Day 3 - Saturday, July 3

I slept well, on the newly patched air mattress.  Unfortunately, I slept with my contacts in (they're not extended wear), so I woke up with itchy eyes.  Just couldn't bring myself to search for all my stuff in the dark when I was so tired last night.  Paid for my laziness, and eventually had to take the contacts out and put on my glasses.

I hung out at camp, then took a hike up the hill to Bliss to see about getting some water.  Our 5 gallon water containers were still up there, empty, and Dragonfly had set them aside since she didn't know whose they were.  I grabbed them up, and was going to fill one from the filter, but the line was way long, so took it back to camp.  Fortunately, we have our own small filter, and so got some spring water and got to filtering.  I made 1 trip to the spring, and Bob made a couple more, and we had 5 gallons of filtered water at camp.  Heather made some lemonade in my sun tea jar, which promptly broke as soon as she started stirring it.  Can't win with those suntea jars, the plastic ones leak, and the glass ones break.  Eventually I'll figure out a system.

The day was starting to get pretty hot and humid, so I sat on my butt under the trees and blissed out for a while.  I ate one of my kind brownies, and enjoyed the bliss for a couple more hours.  Those brownies were well worth the effort, everybody who ate one enjoyed them for a couple of hours.  Water SOTR was right, it's much better to ingest.  Glad that I had decided to bliss out for a while, because that's pretty much all I was capable of for a bit.  All the aches and pains melted away, and I got a glow of love that is still with me.  Just had to be in the proper frame of mind to receive, I guess.

After a quick late lunch (from the provisions we lugged in), I headed up to Bliss, eager for the cyber meeting.  I was about an hour early, so I washed my hands and started serving water at Bliss.  The hydration station was it for me, making sure that all who needed water got it.  They were short handed of help, since there was a wedding going on down in the large meadow across the bridge, and nearly everyone went to attend. I was so busy serving water that I almost didn't realize that the cyber meeting was starting.  Bubbalove came up to the counter, and we had just started talking when Glenn came up and introduced himself.  Big hugs to Glenn, I was so excited to finally meet him.  We had chatted a couple of years ago about the possibility of scouting in Wayne Nat'l Forest here in Ohio, and he was (to me, anyways) a big help in getting the site in PA.  He's such a down-to-earth, pleasant person to be around.  Lovin' you, Glenn!

So I stepped around the counter to join the cyber meeting.  For a little while, I was the only sister present, which really threw me, since I thought there would be more.  I met Butterfly Bill, Rich in Spirit, Captain Kirk, Wandering John (of Seed Camp Journal),  Mamaturtle, Tom Boland and Sandy, Rodeo Red, A Usually Reliable Source, to name just a few.  I heard from Mamaturtle that Citronella was there, but did not get a chance to meet her, and Sandy pointed out Rodeo Red to me (which should have been obvious who *he* was! :)   We had a very informal get together, and group photos were taken. If I get a copy of one, I'll be sure to post it here.

After the meeting sort of died down, since many folks had other commitments (Joseff Greenfeather's memorial service was at 6, I believe), I hung out at Bliss for a bit longer.  Rich in Spirit got his guitar out, and sat on the giant rock outcrop, filling the air with the most beautiful music.  I told him how much I enjoyed it, and he gave me a cd of his.  More proof of the tremendous talent in this Family.  I came away from the gathering with 2 cds, one from Rich in Spirit, and one of the Campfire Music that Hawker so graciously gave me.  Now I can have the sounds of the gathering at home any time I choose, and it means a lot. Thank you to both brothers for being so kind and generous.

I headed back down to camp after more folks came into the kitchen to work, and hung out with John until it got dark.  I really wanted him to meet some folks, so he hiked back up the hill with me to Bliss.  I introduced him to Dragonfly, who gave him a big hug (which was a surprise to him, his first Rainbow hug).  We hung out in the bliss pit, listening to a couple of brothers playing their guitars.  One brother (can somebody please identify him?) was playing a backpacker guitar, which John really liked (he's a guitar man himself).  The music was wonderful.  A sister was sitting there and asked if they knew the music for "Bobby McGee".  The brother with the guitar told her he could follow her if she could sing it, and this incredible voice came out of her, singing with much heart and spirit.  She sang the song, then got up and headed down the trail.  We hung out there until around 3 a.m., and then headed back to our tent.

This is where I have to mention Groove Camp.  They were camped behind us, along the Silver trail.  We had heard them a little the night before, but Saturday night, they really got it together, and did a late, late show.  So as we were getting ready for bed, we got to hear Bobby McGee again, this time sung by a beautiful sister (who reminded me in looks of Mama Cass).  That sister could wail, let me tell you, and her partner playing the guitar was a very good singer as well.  We  very much enjoyed our close proximity to Groove Camp, although our neighbors yelled a time or two for them to go to bed.  John said he didn't feel that he needed to go outside camp, he had plenty of entertainment right where he sat.  Between Groove Camp and the drum circles, we could hear music pretty much 24 hours.  And what excellent music it was!  We finally fell asleep, exhausted, but happy with the good vibes of the gathering singing in our ears.