Harp Retreat at Occidental

This is perhaps my favorite weekend of the year, the Bay Area Folk Harp Society retreat at St. Dorothy’s Rest in Occidental. This is an area that was once set aside for a lot of camps and stuff, back in the early 1900s. This particular campground (which isn’t camping at all) is owned by the Episcopal church. So they’re laid back and don’t care if we drink wine. This is a picture of "our" house, Lydia house. Usually other groups are using the facilities while we’re here, and often they want to come hear us play and we usually invite them.

I have always had a campground view room, but I was the first one here this time and snagged a room that looks out over the valley. My room looks out over the hills across the highway. It is beautiful over there -- a green pasture on a hillside, surrounded by stands of trees, a path going up the hill, a house nestled in the trees to the right, with a garden area and a big square plot of land in the enclosure. Closer to the road is a hippie-colored bright pink little house. But the most fantastic thing was that when I went to bed, I could look out the window and see the stars. LOTS OF STARS. Because it’s dark here. On the other side of the building there are trees around the room and some lights for safety. This side is dark. Furthermore, during the night, if I’d wake up, I could see that the stars had moved through the sky because my window has a grid pattern and you can see where the stars are in the grid.

Friday night is a casual evening where we just basically have a harp circle after dinner. We started by going through our books and picking out songs, then sort of graduated to anything anyone would start. There is always a big mixture of people here in terms of levels of skill. John Mentras plays the cross strung harp which allows him to play all sorts of chromatic things that can’t be played on a lever harp. Mitch plays lever harp and can play all sorts of pop music because he can flip levers at the speed of light. Patrice Hahn is another wonderful player who seems to have the ability to make everyone feel that she is just one of us, although she is way better than others. Natalie Cox is a harp teacher and professional who also plays a lot better than the rest of us.

I always pick out those few good people, but then I’m always surprised when we have the Hoolie and some of the people who don’t act like particularly good players play some astoundingly well-prepared piece.

Saturday morning after breakfast (bacon, frittata, cereal, fruit, English muffins, homemade jam, cereal, etc – in other words, anything you wanted) started with Meghan giving us instructions in a chi gung program called Eight Pieces of Brocade, which I think I will actually be able to follow at home. Following that, John gave a class in Latin music, gave us a lot of ideas for bass parts for various types of South American pieces, then let us try putting familiar tunes against those pieces.

And then, it was time to eat again. Once again, a lovely spread, broccoli salad, chips, crackers, any kind of sandwich fixings you were interested in and juice. Then we have free time to work on our performance piece, take a walk, take a nap, think deep thoughts, whatever, until our 4:30 class with Patrice, who gave us a lot of good information about harmonizing Irish tunes.

I brought the hurdy gurdy so I don’t have to play the harp for harpists. Right now I’m sitting in my room before dinner watching a bunch of hawks circling across the way. They don’t seem to be hunting or anything, just riding the thermals for fun. I had expected to see some deer in the pasture over there, but I haven’t yet.

Saturday night was a yummy dinner of enchilada casserole with Mexican salad and string beans. The food here is really good. AND we had chocolate cake with chocolate chips topped by ice cream for desserts. Our hoolie was lots of fun and a number of people who are here on other retreats came down to listen to us. This always happens when people know we are here: they love to come listen.