A delightful spring tradition carries the neighborhood into another season of fun and friendship – March 18, 2018
FIRST STOP: TROUTS FARM
If you feed them they will come. Camille puts out some breakfasty food, Bob mans the bloody Mary/mimosa/juice bar, and the neighbors begin arriving. Here comes Doug and Buffy!
Tami and Lara, Pam and Aaron.
A KID-FRIENDLY EVENT
Pam and Aaron’s son, Jack, with Noah, and that cute lil’ two-fisted drinker, Asher.
A BRIEF BRIEFING
Tami gives a short introduction and history, at which point we are surprised to find this is the nineteenth crawl (not the eighteenth). Camille talks a little about trail stewardship. Good neighbors are aware of whose land they are on, respectfully ask permission before hanging signs or ribbons, never pound nails or screws into trees, and clear debris as they walk.
SECOND STOP: JANICE AND JOE
Jordan and her mom share a joke as friends arrive at Joe and Janice’s for more food and drink.
Our hosts prepared an impressive spread. Camille, Susan, and Tami are largely responsible for keeping the Trail Crawl tradition alive and healthy.
COOL HEADS
Here a head, there a head. There is one beside the flowering quince, and one on the studio steps. Joe explains they were made with his very own hand, products of his association with sculptor Jason Arkles, who continues making heads (and accompanying body parts) in Florence, Italy.
Janice and Tami live a stone’s throw from one another. Janice has a fragrant honeysuckle shrub which you can see between Tami and the red bud tree. Camille wants one to put along the trail at work. Tami takes a lovely photo of Eden in one of the big trees.
We are soon ditching jackets and donning sunglasses on this spectacular day.
Happy laughter and good eats, that’s what Trail Crawl is all about. Alisa calls to Kyrie, her Boston Bull Terrier and he jumps into her extended arm without her having to put down the plate she is holding with her other hand. A neat trick that delights the photographer.
Alisa on the studio steps. Aaron and Pam.
SPARKROOT FARM
Donkey Winnie greets us on our way across the farm.
HAY BALES
We take a photo op break at the hay bales on the north side of the farm. Tami, Ava, Camille, Olivia, Eden, Cindy, Paul, Nura, and Nick.
Asher and his dad, Luke. Ava looking quite grown up.
Grounded.
CREEK CROSSING
The adventure of the day is navigating spring waters. Camille gives Sam a hand across the creek between Trouts Farm and Japan. Jenna, Nick, and Nura try to keep their feet dry while crossing Stinking Creek into Abeyance.
Olivia, Tami, and Camille. On the other side.
THIRD STOP: JOHN AND JEAN
Another fine spread, happy hosts, a pitcher of mojitos, and more stories and laughs.
KILN OPENING
After leaving John and Jean’s, Lara, Hamish, Stillman, and Ava begin unloading a really full kiln after firing.
Many hands make light work. Steven, Jenna, Arlo, Lara, and Tami became part of a rotating pottery brigade.
A post-surgery Megan with her cane. Barefoot Stillman perches on the sill of the kiln.
THE TRUCK STOPS HERE
Camille snaps a couple of pictures of Tami with this fine, old truck, before they stride off through the woods to meet up with Arlo and walk the mile or so home. Sometimes you just have to walk away from the car culture. It’s empowering to know we don’t need anything but our own legs to connect with our neighbors. That’s what’s trail crawl is all about.