2003 Northern California - Camp Harmony

Subject: Camp Harmony approaches
From: DADGBE
Date: 15 Nov 03 - 02:13 PM

Hi catters,

The San Francisco folk music club's annual gathering in the Northern California redwoods will be happening again between Tuesday, Dec. 30th and Sunday, Jan. 4th. Many Mudcatters will be there as will you, I hope.

Folks come from around the world for this amazing do-it-yourself music and dance camp. If your registration is received before December 5th, you'll have the opportunity to eat Debby McClatchy's fine cuisine and even work in the kitchen with her.

Even if you don't register before Dec. 5th, you can still come to camp on a 'find-your-own-food' basis by dropping in and registering on site.

To find out how you can be there, go to the club's website to get more information.

Subject: RE: Camp Harmony approaches
From: DADGBE
Date: 17 Nov 03 - 01:05 AM

OK, you catters who attend Camp Harmony, your input is needed. How about telling the folkies about it in your own words? Joe? Barbara? Bev and Jerry? Radriano? Anybody out there?

Subject: RE: Camp Harmony approaches
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Nov 03 - 01:16 AM

Looks to me like we'll have a few more Mudcatters this year - Mark Cohen, Chanteyranger, and maybe some surprises. Debby McClatchy's cooking is great, and the setting in the redwoods is gorgeous (but sometimes damp).

It's very much like the Getaway, but there's dancing AND a concert every night. Since it's 6 days, the pace is much more relaxed than at the Getaway.

They have this really great guy named Joe who sings as he washes pots and pans and mops the dining hall floors.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Camp Harmony approaches
From: open mike
Date: 17 Nov 03 - 01:42 AM

and this year i will be there too.
And Mark Cohen, the aloha man. any others?
and Rosalie Sorrells is singing at the
freight and salvage on the night camp
closes so we can all rendezvous there!

Subject: RE: Camp Harmony approaches
From: radriano
Date: 17 Nov 03 - 04:14 PM

Hiya DADGBE,

I started a thread on Camp Harmony 2004 a little while ago and it seemed to die out pretty quickly. But, yeah, I'm goin'!

Perhaps we should have the two threads combined?

Subject: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: DADGBE
Date: 01 Dec 03 - 11:16 AM

Hi 'catters,

Here's a note form Camp Harmony's hard working registrar. I hope to see you all there.

Pre-registration for the San Francisco Folk Music Club's Camp Harmony
(Dec. 30-Jan. 4) closes this Saturday, December 6. The cost is $61/day, kids 3-12 $32/day, and includes all meals. You can register for all 5 days or any part. You must be a member of SFFMC, but you can join when you register (dues are $7/year).

Forms and complete information are available at the club's website
or by emailing me directly with "Camp Harmony" in the subject line so it doesn't get trapped in my spam filter.

Drop Ins will be welcome any time during camp. The price is $43/day
(kids $25) with NO meals, but you may stay overnight in a cabin. There _may_ be some meals for sale by other campers available.

Camp is held at Camps Campbell and Harmon at 16275 Highway 9, Boulder Creek, CA in the Santa Cruz mountains, about 2 hours south of San Francisco.

This is a camper-led camp, with no paid staff (except the kitchen).
There will be many workshops and jams during the day for singers,
musicians and dancers of all levels. Evenings feature a concert and a
dance, with late-night singing and jamming until the wee hours.

Send your registrations to:

Camp Harmony
c/o Mary Luckhardt
920 32nd St.
Richmond, CA 94804-1104

---

I moved this message here from another thread on the same topic.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: open mike
Date: 01 Dec 03 - 04:34 PM

sf folk web site says "connection refused"
for the past few days...

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: Edain
Date: 01 Dec 03 - 05:36 PM

Hmmm sounds interesting, will have to check with the old finances and college time tables though

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 01 Dec 03 - 07:03 PM

We have been attending this camp for decades (literally). The bad news is that the weather is often bad. It drops to near freezing most every night and it rains a lot. The good news? We don't have time for all the good news so we'll just hit a few of the high points.

