The Land Reunion 2013

The Land Reunion 2013

“THE LAND REUNION 2013”

(Sept. 20, 21st and 22nd 2013)

Katie and Sally by the fire (photo by Jody

Only By Love

Only by love can we be that strong
Only by love do we belong
Only by love know what's right, what's wrong
Only by love
Only by love
Only by love is the problem solved
Only by love do we get involved
Only by love do we evolve
Only by love
Only by love

Thank you everyone for making the 2013 Reunion so wonderful! Love you all!
We just had our 35-year Land Reunion out in San Gregorio California at a place called the OVY Event Center. It had been called Boysville in the past and is like a Boy Scout camp in a lot of ways, but it also fit our needs with a big long hall for hanging out and dancing and a great commercial kitchen. We all fell in love with this hall because it was like our long hall in some ways. Having a nice stone fire place was a nice feature too and came in handy when Saturday turned to rain and we ended up enjoying each others company in the hall.


We had smaller numbers than at the last but that was to be expected. Still we had around 75 of us for dinner and the dance Saturday night and some traveled far to join with us. Rose from the Rose Cottage on The Land jumped across the ocean from Greece was the farthest but other came from all across the states like Jim Fredrick, Rio Burns, Ann Mason, Fran Ryan and Connie McCamant, Elize and Terry just to name a few.

Rose on Lone Oak (photo by Lesley)

Coming in

photo by Lobster

The Lobster at his Tide Pool

People coming in on Friday got stopped by Alice at the gate to get arm bands showing that you were on her list and what meals you paid for, sign up on the volunteer list and help you find where you were staying.

Alice Court and Patsy entrance (picture by Dean Payne)

Then there was time to settle whether you were up in the house, little cabins, camping, or bringing in campers. The most people were up in the house that had three bunks to a room, the cabins were more primitive but a nice area. I never made it up there, or to the tipi area. I would have on Saturday but it rained all day. Iris and Greg were in the tipi’s and said they leaked, so glad not too many others tried sleeping there. Friday night would have been fine. We never had a bon-fire up there because of the rain. Music went on too late Friday night, but Saturday night would have been perfect if the weather had been better. I had two campers,a pink one for my kids, and a red one for Court and me. Also in the RV area were John Peck, Evie, Danny and Karen, Susan Abramson, Mike Rusty, and Sandy and Duane.

Court Tefft and John Peck (photo by Patsy)

People started gathering at the Long Hall after checking in. Andy and Jamie from Alice’s restaurant had set us up with two BBQ’s at the end of the big porch. They supplied us with meat and buns at cost for a BBQ. We wanted to stay around the hall for the beginning so everyone would find us.

Photo by Dean Payne - Willie, Sonny and Obie

Thank you Obie, Willie, and Sonny for volunteered to do the grilling. We had Garden burgers, turkey burgars, and regular hamburgers with all the fixing. Sue was in charge of food and did a great job keeping us well fed.

photo by Neil Reichline)

The BBQ area for the property was out on the other side of the pool, so we figured we would use that area for lunch the next day instead, once people knew their way around. We never did use it because of the weather but it was fine the way it worked. I hope people did take a walk at some point back there because it was a real pretty area. In the picture above are our two young lifeguards that we paid for the whole reunion in case anyone wanted to swim. They had a pretty easy time of it since the only day there was time was Saturday and it rained. I think Alice and and Tusa may have gone in. Not sure if anyone else did, but it was a beautiful heated pool.

Tusa heading to the pool, photo by Neil Reichline

John and Danny and Ryan, played in the hall while we had dinner. You could go in and watch them while you ate, or sit outside on the benches and still hear them pretty good. Danny lynch has gotten real good on the fiddle of late, and plays with John often.


Friday Night

After dinner, we showed the 1st showing of Neil’s slide show. Nice for bringing us back in time. That was perfect for bringing us together. Then into some great music for the night with a mix with everyone playing .
It was a fantastic night for music. A special thank you to all the great musicians who joined in to make some really good music come alive. Friday's night was fantastic In fact I think it was my favorite night.
The music kept going much longer than Saturday night, but then we were all just getting there and excited to see each other again. Maybe still feeling the influence of the Harvest Moon from the night before, but we sure got to dance again together, and Friday night we had that moon.
It was also a night where people were able to drop in for dinner and music so I’m glad it was so much fun. We got to see Brendan Wheatley and his wife J.B. and new son Webb.


(Brendan and Jim Forsell)

Also there on Friday night was Court's daughter Kim and Star’s son Illya John’s and baby Malliya and little Jade (They got together at our last reunion) and Illya's aunt Connie and others that just came for the evening festivities.


Kim and Malliya (Photo by Neil Reichline)

Ryan, Rio, John on Friday night (photo by M. Schneider)

Sally, Mark and Jim, photo by Neil Reichline

Ann’s book

Thank you Ann for sharing your wonderful book of black and white photos from the past. How wonderful that our guest of honor was David Harris and he’s agreed to do the forward to the Book. Thanks for all you do, and all the pictures still to come. So glad you had this copy for us share. Took us all back. Such a treat. Such great photo's.

