Friday, February 27, 2009

Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday)

Sometimes ya just gotta howl...

Friends from Home

Brian & Anna stopped by on their tour of the Georgia coast. Brian is an emergency room physician and several local hospitals are working diligently to attract him to their facilities. Anna is the mother of Katie's good friend, Lindsay, and an emergency room nurse. Good friends.


They loved SSI and we spent our time together exploring. Anna's favorite spot was the Crab Trap and the delicious Apalachicola oysters. Brian loved the fact that he didn't have to wear a jacket. Spring comes early in the South.

Great to see our friends. Thanks for taking time to visit!

Friday, February 20, 2009

The Twelve Tribes of Israel

Tonight I enjoyed the hospitality of a wonderful group of people on the mainland. Our friend Jo and I attended dinner with two dozen members of "The Community", an extended family of Christians who live and work communally from their large home off Union Street. They run a great bakery and are building a restaurant nearby. Ryan and Katie met one of their members, John, over Christmas while he was doing some carpentry work for Jo. Tonight I got to meet some of his beautiful family. Amazingly, two of his daughters live across the street from Ryan's work at DeLorme in Yarmouth.

The Community celebrates Shabbat beginning at sundown on Friday and the Sabbath on Saturday according to the scriptures. The evening included a social time of conversation, music, singing, dancing and thanksgiving. A fine meal was served including organic spaghetti, fresh baked bread and mate, a Brazilian green tea. Delicious!

The men wear beards, their hair long and pulled back with head bands. The women also wear their hair long and wear long flowing dresses. The children and young people are precious, participating fully in the dancing, serving the food and conversing with guests. There is a clear light in their eyes.

These people found their origins in the Jesus Movement of the early seventies. I spent time with those "Jesus Hippies" in those days, in my seeking early 20's and always wondered what had become of them. They are still here. And they are thriving. They have communities in a dozen countries from Brazil to Australia to Germany. And there are groups living simply and productively throughout the United States; Brunswick and Savannah Georgia, Chattanooga Tennessee, Colorado Springs, Bellows Falls and Island Pond Vermont, Cambridge NY, Gorham Maine...

These are gentle, peaceful people living life according to their understanding of God's call. In their thanksgiving, He is referred to by his Hebrew name, Yahweh and Jesus, Yahshua. They live communally, sharing their resources and their talents, home schooling their children and welcoming anyone who walks through their door.

So thank you John, for the fellowship and the meal. And for sending some of that outstanding jalipino bread up to Ryan and Katie via your daughters on their return to Maine.

Is is possible that all the syncronicities of life are simply random?.... Don't think so. God is great..

the neighborhood



Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Visitor news...

Lorrie and Ron swung through for an enjoyable evening on their way to Amelia Island to see Clint. We enjoyed some time together around an outdoor fire under the live oaks with some greentini's. Remarkable and refreshing libation! Lots of laughs. Perhaps we will hook up in Carlsbad CA if/when we get to the west coast.

Connie is flying up to snowy Albany tomorrow for some much needed Tina time. Mike arranged the flights. Thank you brother-in-law.

Brian and Anna are expected to stop on their explorations along the Georgia coast in the next few days. Look forward to seeing them. It's been a brutal winter for them in Maine (and not just the weather...)

And Rosie flew home a week ago looking "mahvelous"; coiffed, refreshed, rejuvenated, renewed from her time at "Miss Connie Sue's Health Spa".

Last night Connie's Sisterhood of the Traveling Scissors convened for two trims for Mimi and Shelly. All that practice on Sampson and Delilah has paid off... Anyone need a puppy cup?


Sam n' Lu missing you...

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Photography from Maine

Obviously, sister Wendy has the same photographer's eye as sister Gail. Nice to have some talent in the family...

Breaking news; Photo's were taken by Dree on a recent trip from England. How were the coffee houses in Amsterdam Mick and Dree?


Tuesday, February 10, 2009

"Scribblers Retreat" Writer's Conference

I'm excited. I just signed up for a 3 day writer's conference on the Island. In the unlikely event someone wants to read my writing I need to be able to direct them to a central location; either that or hand them hard copy. And so, lacking a printer ( and a house for that matter), I will use the blog. Who has more fun than people...?

Essay "The Oprah 'Thing' "
http://gdfoss.blogspot.com/2008/11/where-do-we-begin.html

Essay "Shadow Boxes"
http://gdfoss.blogspot.com/2008/12/december-2nd-updates.html

Essay "Tsesyu Cafe"
http://gdfoss.blogspot.com/2008/07/tsesyu-cafe-alabaskan-indian-word-for.html

Essay "Great Gram"
http://gdfoss.blogspot.com/2009/01/abbie-emma-york-willard.html

Essay "Lulu's Fishing Story"
http://gdfoss.blogspot.com/2008/06/sitting-on-bench-at-days-store.html

Essay"Terminal Technocity"
http://gdfoss.blogspot.com/2007/11/terminal-technocity.html

Essay "The Other Side"
http://gdfoss.blogspot.com/2008/12/december-8th.html

Essay "Who Has More Fun Than People"
http://gdfoss.blogspot.com/2007/11/who-has-more-fun-than-people.html

for more essays contact gdfoss@gmail.com

Friday, February 6, 2009

Rosie...

Connie's (and my) good friend Rosie flew into Jacksonville for a few days away from the deep freeze in Maine. It was only 40 degrees here, but she is delighted to be in above freezing weather. It's all relative...

Connie has been so excited about her visit. She has planned the menu, activities, walks, tours and redecorated the place! ... but all Rosie wants to do is relax and sleep. She got really excited about the guest bedroom and sleeping past 6:00AM. Again, it's all relative...

They are out right now exploring the shops in the Village and meeting the "SSI cast of characters". Rosie will fit in "juuuuusst fiiiine" as they say down heeah...

Bless her heart!

Sunday, February 1, 2009

February...

Yesterday, while walking the beach, we stopped by a friend's place to say hello. She is 70 something, lost her husband of 50 something years two years ago and has been figuring things out one day at a time. She is a unique human being and we feel fortunate to have met her along life's path.

Life isn't easy. And, on top of the loss of her husband, she has had her share of recent health issues; breast cancer, knee surgery, hearing loss, cataracts... so recently she had surgery on her eyes to take care of that issue and as a result, like my dad, they remarkably corrected her vision to 20/20.

She is so excited about having clear eye sight again. She immediately installed a skylight over her bed so that she can drift off to sleep watching the stars and wake up to the sight of sea birds swooping over her beach house.

Much to learn from such courage...