1. There is a sign up concert every night with about 15 performers. The quality is excellent and you will hear stuff that you won't hear anywhere else.

2. There are one or two dances (one after the other) every night on an excellent dance floor with live musicians.

3. From 11 to 6 every day there are workshops in (we think) seven different places. Many of these are teaching workshops at beginner and other levels. Learn to dance, sing harmony or to play an instrument. Some are song swaps on a wiiiide variety of topics. Don't see the workshop you want? Just schedule it yourself and someone will probably show up to teach it or lead it.

4. The food is outstanding. Cold breakfast at 9AM if one is up. Hot breakfast from 10 to 11:30. Lunch from noon to 4 (cold stuff and leftovers). Dinner at 6:30 or a little later if the cooking doesn't go smoothly.

5. Everyone does one hour of volunteer work each day. Most jobs are in the kitchen where you will meet many new friends and generally have a great time (don't get Debby pissed off at you, though). Other jobs are parking lot supervision, registration, coffee duty and wood carting for the fireplaces.

6. Singing and jamming go on virtually 24 hours/day. Just wander around and you'll stumble on it. Everyone is always welcome.

7. People who attend this camp are the nicest people in the world. Everyone is friendly and eager to help. In the 25 plus years we have attended, we can count the interpersonal problems on the fingers of one hand.

8. Don't miss this event!

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 01 Dec 03 - 07:07 PM

Oh yeah. The thing we enjoy the most is the a capella singing circle which usually starts after the evening concert and goes until the last person drops. Don't know what time it usually ends because neither of us has ever been the last one to drop.

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: radriano
Date: 01 Dec 03 - 07:30 PM

Actually, Bev and Jerry, if you're talking about the singing sessions right after the evening concerts, they're not really singing circles, you see, 'cause of the room. If yer sittin' in front of a fireplace - are 'ye listenin' now? - it's more like an a cappella singing semi-circle.

And another thing - I'm right sick of being called "nicest people." Some of us is nice, and some of us ain't. Don't sugar-coat the thing! It is what it is and it ain't what it ain't!

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 01 Dec 03 - 10:50 PM

It'll be my first time there since '90. looking forward to seeing you all there!
Chanteyraqnger

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: Barbara
Date: 02 Dec 03 - 12:43 AM

Way cool. We'll all be there. Daughter Linnet will join the kitchen crew and police the kid's food table (don't piss her off, either, she was armed with a squirt gun last year). What Bev and Jerry said. Great music, great company, great time, great food, beautiful place (Santa Cruz mountain redwood forest), more than enough of everything except time to sleep.
An amazingly sane way to welcome in the New Year.
But I hear that Mark Cohen has fallen in love and will not be coming to Harmony this year after all, dang it. We'll just have to sing rounds without him.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 02 Dec 03 - 02:42 AM

Yes, it's true.   I had my reservation and a ride up from LA and all, and then I went and met Eva. She said she didn't feel comfortable going someplace with minimal privacy with someone she was just beginning to know and with a bunch of people she didn't know at all, so I didn't hesitate to cancel the trip. She says she'll be happy to go next year, though, so we'll see you all then! Meanwhile, have a fantastic time, and make sure to sing "Nero's Expedition" for me!

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: Joe Offer
Date: 02 Dec 03 - 03:46 AM

What??? Cohen is finking out on us again?
Hey, I think I want a refund.
Well, Mark, I hope we will see you and Eva there next year.
...and congratulations!
Being in love is grand. I highly recommend it.
(but it hasn't caused ME to miss the getaway or Harmony)
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: radriano
Date: 02 Dec 03 - 11:20 AM

Luv, oh luv, oh precious luv
Luuuuv, oh luv, oh precious luv
Luv, oh luv, oh precious luv
........

Thought I'd leave out that last line, for Mark's sake.

All kidding aside, all the best to you both!

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 02 Dec 03 - 01:27 PM

Radriano:

We stand corrected. All the people who attend this camp are the nicest people in the world except you.

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: radriano
Date: 02 Dec 03 - 02:32 PM

Thanks, Bev & Jerry, it's nice of you to say that!