Fran Ryan & Judy Lederer(photo by Neil Reichline)

Ann Mason (photo by Neil Reichline)

(Ann with her camera)


Food


The food was great and kept coming all weekend. Thank you Sue for a great job of shopping, and Alice’s Restaurant for Saturday night’s dinner. Having them cater it made it possible for us to just enjoy the night and not have to cook. Thanks to all that helped with the set up for all the meals.

Willie, Sue and Sonny (Photo by Lesley)

Karen, Sandy and Duane (photo by Neil Reichline)

Saturday

Saturday started with breakfast laid out for everyone to help themselves. Granola, hard boiled eggs, bagels cream cheese, fruit and such. We also had to do the lunch in the hall because of the rain.
Sandwich makings, chips and Jody's wonderful dish. I'm not sure what it was but I know it was hot and good because it was an empty pan when I got to it.

Jody cooking and hanging with Michael in kitchen (photo by Patsy)

Patsy, Susan, Elize & Terry (photo by Neil Reichline)

Rain, Lesley and Judith (photo by Evie)

Lesley, Iris, Obie. Fran - photo by Neil Reichline

John, Karin and Jesse (photo by Neil Reichline)

With such a down pour all activities ended up in the hall, visiting singing and the memorial.
All the music was fantastic, yea to all the musicians for a weekend full of great music, from Danny and John Henry, Jolize, Michael Ward, Sandy and Duane, Kit Bricca, Rudy, Aaron, all the choir singers, and everyone else that kept the music happening

Karen, Rudy, John & Danny (photo by Lesley)

Thanks again to Rio for printing up all the lyrics for the Choir of Angels. I think they had fun practicing together all afternoon. Never really did a presentation but since they were practicing in the hall we could all listen.

Here's one we all got to hear (you can hear Rio sing it in lesley's compilation video)
Rio’s version of California Dreaming

All our hair is gray, and our knees are shot
Memory is gone; hearing's not that hot
But that grand adventure is somehow burned in our brains
Thirty-five years later, our community remains

Stopped into the Land, we parked along Page Mill
We walked into the Backlands, we met on Lone Oak Hill
With all that we've forgotten, we remember this still
Thirty-five years later we still feel the thrill

[Flute break]

All our hair is gray, and few brain cells remain
We've been for a walk ... down Memory Lane
Whatever we've forgotten, we remember this still
Thirty-five years later we haven't drunk our fill
Thirty-five years later we haven't drunk our fill
Thirty-five years later we haven't drunk our fill

Willie, Rain, Iris, Rio (photo by M. Schneider)

Maria, Judy, Greg and Iris (photo by Neil Reichline)

photo by Neil Reichline

I like this picture because you can see the reunion banner and schedule in it.

photo by Neil Reichline

Picture of Lobster, Sonny and others, either just before or after the picture below was taken. Wish everyone was around for the picture. Next time we'll set a time for a group photo.


If it were a rainy day on the Land you may be going stir crazy at your cabin and wander up to the Barn, or Long Hall and see who might be hanging out. So it was all day on Saturday with the rain. It was such a downpour that the idea, of swimming, hiking, or eating back at BBQ area in the trees didn’t happen. Instead most of us hung out all day in the long hall, visiting, eating singing, and doing the memorial service there. Maybe it was a gift, because it kept us all together.
We did get a group shot in the afternoon but a lot of people were missing from the picture at the time we took it.

photo by Neil Reichline

Leslie's compilation video


Memorial service

We had planned to hold this back in this magical grove of trees that had a stage. At one point it looked like it stopped raining enough that we could move the service outside, but we decided not to risk it. Ten minutes into the service it poured again.Good thing we stayed inside. We had Jody, Rudy, Danny, John, playing as we sang Amazing Grace and other songs. Katie read the names of all that we have lost. And people could talk about a loved one if they choice to.

Memorial Table (photo by Neil Reichline)

mike, Sam, Sonny, Willie, and Fran (photo by Neil Reichline)

Clare holding picture of Alan (photo by Neil Reichline)

Jody, Rudy & Danny (photo by Neil Reichline)

Saturday night Dinner


Dinner turned out to work perfect. We didn’t have to do any work, just show up and eat. Plenty of food provided by Alice’s Restaurant. Jamie and Andy Kerr own Alices and helped us also with food at cost for the Friday night dinner and provided Saturday’s with a choice of tri tip, Chicken piccata, or veg. lasagna. They also served salad, rice and Veggies. Tomato bruschetta as an appetizer made from their own tomatoes. Their dad Jim Kerr lived on The Land but couldn't make it this time. We never ran out of food, they kept the warmers full. A chance to visit and catch up before Neil's slide show and the music started.
We were joined by David Harris and his wife Cherie, and many others that could make it for the one evening. Thank you David and Cherie for joining us and David for his wonderful talk about Struggle Mt., The Land, and Sierra.
We had cake made by Bubbie for the many Virgo birthday’s…Sonny, Tom, Dianne (not present), Jody, Susan Fran, Maria probably others but we had plenty of cake to celebrate.
After dinner we were able to head right into David's talk and Neil's slide show. Thank you Jamie and Andy, manager John and all the Alice's staff that helped with a wonderful dinner.

