Winter Fishtrap Gathering 2011

As with many Fishtrap events, there is always a handful of participants who come away saying “That was the best one yet!” and this past Winter Fishtrap Gathering was no exception.  Maybe it was the “Getting Small” theme that brought us close and made us scrutinize our lives, or the slow food dinner presented by guest chefs Lynne Sampson Curry and Adele Nash that warmed our bellies.

Winona LaDuke’s provocative nature and strong sense of commitment to justice made us feel empowered to evoke change in the world. Charles Goodrich invited us into his microcosm of bugs and earth, revealing the power of the gardener in each of us.

Tammy Strobel proved that the challenge to live a minimalist lifestyle can be extremely rewarding, and in fact, a pathway to happiness.  Amy Minato led writers to find their voices during the quiet of the early morning, and the sweet music of Kate Power and Steve Einhorn had us reeling and singing along--some even learned to play the ukulele!

Of course, the hospitality and charm of the Wallowa Lake Lodge and its staff made the setting perfect for diving into these topics. Snow piled up to the tips of the giant icicles that hung from the eaves of the grand old landmark. Views of the icy lake, folks taking breaks to ski and think, warming afterward with a nice glass of wine or cup of hot coffee--it all added up to a perfect weekend.

We announced that this would be the last Winter Fishtrap Gathering in its current configuration. It was nice to go out on a high note, but we hope that the event will emerge down the road as something accessible to a greater number of people. It was, in this writer’s opinion, the best one yet.

Have a look at some of the photos from the weekend on Tammy Strobel’s flickr page.