The picnic featured a couple surprise musical performances, first by Aloysia and her father Martin, accompanied by Jackie, performing portions of a Bach Concerto for two violins and piano that Jackie had pulled off of the internet using the dining hall computer just a few minutes earlier. That was followed by a violin and piano duet featuring Jackie and Martin Chalifour.

It was a busy few days preparing for the picnic after the end of the Levey program on the 24th. In some ways, the effort seemed to take even more energy than is usually needed for the transition between programs. Fortunately, there were several volunteers on hand to help things flow smoothly. Thanks to Lin Bauer, Laurie Rotecki, Michael Short, Liz Speorri, Crystal Mossman, Helen Bee, Jake Doty, Marshall Peabody, Ian Van Gelder & Peter Van Gelder!

Work Party Weekend.

Just over 30 people participated in the annual Labor Day/Plum Pickin' work party. Leonie and I were away catching a breather after the busy summer. Several people stepped in to help lead the weekend and by all reports it was a fun, collaborative and productive weekend. Particular thanks to Kari Van Gelder, Jake, Crystal, Megan Barnes, Carol Bee, and Lars Erickson for taking on additional responsibility for the weekend!

As in many past years, the plums weren't actually quite ready for the pickin' that is promised in this late summer/early fall work weekend and we may have to consider changing its name for future years - any suggestions out there among the readership?

Theosofest

This past weekend over 125 people participated in Indralaya's first Theosofest. The weekend was an open house for both local folks and those staying at camp. There were several different elements woven together: an art exhibition in the dining hall featuring local artists opening with a Friday night reception; a Saturday morning open house, offering tours and seven different workshops and presentations; a Saturday evening Deep Singing session in the teepee; and a pancake breakfast Sunday morning benefiting the Orcas Island Food Bank. There was a lot of positive response to the weekend and the pancake breakfast raised nearly $400 for the food bank.

Thanks to all who participated, particularly Régent Pellerin and Sandora Hedrich for coordinating the art exhibition; Deep Singing leader Helen Bee; and presenters Stanton Stevens & Amelia Bare, Dave Rowley, Kim Fairbanks & Susan Slapin, Liz Francis, Minor Lile, Lynne Riley, Kathi Ciskowski & Polly Sanford.