Radriano (studying to be a curmudgeon)

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: GUEST,Chanteyranger
Date: 02 Dec 03 - 04:09 PM

Would you accept Radriano as the second nicest person?

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: Barbara
Date: 02 Dec 03 - 04:26 PM

Is that like second mate?
Mark, then, we'll just have to have the argument about how to pronounce "Sud" without you. Be that way. Don't have too much fun.

Oh, and one of my favorite things is the dress-up New Year's dinner. The SFFMC is my favorite functioning anarchy, so of course, not everyone dresses any different than the way they've been for the rest of camp; some people dress up formal; some people dress really formal; some people dress Halloween; some people dress vintage or HS Prom; some people hit the kid's space costume/dress up boxes an hour before dinner; I sure wish I knew where some people get the stuff they wear; Ed often tries to outdo everyone else (like the year he was a skunk); I remember Cal (a rather quiet-seeming engineer)in a tutu and on roller blades. One year we had dueling banjoes and accordions, one year a kid's parade with the cardboard playable instruments they'd made; you are only limited by your imagination (and the awareness that there will be children present).

Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: radriano
Date: 03 Dec 03 - 02:40 PM

This New Year's dinner I'm dressing up as a nice guy.

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 03 Dec 03 - 02:50 PM

The New Year's eve dress up thing started many, many years ago when someone (we think it was Valentine) wrote in The Folknik (the SFFMC newsletter) that dinner on that night should be "black tie, whatever that means to you". Evidently, it means different things to different people!

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Dec 03 - 02:49 AM

Somebody asked me about the dates for Camp Harmony. DADGBE dutifully reported said dates above, but it's hard for some of us old people to break old habits. It's a few days later this year - from 2 PM Tuesday, December 30, to 2 PM Sunday, January 4. Actually, things don't start on Tuesday until dinner (6 PM or so), but it's nice to get there earlier to get a cabin.
I wonder why it's later this year - usually, it ends on January 1, when everybody is too wasted from New Year's Eve to do any more singing....
-Joe Offer, who spends New Year's Eve mopping-

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: open mike
Date: 05 Dec 03 - 03:42 AM

does that mean that mark is not an eligible bachelor?
well i don't know if i will go now either...well,
maybe i will go any way...

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: sed
Date: 05 Dec 03 - 10:54 AM

Returning from the 1980 (or was it 1981?) SFFMC New Years Camp in Marin County I remember driving back south over the Golden Gate Bridge then suddenly hearing that the highway I had just driven across collapsed!

That was a rainy year, the same year that the mudslides buried so many homes around Ben Lomand. It was a very memorable camp and if it was possible I would attend again. My income is so much less now, in actual dollars.

Also, I don't remember the cost as being so high. Yeah, I know that the dollar is worth much less now.

I have a few photos from that time which I had planned to use for publicity for my Kidsongs album but never did. I am posing with a bunch of kids none of whose names I know. They are all adults now, for sure!

Maybe people in the west GA/ east AL area would like to get together for some music around that same time? I can provide primitive camping, branch or rain water and firewood near Woodland, AL.
I wouldn't charge a cent to anyone wiling to share some chores and general respect for the wilderness land where I live. But this sort of thing would take hardy, self-sufficient folks as the rain and cold can hit us here too, or it can be quite pleasant as well, of course. If interested, please PM me.

Steve Sedberry
former San Franciscan folkie

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: open mike
Date: 05 Dec 03 - 03:20 PM

ooh--sounds like the georgia/alabama mud ct gathering is
gathering steam!! go for it, steve. paltalk has some jams
in this neck of the woods, i think..perhaps you could do
as i did - have a jam/gatherring combining both groups
for the more the merrier
!the next jam will be in April in Texas
   no site set up to register yet
   look for a site by maybe end of january
check out pal talk....www.paltalk.com

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: open mike
Date: 05 Dec 03 - 04:11 PM

here is where the ozarks gathering was in october..
http://www.freedomrider.org/pal_jam.htm

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: sed
Date: 08 Dec 03 - 01:52 PM

Sounds good, Open Mike, if you have a car. I'm still enjoying bicycling which keeps me close to home and a little farther, at least in my own mind, from the war mentality. When I buy gas I feel like I'm saying: "Fill 'er up with blood and let's drive." On the bicycle it feels more like I'm putting my life where my values are. So in a way my bicycling lifestyle increases my own enthusiasm for having musical gatherings at my very rustic homestead. Maybe once people see how I live they'll be more likely to park their gas burner as well. Then again, maybe not. Anyway, two pickers make more music than one.

