Christmas '08

Happy holidays to all! We are waaaay overdue for a blog update, so settle in for some pictures of the last six months.

In July we started driving east from Cali. After a debacle with the bikes (we dragged them behind the car for about a mile-but they survived-another vote for old school steel bikeframes!) we got back on the road headed east. Once we got past Utah it started to feel a little more familiar: our kind of beautiful. {In the interest of full disclosure, Utah creeped us out because we listened to the audiobook of Jon Krakaeur's "Under the Banner Of Heaven," about fundamentalist Mormon sects.} But we were in a hurry to get to Asheville anyways, to see our beloved family, friends and lush mountains. Since we'd always experienced road trips as a bit tough on the system, we decided to do the master cleanser juice fast on the road, which made for interesting conversation and no meal stops, but plenty of time to talk and relax. Stopping about every 2 hours we made it across this beautiful country in a reasonable amount of time, audiobooks playing all the way. Once in Asheville we went right to work fixing up our little house--here's Kenneth after a full day clearing out trash from the crawlspace. Yikes! We had the help of our friend Matthew Kugler from California, who was tempted to move to Asheville and so came for an extended visit. His assistance helped speed the house work along to a good resting point before the wedding. (Matthew has since fully relocated to Asheville, bringing that Left Coast love along with him!)
In the midst of home repairs (we ripped up carpet, fixed the porch and threshold, cleaned up the basement, etc.) we also GOT MARRIED!
It's true, we were still writing the ceremony mere days before the big event, but the wide-open hearts of our guests--and the mountains watching over us--ensured an incredible success. Many thanks to all who joined in blessing us.
On our drive back to CA we enjoyed many scenic stops, including the
Badlands of South Dakota,

Devil's Tower in Wyoming,
Mt. Rushmore, and the bubbling craters and buffalo of Yellowstone --this one charged us, and Kenneth screamed like a little girl!

Since our return, we've been immersed in our Alexander Technique Teacher Training, and working steadily: Kenneth at the Walden Center and School with children ages 5-12, and Michele as a personal assistant to a management executive. Our latest "home ec" projects include lots of breadbaking and soupmaking, growing shiitake mushrooms, worm composting, and kombucha tea... and wondering where we'll end up after we complete our training. Oh, and loving married life!
We've both also been enjoying our continued spiritual practices, adding sitting meditation and sacred sound chanting to the mix. Michele has been busy keepin' it real (and frugal) with lots of homecooking (and harvesting persimmons!), as well as assisting the planning committee for the Alexander Technique society's annual conference (June in SF), and reconnecting with family members after the sudden loss of her Auntie Mary in November. Kenneth has had an exceptionally full schedule, attending the Bioneers Conference in October (link), a Joanna Macy retreat weekend (known as the Work that Reconnects-link), as well as going to the very cool (& cheap!) Green Festival (link) in SF. Kenneth is also continuing his work with the Pachamama Alliance's ATD Symposium (link), helping to launch a teen version. Following up on his intentions with the New Dreamers Curriculum (link to NDC Blog), kenneth is working on inventing games for ages 5 on up that teach kids ecological thinking in a noncompetitive and constructive learning format (ooohh, aaahh).
Our thoughts and hearts are with you all, celebrating the return of the light and the beginning of an enlivening new era. Much love, Many Blessings and Happy Solstice, Festivas, and all other beautiful hoopla as well!, Michele and Kenneth.