Week ONE, in the bag...

Week ONE is OVAH!!! It started slowly, but 18 meals later, I'm home (still wearing pajamas) eating a Baker's egg and cheese burrito (in other words, I survived). The students are GREAT! I was so worried that because the students last year were so incredible, I thought we were doomed karmic-ally to inherit 20 vegetarians with lactose and nut issues (we have a few, but they're easy)... But no, the students get along really well, are helpful in the kitchen and around camp, and most importantly (to my little black heart) appreciative of the food we churn out of our camp kitchen.



I forgot my camera in our kitchen, so the photos I'm posting this weekend are thanks to two very skilled paparazzo, Frank Lyu and Richie Cruz. Thanks, eses!

Mike and I made our way up to the campsite Saturday afternoon. It is a beautiful part of the world. The site has a sag pond, a meadow, and tons of juniper and pine trees (Jeffrey and Pinyon (I think)). During the first weekend, many former students return to help set up the camp kitchen and army tent that serves as a classroom in the first week. It was great to see them, and we had a lot of fun with all these guest chefs. Tim and Matt from last year unsuccessfully attempted to bake brownies... It really wasn't their fault... We bake everything- muffins, cookies, sourdough biscuits in a little banged-up, crooked BBQ. The brownies started out fine, but fell to the ground the first time they opened the Q to check on them. They rebounded by baking an amazing cinnamon apple cake with caramel frosting. This is how serious we were about NOT dropping the second cake:



The caramel apple cake was the bomb. Good job, guys.

Mark Woodson came out the first weekend as our guest chef (and forever friend). He jumped out of his underwear with an amazing Vietnamese meal of barbecued pork, glass noodles, and cucumber salad. Here's a picture of me telling the new students how we do dinner "the table works on both sides, kids!"



New and old students alike enjoyed a fire on Saturday night, it was great getting to know some of the newbies and catching up with Kara my favorite Greek from Long Island, Thalia the field school's "star" (according to Dr. Sapp and everyone who knows her), Tim the Villanova rugby player/dirt collector, Matt the U of A frat guy sweetheart, Richie the quiet paparazzi, Gina the angel from heaven/historical can goddess, and Henry the Tab drinking giant/illusive man of mystery.



After lemon blueberry pancakes, sandwiches, cheesy grits, chicken al orange, and a few other meals, Wednesday came. It was maybe my favorite day of the week. I did miss this guy a lot though:



But on Wednesday, I had a shower(!), got to cook one of my own recipes (kielbasa, white bean, and kale soup), and heard a lecture from one of my former teachers, Dr. Ernest Siva. Dr. Siva is a Serrano/Cahuilla indian, a bird singer, musician, and one of the last speakers of the Serrano language. He sang bird songs, big horn sheep songs, and lullabies. Dr. Siva also told some really cool stories I hadn't yet heard. I'm not sure if everyone there knew what a big deal it was, but I know I loved it. Here's a pic of the man I stole from the internets:



I'm excited about week two. The students will go into the field for some real archaeology, we have great meals already planned, and I'll get to know everyone a little bit better (the crazy comes out in week two (eeek, I hope not)... Please keep reading, I miss all of you guys!!!

2009

('09 UCLA f.s. @ Campsite, Holcomb Valley)

'09 was way too much fun! I did two field schools again that year. First was Big Bear and then a whole month in Pendola. The group at Big Bear was so cohesive- I love everyone who went through that school, everyone!



(Top to Bottom: Ladies @ Newberry Cave, Chicken and beer for Frank's "21st" birthday, Newberry Cave (group outing)), and delirious after a long hike near intaglios)

I cannot find the group pic from Pendola (send it to me if you have it!), but here are a few pics from the hottest, buggiest place on Earth (that I've been to, anyway...)



(L to R: Cadie and I really enjoying Edgar's cooking, us hard at work (I'm wearing a sweater and it's ninety degrees- for the bugs, not the weather))



(Steve.)

2008

(CSUDH f.s. '08 @ Pendola)

'08 is when it all began for me... Field schools. I spent two weeks doing archaeological survey near Frazier Park (where I would later live for a year) and two weeks learning excavation in Pendola (far outside of Santa Barbara with the flies).



(L to R: Mike @ Painted Rock, Santa Barbara, Dan "El Mateo" Reeves also @ Painted Rock, Rock Art @ undisclosed location :), and Mike shredding on guitar in Frazier Park)

Mike introduced me to Cadie, and she later got me the gig in Big Bear for another 5 weeks, yep, nine weeks total. Before that summer, the longest I camped was for three days and two nights.

Getting Ready...

School ended last Thursday. I taped plastic table"cloths" over all of the book shelves in our library and said goodbye to the kiddies. I seriously already miss them... Little whippersnappers.

Now, I'm off to spend 5 weeks managing camp for an applied archaeology field school. I've been lucky enough to have spent the last two years doing the same with an outstanding group of teachers, students, and volunteers. I am really most excited about spending time with my beloved Cadie again. <3>

Cadie

Last year was epic, I hope for a group of students half as enthusiastic, fun, and HELPFUL IN THE KITCHEN as the last lot. I hear there are 18 on the roster, and that will no doubt increase (that is a huge bunch for a field school). I hope COSTCO is ready for us...

'09 Ganga

So in the next week and a half, I have to relocate all of my camping gear, pull out my nerdiest clothes and hats (yes, hats), and get my recipes in order. Field school is really really really fun. The people are the best, but the location is beautiful, and I'm excited to record some of the things I don't want to forget. Nature, the food, weather, adventures, and friends. I wish I could take all of you with me, and this is my techy attempt!