Steve Sedberry
Appalachian Trail Vaguely Folk Music Show, WUWG, Carrollton, GA

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: open mike
Date: 08 Dec 03 - 02:53 PM

in order to connect with pal talk you can become a member for free.
i cannot count how many gallons of gas I have saved by connecting
with musical friends on line instead of driving (hard to bring guitar
on the bike--although i have rigged up a converted golf bag carrier
to "trailer" onto the bike for short-haul festival trasnport) I am
30-35 miles from nearest town and 10 curvy, steep mountain miles from the nearest cafe'/bar where i sometimes go for music.Glad to see you
do radio , too, steve. Laurel

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: open mike
Date: 28 Dec 03 - 03:25 PM

well winter weather wrnings are issued..
hope everyone gets there safely!
glad i have 4WD!

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CA
1125 AM PST SUN DEC 28 2003

2330-
EAST FOOTHILLS/NORTH SACRAMENTO VALLEY-

...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS CONTINUING THE WINTER STORM
WARNING TONIGHT AND EARLY MONDAY FOR THE EAST FOOTHILLS OF THE
NORTHERN SACRAMENTO VALLEY...

RAIN AND SNOW WILL DEVELOP DURING THE AFTERNOON...WITH PERIODS OF
HEAVY SNOW EXPECTED TONIGHT. SNOW LEVELS ARE FORECAST TO START OUT
BETWEEN 1000 AND 1500 FEET THIS AFTERNOON...THEN RISE TO AROUND 2500
FEET BY MONDAY MORNING. SNOW LEVELS WILL CONTINUE TO GRADUALLY RISE
ABOVE 3000 FEET ON MONDAY. SOUTHWEST WINDS...GUSTING OVER 50 MPH AT
TIMES OVER EXPOSED RIDGES...WILL PRODUCE WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS. TOTAL
SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 8 TO 14 INCHES ARE EXPECTED ABOVE THE 2000
FOOT LEVEL. SOME MINOR ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE BELOW 2000
FEET LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING.

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: open mike
Date: 29 Dec 03 - 03:39 PM

anyone have a weather report from the hills above santa cruz?
it is snowing here....heading out tomorrow. Laurel

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: radriano
Date: 29 Dec 03 - 05:09 PM

Hey, Open Mike, do you think you might have a better chance of reaching more people if you start a different thread?

The weather report for the Bay Area is for clear skies starting Tuesday, Dec 30th. Yipee!

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: yrlancslad
Date: 29 Dec 03 - 06:54 PM

Don't want to get into competition with Radriano for Camp curmudgeon but as someone who lives on the doorstep of the camp site and therfore wouldn't want a bed, $ 43 seems too expensive by half, also for us locals, the 2pm-2pm day makes no sense.
Can anyone make some sense of this for me?

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: open mike
Date: 29 Dec 03 - 10:19 PM

30 years of history created the rules--must make sense to someone--not me, though. however, the dues to belong, including the monthly newsletter are only $7 a year, so that is more than resaonable.
I guess they want to encourage poeple to register in advance,
so that the meal preparations can be made, but they also want
to allow those who have not planned ahead the chance to come.

yes it seems as if the day would logically start when the day starts..
so you might come , for instance, to take part in morning workshops
or concerts of however it works--this is my first one.

got new snow tires and chains and i am ready for anything..
hope there is not pea soup (fog) in the delta!
pea soup should stay at anderson's in santa nella where it belongs!

