(no subject)

[felis_ultharus]

I got back this morning from a small farm off the power grid in the regions of Ontario where the rural begins to bleed into wilderness. There was a gathering there of the Radical Faeries -- gay Neo-Pagans who work and sometimes live together communally on the land.

It was a marvellous weekend. The farm was beautiful -- most of its buildings were ancient, the land was overrun with green, and heated by wood stoves for which we had to prepare firewood -- and the hot water was also provided by a wood-burner. What little electricity there was, was provided by propane and solar cells. Water came from a hand-pump well.

At night, without the grid of streetlamps, all the stars were visible.

It was good practice for when ecological disaster destroys civilization and we all have to till the soil It was a wonderful experience for a city-boy like myself. I had a good time, and I collected all sorts of histories from the older gay hippies who ran the place, which was the main reason I went up there.

Comments

[em-fish.livejournal.com]

I wish you could have heard my mom's reaction when I told her you were out there. She was certain you were going to get eaten by bears or die of hypothermia.

[montrealais.livejournal.com]

No, no -- I'm the one who got eaten by bears.

[em-fish.livejournal.com]

I asked for that. I really did.

[felis-ultharus.livejournal.com]

It was really cold the second night. I didn't get a full night's sleep, even with a warm sleeping bag.

As for montrealais's comment, I made a conscious choice not to get eaten by bears -- although Radical Faeries are known for free love. I'm a shy person when it comes to anyone I don't know well, and I didn't find most of them attractive.

I generally prefer guys around my own age, and almost all of them were significantly older. In fact, most of them had been hippies the first time around. Fortunately they were okay with my old-fashioned monagmousness.

I was an absolute slut for storries, though, and got stories of the gay community going back 30 years.

Which reminds me of that video game Planescape: Torment game where an intellectual succubus has left the sex trade to open her own Brothel of Slavering Intellectual Lusts, where johns hire storytellers instead of prostitutes.

[em-fish.livejournal.com]

A propos of bears: Ros and I saw a cute one at the Ben & Jerry's near Guy-Concordia. You should go and flirt with him - he could be the Love Of Your Life!

[felis-ultharus.livejournal.com]

:p

Actually, it does sound better than all my other dating options these days.

[infinitecomplex.livejournal.com]

That sounds really amazing. I'd be very curious to hear more about it.

[felis-ultharus.livejournal.com]

I tell you at some point ^_^

[maidenofirisa.livejournal.com]

I was going to ask you about on Wednesday but looks like I'll have to wait. Or I could ask you to type what happened!

Or I'll wait.

Anyway, it sounds like a great weekend and you'll, eventually, have to tell me all about it!

You know, being able to see the stars is one of the things I miss the most about the Eastern Townships.

[felis-ultharus.livejournal.com]

I don't think I want everything on my very LJ. I'll just wait until next week ;)

[maidenofirisa.livejournal.com]

Alright, now I really want to know!
(And if They're still on strike next week, we'll have to meet so you can tell me about it)

[felis-ultharus.livejournal.com]

Er, very public LJ.

[jenjoou.livejournal.com]

That sounds like a lot of fun. Especially the storytelling. ^_^

I sometimes think it would be nice to live simply. Out in the middle of nowhere with animals and wood stoves and wells. I might be able to manage; I'm actually not a city girl, I've been gradually moving up in the urban world: first a miltary base, then a farm, then the subburbs (bleh) and now... well still the subburbs but within spitting distance of the city. ^_^

But then I remember the ice storm (and one month of simple living in an environment not suited for it) and the fact that I'd go into very serious internet withdrawal and I figure it's probably for the best that I live as I do. Most things I could live without but indoor plumbing and the internet are basic necessities I don't want to be without for long. ^_^

[felis-ultharus.livejournal.com]

I can go without the internet long hours, but having to pump and heat all our hot water for five-minute showers was depressing :/

They didn't have plumbing, but they did have the nicest outhouse in all creation -- gentrified, brightly painted, with stained glass and flowers! They used ashes from the hot-water heater and the wood stove to keep down the smell.