Chaga

In a rather impulsive move, I quit my job and came up to camp to do a tonne of baking and be happy. I am done having my spirit sucked out of me.
It's been an interesting week. Sr.Boys always is. Getting to spend time with Geordie and my Katie Best has been fantastic! I am here for another week and a half and then Geordie and his sister and I will be taking off to their cottage for the long weekend. I am so excited.
There is a counsellor here this week named White Raven and he's from Vermont so he has a very noticeable New England accent. He has introduced us to Chaga. Chaga is a fungus that grows on Birch trees that is apparently worth a lot in the south because you can use it to make a tea with a lot of natural health benefits. We have all immediately become immersed in all things Chaga. We made Chaga tea the first night. It's actually so good! A bunch of the counsellors and directors started coming in to get Chaga and so they decided to make an elective activity called "Chaga Hunting" for the campers. ....so that they can find tonnes of Chaga so that we will have a never ending supply of Chaga tea. It is hilarious. They are hyping it up just about as much as they did the hobo activity from last year where they learned to tie their shoes to their ankles so that no other hobos stole them, built cardboard shacks in the woods, and baked beans over a fire. Sr.Boys is always the most insane. I love it.

This is Chaga

I have so many more pictures to put up but they will have to wait until I get home in September because I only have internet via Geordie's computer for the time being.

Last night we went to the Balacade (amazing! and amazingly old!) and roller skating at the Bala arena. I did not fall once and I am very proud of that fact. We went to Highland Games in Bracebridge on Saturday and watched men in kilts throw logs and giant hammers. I also bought 5 new record albums! A Supertramp, two Led Zeppelins, Abbey Road - The Beatles, and Jimi Hendrix. All in good condition and all for $35. Wonderful.

To Hush The Violent Guilt That Eats And Never Dies

Simple Math
It's why our bodies even lay here
Sinful Math
The truth cannot be fashioned

What if we've been trying to get to where we've always been?
Simple Math
Believe me, all is brilliant.
What if we've been trying to kill the noise and silence?
What if I was wrong and you had never questioned it?
What if it was true, that all we thought was right was wrong?
Simple Math
The truth cannot be fractioned.

Every time I hear this song.
When I look out across the fields and admire them I catch myself realizing that you can't. That this is a day you'll never know. That these are all days you haven't and won't know.
Both of you.
It's starting to sink in.

Last night I couldn't sleep. I ended up writing this out at about 3:30am. I'll just post it now.

Injury #3

My first two notable injuries of the summer were my broken finger from Sarah's rope swing and my mystery black eye from camp. Now I have a giantly swollen knee (see photos) from trying to ride my longboard WITH my cousin Stu (see video).

immediate aftermath

It's the right knee. Just in case the monstrous lump right below my kneecap didn't give it away.

 I'd also like to point out that Stu asked if Faaron got this on tape before he asked if I was okay and I asked if I had ripped my Frightened Rabbit t-shirt before I looked at my bleeding leg. Good to see we have our priorities straight!

And I realize the video is long and boring. Our heads disappearing behind the bush is too funny to miss though.

Frightened Rabbit

Last week I went and saw Frightened Rabbit as they opened for Death Cab For Cutie at the Fox Theater in Detroit. Hands down, Frightened Rabbit was infinitely better. They are so amazing. I was so excited the entire time I could barely handle it. First of all, the Fox Theater is so elaborate it borders on being gaudy. I took a couple photos of that. I wish we still made all of our buildings like this.

Here are some videos from the show:

The Loneliness and the Scream

Living in Colour

Old Old Fashioned

Between the opening and Death Cab, I went to the FR merch table and they were selling their own merch! So I met the band and they had a new EP which I purchased and two of them (Scott - the lead singer and Gordon - the keyboardist) signed! I also got a picture with Scott :) He is soooo sweaty and I don't even care.

Bits and Pieces

Here is a bunch of stuff I have been meaning to post for a while.

These are baby robins that we rescued at work

my new easel!!!!! I am so excited about this.

Dad: Did you order something to my US mailbox?
Brooke: No, why?
Dad: See that box? It was there. And it had my name on the packaging without a return address. I don't even know what it is. It's called "beer pong" or something.
Brooke and Easton: *silence* *look at the box* hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Dad: What!??!! What is it!?!
It was at this point in time that my 15 year old brother and I had to explain to my 47 year old father what beer pong is.

But, yes.... this is an inflatable Beer Pong game. It still does not have an owner. Hilarious.

This is a painting I did for my friend Justin for his birthday.

A painting I did for camp. This is Uncle Charlie's Cabin and Echo Lake.
I miss this place so much.

That's all for now.

Dragonfly Fields

Today I walked home from lunch with a family that I'm friends with. I took the shortcuts through the woods which always takes me longer than if I had walked all the way around because there is so much to look at! I only had my phone with me but I still took a few photos.
From the top of the hill, all I could see were dragonflies darting in and out of the long grasses with butterflies mixed in here and there. I was listening to Jonsi and standing at the top in the sun just soaking it all in and it was perfect. I love feeling like I can live forever.This summer is coming to a close. I am really looking forward to new adventures, but I think that I will always enjoy these same ones over and over again. For that, I am extremely grateful.

I love Queen Anne's Lace.

A thistle!! This plant was taller than I am. There was only one and it was just in the middle of the side of the hill. It was strange. I tried to take this one blossom off to bring it home but it was too thorny. 

Dragonflies!