John, Manager of Alice's at the serving trays - photo by Neil Reichline

Maria, Molly, Jesse, Jorha, John, Sonny -photo by Neil Reichline

Saturday night dinner - photo by Neil Reichline

Aiden and Kiera (photo by Neil Reichline)

(Aidan with Kiara from Struggle)


David’s talk and Neil’s slide show


The plan had been for Lobster to be more of an MC and let lots of people talk and tell stories during the dinner. By deciding to show Neil’s slice show again changed to just David's talk, but worked our just great. Thank you Neil for the great slide show, Jesse for providing the projector, and David for a wonderful history lesson on the times and our community. I loved that there were so many of our kids there to hear David tell the history, and see the wonderful slide show. Neil has said he will work on making the show available.





(David Harris talking about the 60’s and the creation of Struggle Mt. and The Land)
photo by Neil Reichline

Michael Ward, Sheryl, photo by Neil Reichline

The Boogie

Richard Howell, Jody and Michael, Picture by Neil Reichline

Clare singing with Jody, picture by Neil Reichline

Circle dance to "The Best Part of Lovin" by Jody (photo by Neil Reichline)

photo by Lesley

Loved both nights of music and dancing. It felt like we were all back in our own Long Hall once again, swirling around with Tipi Jim, dancing up to familiar faces, and Jody’s great song “The Best Part of Lovin is still being friends”… what fun that was.
Some that couldn’t be here for the whole event like Woodstock Bob and Judy, and Dohna Lee, Dianne’s daughter Molly and boyfriend Ryan, and Clare and Gary’s son Jorah and family but got to join us Saturday night. Had Gary with us all afternoon but missed the dinner and party. For the dance we turned off the overhead lights and the room turned into a magical enchanted room, and the music’s beat pulled people up out of their seats. It was fun to watch people slowly start moving towards the dance floor and jump in to a sea of moving bodies and become one with the music. Thank you Jody, Elize, Michael, Richard and son. It felt like the Long Hall Band minus Frank.
Later that night if you happened tr wander down to the hall you would find a jam happening that went on until after 3 a.m. in the morning. Her'e to being young- although I think Michael Ward was one of them.

picture by Neil Reichline

Saying goodnight!

Sunday Morning Breakfast

Marks breakfast Sunday morning hit the spot. Thanks to Mark and the entire cooking crew, Judy, Willie, Sonny, all that jumped in and helped, and to everyone that cleaned up and also helped throughout the whole event. We had Omelets that we could create, Mark’s crepes, and Sonny’s waffles to choose from. It was wonderful to wake up to after a night of dancing.
Good work and wonderful cleanup after. Couldn’t believe what the center expected us towards cleanup. Just have to say it looked better when we left then when we came.

Morning coffee with Rio (photo by Jody)

Willie and Judith creating omelets (photo by Patsy)

Karen and Katie, photo by Neil Reichline

The Cleanup by Neil Reichline

Lone Oak Hill celebration

Thank you everyone for hanging out waiting for those of us that didn’t make it by 1 p.m. to Lone Oak. Some went to Struggle first to put away leftovers, but eventually all made it up for a wonderful closing celebration to the Reunion.The left overs got used when everyone came back to Struggle for dinner and goodbyes, but before that on this Autumnal Equinox we met up on Lone Oak on the land and gathered, sang and did wishes for the world, and gave anyone wanting to say something the opportunity. It was really lovely.
Thank you Danny and John for the fiddle and guitar on Lone Oak. They opened with “May the Circle be unbroken”.


(Enjoying Danny’s fiddle playing)





Kit’s closing chant

We ended with a chant by Kit that Lesley has posted on our wiki site. Thank you Kit for the perfect ending to the Lone Oak Celebration.

photo by Neil Reichline

Neil climbing up to Lone Oak (photo by Lesley)

Thanks to all the photographers for capturing the wonderful weekend as it happened so we can share it with those that had to miss. We had wonderful weather for the closing circle, then some people hiked to Rose’s cabin, or the tipi site, and then headed over to Struggle Mountain for leftovers in the back yard. Perfect opportunity to say goodbye, and head home.
If you have any pictures or video's to add or send to me to add that would be lovely

Thank you all,
We actually just covered our costs, so thank you to all of you that donated when you knew you weren’t able to make it, or gave extra. Also a special thanks to Alice for being a dedicated gatekeeper, she even slept out there. We wouldn’t have covered our cost without her. If I was in charge we’d be deep in debt. Thank you Mark for being Treasurer again and setting your Online Book store May Day Books) as a way to pay on line. You kept us clear on how much we has to spend.

With much love and thanks to our dedicated Reunion Committee (Sue, Clare, Jody, Elize, Mark, Susan, Rio, Sonny, Rain, Sally, Tusa, and Lesley and me) and you all for making this happen,
Patsy