BASKET CAMP

In June I spent a week camping out in Orleans at Basket Camp. It's really called: Following the Smoke and it's part of the Passport in Time (PIT) program which is a volunteer archaeology and historic preservation program of the USDA Forest Service.

We camped out at Camp Creek and this particular project is directed at helping the Karuk basket weavers. We did different projects like clearing brush for a cultural burn (certain basket materials need burning to grow healthy) which was awful because it was hot and scratchy and we'd been warned about ticks and poison oak so we had on long sleeves and I couldn't wait for it to be over. We gathered and processed basket materials and pounded acorns and looked at Port Orford Cedars. The best part was being outside all time and I didn't get too many mosquito bites.

TRY NEW THINGS

Bob and I went to a retirement party and the featured entertainment was belly dancing and about 2 minutes into it, I said, "I gotta do this." So Bob thoughtfully bought me a gift certificate for belly dancing lessons. It was fun, but who knew it wasn't just undulating to exotic music? There are defined movements with names and coordinating arm movements and people had outfits. At the last class we had to go across the room and do a solo -- I hid in the bathroom hoping to avoid my turn but when I got back in the room they were still going. I don't think I've been put in such a humiliating situation since I was in high school and had to make a speech when I ran for Senior Class Secretary.

MY CHOICES FOR 2001:

Movies: Fight Club (it's a boy movie but I wish I wrote it), Planes, Trains and Automobiles (Bob and I watched this for the first time, if you can believe it, and were laughing hysterically), Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (Go Ang, go!), Traffic (Steven Soderbergh, FilmGod and BdT too!), O Brother Where Art Thou? (Brilliant Coen brothers, great music, and I get Clooney now), Memento (just see it), A.I. Artificial Intelligence (brilliant failure, really. There is some amazing stuff in this film), Planet of the Apes (cheezy summer fun. loved it), Oscar & Lucinda (this is an anti-pick. This is a movie? Avoid it at all costs.) Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (hilarious movie).

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PHOTOGRAPH: Grinding acorns at basket camp. Photographer: Erin

This page was made on December 3, 2001. Featured artist: silence. Featured beverage: tea.

Posted: 12.3.01
http://www.pamrentz.com/pampage/xmas/v11/p3.html