Mitten to Mountains: Somewhere over the Rainbow...I still exist!

Hello? Hope you're all still here?

I've been here and there and a couple places in between since my last posting. I ay have set my sights rather unrealistically on a timely Rainbow posting. I slid right down that rainbow into yet another chapter of dazling golden life (I'm not being mushy, its just the sun shining in my eyes all the time from the reflective ocean.) Anyhow, I had this written up right after I left the woods but I had to get around to pictures before I could post anything. I've got a couple more to come before I get you out here to the coast with me, where I am watching my half a dozenth coastal sunset even as I type. Hopefully the next few days will be filled with some good stories and pictures on here. For now, Rainbow.

Last year, as I headed into the Gifford Pinchot National Forest for my fourth Rainbow gathering, I looked up to see a vivid sunbow had just formed as my riders and I drove the last stretch up the mountain. It was wondrous and inspiring but the sun coveted it as it baked in the rays of this ethereal space way above our heads. This year, the rainbow that sang my gathering song was the double rainbow that mother and I witnessed the week before. Touching low and down into the earth on both sides, everything was affected. Trees became striped with a whole spectrum of colors and a reality that so rarely presents itself seemed cradled by the ground as something tangible. Something that shared my direct environment.

I finally feel like a rainbow that can touch the ground on both sides and does not have to be lifted up into the sun for some detached, foreign experience of illumination.

I could list off the dozens of connections and friendships I made, the endless menu of food I stuffed myself with, the impressiveness of the projects that so many people came together to bring to fruition…but that would undermine any just portrayal of the experience.

I stumbled on ego. I danced to synchronicity. I floated on intuition. I embraced what I have been gifted. I wondered at responsibility and I belonged fully in community as family.

Over time, stories and anecdotes will no doubt surface, perhaps on here. Below are some photos of some of the beautiful people and moments shared and each will give their own little sliver. But these are just waves of an ocean, an affirmation of who I am and the community I belong to wherever I go. I am home.

WE LOOOOOOOVE YOUUUUUUUUUUUUU!

Aho.

These are "personal" snapshots below, for the most part. I've compiled a more spruced up portfolio here: http://shownd.com/melissameiller

(E-mails of photos for people still to come)

Into the woods!

Earlier on during move-in day, I had seen this man walking across the parking lot. I recognized him but couldn't place the face. Deciding to eat dinner at Main Circle after unloading, I unknowlingly sat down beside him and when he hesitantly asked if I was me, I realized it was JAYDEN from Seattle!

I got to wake up every morning to this

No flooded tent this year! Mild mornings : )

This is Jesta. Hes just a dude, just a weirdo, justawesome, somewhat of a jesta, and here, he is writing SPAM
mail sent with love from I donno Cafe. They were hacked.

This was Josie's first gathering. She has a restaurant/non-profit down near Eugene that serves and employs the homeless. http://www.foodforlanecounty.org/en/programs_services/family_dinner_program/

Matt arrived on the 29th and we found each other instantly in the most serendipitous way and shared dinner at
Main Circle after touring the land.

Woodland Sanctuary

All the free shrugs you want. No really, they're helpful and work their butts off.

On Morning 1 of Kiddie Village Breakfast movie, Firewalker and I got employed by pancake master Amy to give her a break. I began as apprentice to the two real life chef-types...

eventually got promoted

And by the end of the week, was the official Pancake gal.

This is Travis. He was just a random guy. We started talking. Then that random guy turned out to be the nifty traveler guy from the documentary "Craigslist Joe" which had come up for me in conversation at least thrice since getting to the gathering. Yes, I gushed about the movie. Travis' site and The documentary "Craigslist Joe"

This is Rav, a brother camped up at Home Shalom. He is a Rabbi and Singer-songwriter. Oddly, while those two go very hand-in-hand in my community back home, he is part of a very orthodox congregation and kind of gets split into two people through this duality. Rav's music

Breakfast movie at Kid Village

I met the girl in the striped shirt at Shabbos my first friday there. She is sweet and brave and lost right now. I don't know who the other two are but it was a sunny day and smiles needed to be shared.

Medicine Warriors finally arrived and after some doubtful beginnings, had a SLAMMIN' kitchen. I did not get up there as much as I thought I might but I did help with some of the first bits of building, making bliss rails/sawing etc.

After a long work day, I ran into my new friend Cowboy, the very snazzy singer fella on the right. He was off to finish painting the G-funk stage. I went to go help but then they had to do some adjustments so I watched and took pictures instead. Facebook page for Cowboy Starr

Then this crazy storm happened when I went to get my sweater so I did not paint.

Rainbow the Musical Revival! Neha (the guy with the guitar) and Paula in the blue shirt have this snazziness going on down in Cali: The Healing Hands School of Holistic Health

Diego and his wife sing at the wedding of Randle and Terry

This is either morning or night. Lovin' Ovens Pizza movie happened. And then sleep didn't.

I was walking "into town" and a lady said she wished she had a camera to take my picture. So, then she had a camera. http://kelleemaize.com/

Mad-awesome Zu-zu movie with new Warrior friends Tiffinay-Ann and Tori and others. Raw oat-honey-maca-hemp balls with four flavors: Chai, Herbal, Carob-Peanutbutter and fruit and nut. We got gourmet.

The parade rolls in on the fourth.

Two very hip elders and musicians: Michael and Fantuzi. fantuzzi

Michael. A beautiful, beautiful man. Celebrating the fourth in Main Meadow

Drum circle dancing on the fourth

Russell is an incredible human being...and a Robin Williams look-alike!

Matt and Emily set up camp! http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=plcp&v=VsiD4-J7JxM

The first act on Talentshow night.

Matt Sleeping on the morning I must leave.

Spent quite a bit of time with the infamous Diamond Dave
http://laughingsquid.com/diamond-dave-san-francisco-rabble-rouser-and-revolutionary-rebel/

Aliah- to my left - is an amazing yoga/qi-gong teacher and a swelling generous spirit. Her and her husband make rainbow videos at http://www.spiralon.com/WeDoTV.htm

Awesomesauce! Great guy. Dove right in on his first gathering to keep the gears running at Kid Village

Richard, a yogi, wise wise man and warm warm soul. From Wisconson.

Milo. I don't actually know what the hell was up here in this run-in. Errands? But he is, actually, really down to earth.

Got to do a little bit of painting right before the musical. Thanks Cowboy!

Emmet, the Shabbos cook and amazing culinary real-world woman.

The backbones of I Dunno Cafe, keeping us caffeinated gourmet-style.

Aviva, an amazing woman and tanacious worker

Shlomi

The nightly drum circle.

Tory and Mark hard at work in Medicine Warriors' kitchen

Kettle had a bee around her neck in a jar. When I told her my name she knew it was Honey Bee in Greek and she asked me if I knew the symbolism. Honey Bee apparently symbolizes achieving the impossible because anatomically, bees should not be able to fly and they do it off of electromagnetic sound waves and aerodynamics etcetc...