Carolion Grailbear's Blog (9)

Yesterday there was an open house showcasing the refurbished old mansion on E. Hyde Rd. outside of the village of Yellow Springs proper. It's just around the bend from my place, and I've walked that road for years. Ever since the old owner died I've had thoughts about what a great facility that would make for our Heart of Joy Folkschool. A group of us went to the open house and had a great time envisioning how we'd use the mansion and outbuildings and grounds. The current property up for sale is… Continue

Today has been one of those great clearing and organizing days (no, my taxes aren't done), and a great day for connecting with other arts people and getting projects lined up. For about a year now, I've been getting ideas and connecting with other writers around the concept of a village magazine: a publication that celebrates and philosophizes about village life in somewhat the same way the New Yorker celebrates and philosophizes about big city life. The following is a quote from an email I sen… Continue

Once upon a time there was a little juggler who walked from village to village plying his trade. He never made much money, but every so often some kind soul gave him a new tunic to replace his ragged one, or a good cloak to ward off rain and snow and serve as blanket on those ni… Continue

YSNewsArticle-Oct.16 2008.docHeart Of Joy Folkschool is officially launched as of October 17-18, 2008, with our first event - a living local history-based folkshop, held at the Outdoor Education Center in Glen Helen, the nature preserve adjacent to the village of Yellow Springs, Ohio. A group of us had been planning the event for mo… Continue

I've got a lot of bean soup in my freezer, left over from this past weekend's Heart Of Joy Folkschool event - our first living local history folkshop, held out at the O.E.C. in Glen Helen. Friday night's Theatricals, including Kay Reimers' interactive scene from the days of the heated controversy over the coming of the railroad, Robin Jordan Henry's dramatic reading of the escape of the Conway Colony slaves into freedom in Yellow Springs, and Bill and Phillipa Gay's MOCKINGBIRD THEATRE old-time… Continue

Once, long ago, on a planet where there were green people, there was a little child who told big stories. Her stories were so fascinating that the clouds came down and gathered round her to listen, and the sun stood still in the sky. The little trees always begged her for more - th… Continue

All-Cultures Peace Powwow #7 At Omega I'm fresh off the plane, home from a five-day visit to my old stomping grounds, Omega Institute For Holistic Studies in Rhinebeck, New York. I went up for the seventh All-Cultures Peace Powwow. We danced up a storm - a good kind of storm - sending out all kinds of great energy for healings and new beginnings and support for ongoing peacework around the globe. When I helped start the Powwow seven years ago, we were fueled by inspiration, having received a ch… Continue

Emily Elliott and I decided several weeks ago to collaborate on a performance art evening which would include the HOOZITS. We soon realized we'd be doing something with tree energy - and before long Emily had lined up three dancers and several brilliantly colored tubes - and I, as is so often the case, had nothing - rather, a knowing that something would turn up in time for the performance. It was after the rehearsal with the Tree Creatures in their tubes that my "something" was born: a story, T… Continue

The village of Yellow Springs, Ohio, has always had an amazing arts scene. Currently there is a great upwelling of the visual and performing arts here, with a summer long weekend festival scene for villagers and our many visitors. Village arts folks are busy and happy, with so many opportunities to share. My own contribution is in the realm of puppetry - actually, a mix of storytelling and toy theater. My little troupe (one human and several toys) is called Carolion And The HOOZITS, and… Continue