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Dec 03 - 11:15 PM

Yrlancslad, I'd agree that $43 is too high for a per diem rate, but I'll betcha none of it goes to the Folk Music Club. What with the cost of utilities and insurance, facilities rentals are horribly expensive nowadays. I'm quite sure the fee and the times are more-or-less what's wet by the camp facilities. They are wonderful camps in an extraordinary area, and I'm sure it costs a lot to run them.

DADGBE could give full information on that, but I'll betcha he's already on his way to the camp.

Hope you can stop in at least for a while. I'll have a bottle of brandy in the kitchen to warm you up.

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 29 Dec 03 - 11:58 PM

We're not exactly experts but it works something like this.

All of the estimated expenses for the camp such as rental of the two camps (including insurance), rental of some chairs, piano tuner, paying Debby for food and her services, etc., etc., etc. are added up. Then we guess how many people will come and for how long and calculate the fees to break even while giving an incentive for early registration. Sometimes the club makes money, sometimes not but if there's a profit, it's purely an accident.


Open Mike is right. The rules have evolved over thirty years of history and are still evolving. Charlie and his committee do the best they can and they do a helluva fine job. Remember, these are all volunteers. It's kind of like your son-in-law. It's not perfect but it's damn good.

If you don't like something, tell Charlie or bring it up at the annual club meeting at camp. It's probably been brought up before and thought through (remember, thirty years) but if it hasn't we guarantee it will be given due consideration. There are all kinds of
good reasons that would never occur to an outsider why things are done the way they are.

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Dec 03 - 12:37 AM

Charlie???
Gee, all these years, I thought it was Ralph who did everything at Camp Harmony.

Actually, I know that Charlie and many others do a lot, but Ralph is a mystical, mythological being who makes it all come together. but at the Getaway, Ralph is named Charlie - or is it the other way around?

There are so many similarities between the Getaway and Camp Harmony that I get confused. I'm glad I've been able to go to both of them these last five years.

-Joe Offer, The One Who Mops-

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: open mike
Date: 30 Dec 03 - 01:03 AM

I've been told to ask about Ralph...my guess is that i won't actually see him to ask him--but i will be on the look-out....I will have my mud cat t-shirt!!! and will have several badges if any one wants to support the cat! (patches, that is...)

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 05 Jan 04 - 12:25 AM

Just got back from camp and, as usual it was great. Workshops were wonderful, a capella singing was awesome, nightly concerts were excellent and the food was better than ever (thanks, Debby).

Several catters were present including Joe, Open Mike, Chanteyranger, Radriano, Riggy, Barbara (blessings), DADGBE, and, of course,us.

The weather was good with only one period of rain which was quite heavy and lasted about 12 hours. It started about 2:00 AM on New years Day so we slept through most of it.

Start planning now for the next one. It's less than a year away!

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: Mudlark
Date: 05 Jan 04 - 12:44 AM

B/J...Lucky Mudcatters indeed able to attend. Tho green with envy it's good to hear about it. Welcome home. Nancy

Subject: RE: Northern California - Camp Harmony
From: Barbara
Date: 05 Jan 04 - 09:25 PM

Gee, Bev, you went to bed early. I got quite rained on thank you and probably sacked by 3:30 or 4:00, I forget. This time I didn't have to worry about getting sick -- since I arrived with bronchitis -- but I survived pretty well on lots of C and decongestants and singing, though by the 4th I was singing mostly bass.
Just got back home here to NW Oregon and 6" of snow on the ground, freezing weather, lots of branches down, but it's still good to be home.
Wonderful music and friends as always.
Open mike, I don't know, but I would guess the "days" are deliniated that way (Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast = one day) because that is the time period most people attend for. Because the camp is out in the tulies, not near SF, people driving in for a part of the time tend to arrive for lunch, not breakfast, and tend to like to have something to eat before they depart of a morning. Part of it is based on more afternoon workshops than morning ones, which comes from how musicians like to stay up late to sing and play.
That change has been in place for maybe 5 to 10 years. You can always stay for different periods of time by providing your own food or going out to town for meals.
Blessings,
Barbara