Three things

Just a few suggestions -

- heels are dangerous in a meadow

- bring an umbrella (just in case), and if you are camping, rain gear

- flashlights will be helpful after dark. We will have many on hand to use, but the more the better.

Campers -

We will have water available, drinking and washing and there will be plenty of coffee for in the morning (good thing, right).

We're excited!

Blessed

After writing the last four posts, I am feeling very tenderhearted and extremely grateful to have such loving, talented and generous friends and family in our lives. I will try not to get to sappy in writing about you all, but I feel I have to mention things as they come to me. Hence the photo above.

Hats off (or in this case, hats on) to one of the sweetest, strongest women we have had the pleasure to meet.

You always inspire us Susan, and we are so very blessed to have you"hitching us".

With or without flowers on your head.

Capturing Mergefest moments

We will be having a " photo booth" for guest to self inflict shots of themselves but I am thrilled beyond belief that my dear soul sista Shawn will be the live 'fest photographer. Her work is amazing, and so is she. Some of you may remember Shawn and Ken from their visit and show at The Brick Box 2 years ago.

Be sure to check out her website at www.shawnlinehan.com and you will see how fortunate we are to have our wedding "seen" through her eyes.

And while you are on the site look under "info" to sign up for her eco newsletter and check out her blog also.

Although we talk every week, since they are in Portland Oregon, 2 years ago was the last time we have been together. I am giddy that in less than a week, not only will I have all three of my children here, but Shawn and Ken as well.

Introductions please

We would like to introduce you to The Wee Beastie, who will be making an appearance at the Mergefest escorted by our friends the Iron Guild. For those of you not familiar with the Iron Guild, please visit their website at : www.ironguild.net

To see more of The Wee Beastie in action you can click on these links :

http://picasaweb.google.com/ironguild/GreenFoundryIronPourMay10?authkey=Gv1sRgCPGe3fqljOn9aw#

http://picasaweb.google.com/ironguild/IornPourValentinesDayAtGreenFoundry?authkey=Gv1sRgCMbKlNOKnoimXg#

It's promising to be an exciting evening!

And it just keeps getting better

Wow! Peter Wallace, chef extraordinaire from Nantucket has devised a "fire cone" to cook salmon that is just amazing. He is bringing organic Tasmanian salmon and cooking it on the cedar planks attached to the cone. Below you can see her in action, along with the mouthwatering results. Peter, we think she needs a name.

Delish!

The manifestation of a bread oven

Really great Sunday in West Haven this past weekend! By the time we got there (and I thought it was early - great wedding by the way John and Paula) Charles and Hakan were already scouting out logs to make the base for the notorious bread oven Charles has been planning.

What a wonderful thing to witness, and I can't believe it is the one time we went out there without the camera (there again, great wedding John and Paula....I'm blaming it on that). Luckily, we had our trusty iphones with us, and even though the quality leaves a bit to be desired, we got documentation. And here goes!

First there is a lot of chopping and notching of the logs and fitting them together like Lincoln Logs to make the base for the bread oven, or B.O. for short - wait a minute, that's not good.

Anyway, next comes the building of the platform. I love the way Charles pegged it with branches he found to hold it together and make it sturdy.

Then he added the North Carolina/Vermont clay mixture and then fire bricks on top of that. After came the building of the sand "half egg" that will be the form for the outer layers of clay.

After applying a wet layer of newspaper for separation, Glenn got in on the action and helped build up the outer wall. The interior sand form and newspaper will be removed after it dries and the door is cut in.

And Voila! There she is in all her glory. I think Charles is planning more layers, but this is where she was when we left on Sunday. I can almost smell the bread baking now....

And Leah was there also, back from her awesome New Mexico trip and working on that fabulous belt for me!

Welcome back home Leah!

Wedding Day Schedule of Events

First of all, we'd like to give a big THANKS to all who helped us gather the many rocks and build rings for the fire pits.

Much work, and much, much fun later when it was done.

You guys are the best!

Now, on to the the wedding day. Below is a photo of the meadow that you will be directed to off Hackadam Road in West Haven. There will be three signs (symbols) to follow - one on Route 22A North at Main Road, one at Hackadam Road and the final at the entrance to the meadow.

The meadow you will enter will look like this and be filled with cars.

This is where you will park.

After parking, there will be a horse drawn wagon to bring you from the first meadow, through the second meadow and on to the third, where the event will be held. There will be a screened room to wait in if the wagon is en route when you arrive. For those of you camping, we request you start arriving as early as 12:00 to set up your tents, etc. and be ready for the ceremony at 2:00. The wagon will be there and ready to transport you and your belongings. For those not camping, you to need to allow an extra 20 minutes (only 10 if you want to walk the 1/2 mile out to the meadow) to the travel time.

The ceremony will start at 2:00 with the sound of bagpipes in the second meadow.

At that point you will be directed out of the wedding tent to the central circle where the ceremony will be held. Susan Farrow will be our officiate, and will guide you where to sit and stand. The ceremony itself should take no more that 15 or 20 minutes, and then back to the tent for toasting, feasting and merriment.

So, to recap:

12:00 - 1:50 Guests arrive, set up tents if camping, and gather in the wedding tent.

2:00 - 2:15 Ceremony

2:30 Party!

Any questions at all, please contact jackie@cpisculpture.com.

The countdown is on!

Mergefest Music

We are so thrilled that our friend John Peterson is bringing his bagpipes and will be "piping us in" for the ceremony. There is nothing quite like the sound of those pipes as they come up through the woods, and when you hear them in the distance, you will know the ceremony is about to begin. What Scottish drama!

We are also thrilled to have Mary Barron and Marcos Levy otherwise known as Cold River Band play their wonderful mix of music.

Man, can our friend little Miz Mary smoke those strings! And is there any instrument Marcos doesn't play?

You can read more about them here-

http://www.coldriverband.com