Lake Geneva - going for a walk

Going for a walk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Studying a spider web

 

 

 

 

 

We saw two deer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lake Geneva

Craig would like an office like this at home.

Looking down from the top story

Looking up

The view from the window

Trying to reach the chain railing on the spiral staircase

Hutchmoot

Last weekend, we attended Hutchmoot in Nashville.  What is Hutchmoot?  It is one of those things that is hard to explain; you just have to be there.  It is a real life gathering of the on line community called Rabbit Room for "a weekend of live music, great food and conversation, and a series of discussions centered on art, faith, and the telling of great stories across a range of mediums."

Seldom have I had such difficulty putting my thoughts into words.  I start to think that maybe Hutchmoot is a bit like apple pie in the fall.  There's pleasure in the making, the anticipation, the aroma, and the eating of apple pie.  And if you spend too much time trying to analyze the pie and why you liked it, maybe it loses something in the translation.  Sometimes, it's just better to eat the pie with a smile on your face and gratitude in your heart.

At any rate, here are some hightlights:

• Listening to great live music - favorites, Andrew Peterson and Jason Gray, as well Randall Goodgame (of Slugs and Bugs fame), Ben Shive, Andrew Osenga, Andy Gullahorn, Eric Peters, and more
• Meeting and/or listening to many authors including Andrew Peterson (Wingfeather Saga), Pete Peterson (Fiddler's Gun and Fiddler's Green), Sally Lloyd Jones (Jesus Storybook Bible), Jonathan Rogers (The Charlatan's Boy),
• Meeting lots of interesting people - a cello player, 2 speech writers, a music arranger, a mom of fifteen (15!)(she looked more together than I!), and many, many more
• Session about movies with Thomas McKenzie of One Minute Review fame
• Learning about art from artist, Justin Gerard, and Russ Ramsey, a pastor of a Nashville congregation
• Taking a hike Saturday afternoon at Radnor Lake
• Hearing Matt Conner of Mercy House talk about community across racial and socio-economic lines
• Saturday night story-telling - many pieces were read aloud, some funny, some touching, all excellent!  My favorite was this piece by a young woman named Alyssa that I regret not meeting.
• Sharing the weekend with, Laura, meeting her friends, and seeing her flourish and glow in that environment.

Now we have a new list of blogs to follow (we can surf the internet even longer!), a longer list of books to read, and more music to explore.


There is even more beauty out there than I guessed.  Story is everywhere.

I have to think part of heaven might be like Hutchmoot.  Think of all the people we'll meet and all the stories we'll hear.