A few weekends ago, the members of la casa let me host a belated birthday party at the house. the party featured homemade ice cream and an outdoor movie, projected on the side of the barn.
john e, kannan, and mac brought an old-fashioned hand-crank ice maker. everyone got to contribute a little bit to making the ice cream:
we made earl grey ice cream, honey ice cream, chocolate-rum-raspberry ice cream, and avocado ice cream. nora’s boys brought sprinkles and ate a few bowls of mostly sprinkles with some avocado ice cream on top:
you can find the recipe for the earl grey ice cream here. *NOTE: i always cut the recipe in thirds. using 24 egg yolks for one recipe is just insanity.
We also stapled butcher paper to the barn and projected the egyptian movie ‘the band’s visit’, a very slow-paced comedy that i would highly recommend.
we projected a movie on the garage. (photo by Kannan)
Today folks were relaxing in the yard.
While Kannan and JohnE dug a fresh bed. Wherever there’s fresh dirt, the chickens gotta peck at it. (click on the picture to see it full size!)
JohnE tried to feed the chickens.
And then he did some majestic shirtless log juggling.
There were several changes made to the garden landscape this weekend.
Ronna sowed a bed of peas and lettuce
Rob, Rob, and members of the Catholic Worker House turned the old compost pile.
Mac, Kannan, and JohnE pulled up some sod to make a vegetable bed for the members of their house.
We began digging a hole at the end of the canal system that runs through the garden. We spent a lot of energy and the pond that forms will probably get really gross. We did use the topsoil to raise a few vegetable beds in order to alleviate the Sping flood that we’re expecting.
Last Friday, March 6, La Casa (under the MCery of friend & former resident Anna) hosted Concerturtle (!) – an evening of performances of (mostly) new experimental works. Three residents (including your humble narrator) participated in music-making. We packed our living room with delightful human beings, kept our guests in grape juice & popcorn, & followed the festivities with a talk-back session & a bonfire in our garden. I (for one) thought it went swimmingly.
Do you remember this assignment? Here are two versions:
“Write a statement that you want to be true.”
“Write a statement that is unfortunately false in current society.”
I want this assignment to linger in the air for a while. I find that I’m never quite done with it. Dr. Parenti recommends exercising your “desiring muscles” frequently enough that they at least don’t atrophy.
So, I’m starting a weekly bulletin: This Week in Desire Statements. Send false statements and related artworks & project links to unfortunately DOT… false AAT… gmail DOT… com, and every Friday (I hope) I’ll put
together something out of it.
Thanks,
Jacob Barton
The Solution to the Problem btw Israel & Palestine, by JARband.
Rigadoo plays some hot bluegrass & Celtic music with traditional instruments & a set of mesmerizing “chakra bowls”; the Duke of Uke plays funky tunes on ukulele (accompanied, in this instance, by electric bass, tuba, & backup singin’); Snow Leopard arranged Bagatelle No. 1 (by whom?) for keyboard & udderbot; elizaBeth shared a draft of a story for children pointing to the absurdities of capitalism with talking rodents!
We six La Casans have inherited a tradition of house concerts – a tradition I happen to adore. I can think of no better venue for a show than a good friend’s living room!
La Casa Grande Colectiva 