Memories

Last weekend brought back memories for those of us who 'survived' the Great Ice Storm of 1998. Back then we lived 'on-grid' in West Potsdam and lost our electricity along with everyone else, for exactly one week. Ian was three and one half and MacKenzie was nine months old. The most difficult part was the lack of water. Not for the obvious reasons, but mainly because 'Kenzie Doodle', as we called her, was addicted to baths and accustomed to spending hours in the bath tub with her toys. Luckily, our bathroom was a very large room and I could set up shop with whatever project I was working on right next to the bath tub. That week seemed endless and very dark; bathing consisted of scraping ice and snow off the ground, heating it up and pouring it over our bodies while standing in the tub. By the time the lights came back on, we had a very cranky baby and a tub full of small twigs and debris.

This time around, we live 'off-grid' so had no worries about lights, heat or water. Our biggest concern was how many trees and branches had fallen into our road. However, the eerie sound of popping and cracking branches as they fell to the ground in a shower of ice brought back all of those memories from 16 years ago. Living in a forest is a bit more dramatic than our 'suburban' lawn with fewer than 20 trees to worry about.

Today the forest is warming up and ice chunks are falling from all of those trees. The shattering and creaking sounds become overwhelming when whisper quiet usually reigns over the landscape. The trees will be ready to start the new year less burdened, if a little more bent from the trials and tribulations of this past year.

May you too begin this coming year with accumulated wisdom and love, an appreciation for all that has passed and all that is yet to be learned.

Happy New Year!

A Media BLITZ...
Look for articles in all of the local papers. Sue Mende wrote a piece about Deep Root Center that should be in the Plain Dealer today and possibly the other affiliated newspapers.

I also wrote an article for the NCTW that is on their website and had already generated over 100 hits on the website by noon yesterday. Folks are interested.

An open house is scheduled for Wednesday, January 8th at 7PM. A discussion about becoming an independent learner will be followed by a brief description of Deep Root Center and a question and answer period. All are welcome. The Center is located above 17 Main St. in Canton. Parking is available in the back lot off of Riverside Drive. Please use the back entrance with the Deep Root Center sign.

Please pass this on to anyone you think may be interested.

We are Opening our Pilot Program in ONE WEEK!