A week at the Spa

I just returned from a week in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey studying the sweat lodge with WildernessFusion and Tom Frank.

When I mentioned to people that I wanted to attend another sweat lodge class, several people said, "Don't you have a sauna at you house."  They are worlds and worlds apart, and I will leave it at that for now.  If you would like to gain firm understanding on the ceremony and tradition, Wilderness Fusion and Tom Frank get my resounding endorsement.

It is on my high priority list to build a lodge.  Now that I have a better understanding of a foundation and construction of a lodge.  It is a necessity.

I need to learn a plant that works like baby powder.  In a survival situation chaffing could be deadly.  I remember in a past adventure one of the team was sent to the hospital and ultimately home because of terrible rashes from sand and moisture.

Today was the first day back on the farm.  I was nervous leaving the bull dozer man to his own devices while I was at the class, but I am so thankful I did.  When I came back I was so pleased with the touch up work.  As a rule of thumb I will say, never leave an equipment operator unattended.  I was extremely lucky finding this operator however.  After I explained what I wanted he clearly restated it, and I felt confident.  I will refer Butch to anyone who needs anything done.

This afternoon I received an exfoliating body treatment in the spa.

Truthfully I was clearing out a spring.  Each hand I stuck between the rocks and mud seemed to unclog a drain of really nice clear water.  Sometimes the water would stop only to come back several seconds later from deeper inside the bank.  I took some sticks and pressed them into the ground.  Stones and mud from the already wet whole came out easily and were placed against the sticks.  I made a dam.  About an hour and a half later, I was still sitting in the water, it had started to fill, and I found a crayfish.

A trickle from the rocks.

A little mud and river rocks go a long way.  My tracks are cool.

Sexy butt tracks.

While I was gone.  The chickens began to lay.  I went to pick up one and the rooster attacked me from behind.  I stuck my foot out and he ran into it several times in a furry.  "What are you doing?" I said.  He didn't come at me again.  It will not be too much longer before I have 100ish layers and a pretty substantial pasture raised bird operation....Very exciting.  I would say eat more local chicken, but someone would probably sue me.