Blog camp virgin

Not blogcamp virgins

 This was my first blog camp. Which was a little awkward what with me not having a public blog and everything. Because Julie and Extranjera do have blogs and I have read them, I knew much more about them than they knew about me. So far, so much potential for a Misery like weekend.

I am glad to report that the weekend was far from a Misery like weekend (well for me anyway, you'll have to ask the others their opinion). Instead, there was food, wine, talking, laughing and a bit of photography. Oh and embroidery (why do the stitches have to be so small?!) and a fantastic chance to observe the country folk of Mid-Jutland at a huge fair.

The only part remotely like the movie involved the freakish vampire/zombie flies which despite being swatted, came back to life. So the big guns of electric flyswatters were brought out and despite being roasted with visible sparks and smell, some flies came back to life. It was a little disconcerting although great fun.

I think the best adjective for the weekend would be comfortable. Now I know that this may seem pejorative but let me explain. First, it did have the potential to be uncomfortable because of the unequal balance of personal knowledge but due to the loveliness of our host, Julie, and the coolness of the other blogcamper, Extranjera, it wasn't uncomfortable. Not even when I called Extranjera, Tatiana for the first day or so. See, so nice that I didn't even need to use their correct names. Secondly, it was comfortable to simply hang out and have wide ranging conversations from serious academic subjects to frivolous and fun ones. We simply got along well. Which was nice. And although I suspected we would from their blogs, it was still a relief that we did.

Totally not in any way inebriated or anything of the sort at all.

Me?

Never!

Still.

Guess what I'm doing.

Hint: It involves head injury.

Because this is how we roll at Blog Camp.

(I swear I'll post something with actual substance and possibly even the answer to my initial question soon. I'm just like totally swamped sitting on my thumbs [yes, both] at this minute. That's why I'm not writing more. With my thumbs otherwise engaged and stuff.)

creativity at blog camp!

thanks to the ever-wonderful elizabeth, we began something new at blog camp 4.0. when she visited a few weeks ago, elizabeth brought me a large, beautiful vintage damask tablecloth that has hundreds of little squares built into its woven design. when she saw it, she thought it would make a fabulous blog camp project, so she knew i had to have it. and so, i asked the blog campers to embroider something - anything they wanted - on a square or squares of the tablecloth. and this was the result....

by jude - she immortalized my notion that there are no uninteresting chairs in denmark.

and extranjera - in her inimitable style, created a fabulous springbok(?) unicorn(?) with tree and comet.

sabin and i are still working on ours and isaac will have to come back to finish his, as we ran out of time (deciding lunch was more important) before he could finish. but, we got a good start on the blog camp art project.

blog camp is over far too quickly....

stand by for the stories....

blog camp: minnesota style

once upon a time there were three bloggers. they were all (originally in any case) from the upper midwest and had at least the potential to speak in that accent you've heard in the coen brothers' movie fargo, (tho' i can assure you they were not goin' crazy up here on the lake, at least not during the summer when there was no snow keeping them indoors). one of them had moved to a small european country and flying over coming for a visit, so she arranged to see them. one drove down to the big metropolis with her family to hang out. and the other one graciously agreed to host a crew of four adult and five child-sized random strangers at her house for lunch on a sunday afternoon. and it was wonderful. and we called it blog camp...

the five children who attended blog camp: minnesota.

a kitchen to worship (that's made of an altar! how cool is that?)
(that's husband and sandra in that picture)

a few four-legged blog campers

and honorary blog camper howard

after much discussion, the group finally assembled for a photo

keegan was our official photographer (man, i hope i spelled his name right)

he then passed along the mantle to his little brother (tryllen??) for a few shots.

and to end it all, an eagle soared overhead.

in all, a lovely little minnesota blog camp, thanks to jules & co. and sandra and mark. it was great meeting all of you in person at last. i hope it's not the last time. and sandra, i'll come to your gorgeous and inspiring house for lunch ANYTIME!! :-)

* * *

and speaking of blog camp - one spot just opened up for blog camp in denmark next weekend (july 23-25), so if you're feeling spontaneous and you really love old country houses that are in need of repair, email me: jknachti (at) gmail (dot) com

the one in which we all met up in Oxford

It's been a week since the British contingent of bloggers converged over mongolian dinner for a very happy incident - to get to know Jelica of Budapest Bits, who, although famous by now in blog camp circles, hasn't been introduced to its British line. The meeting was, of course, in Oxford. Where else.

Despite the A406 gridlock and the new StreetCar Golf refusing to behave like expected, I have made it, with half hour delay to the Cornmarket Street Starbucks... yes, again, where else! And, as the blog camp tradition dictates, that's exactly where we sat over lattes, with cameras and iphones, catching up and getting to know each other and this wonderful meeting over a coffee really was like going back to a blog camp home. After the all the coffees were drank up it was time for food and after careful consideration of some fine Oxford eateries we settled for a mongolian wok place, as recommended by Blanca. And that's where we set up camp for the rest of the evening. Talking. Talking, taking, talking. Talking about blogging. Talking about reading and writing and phototaking, and - of course, the theme of the month - about the Lack of Inspiration. We then moved to the train station and on to the car park. Still talking...

As with all blog camps, mini and not-so-mini, I've come back inspired and full of very positive energy. I'm so glad I decided to stick to blogging and my blog friends. I look forward to seeing you all again as soon as possible!

blog camp 4.0 - we're taking it to the countryside

it's not as nice as the blue room, but i have to admit that i'm totally jonesing for a blog camp. i can't let this summer go by without one, just because the house isn't renovated yet. it's liveable, there's room, there's wifi and the garden is wonderful. if the danish summer permits, we can spend the whole time outdoors. so i hereby announce a blog camp july 23-25 in denmark. email me jknachti (at) gmail (dot) com if you're up for it and i'll give you details about where to fly (or drive or take a train). :-) i have a little less room than we had at the old place, so be quick!