Into the Heat: Preparing for Another Stone Carving Journey

I sit comfortably amidst a swarm of mosquitoes, a campfire flickering in front of me—old, familiar grounding tricks to settle myself in the whirlwind of preparation and movement. There’s a sense of calm in this small chaos, a way of remembering who I am when life feels full tilt.

Yesterday, I pushed through what felt like the hottest day of the year—hauling tools, packing materials, and loading the trailer with everything I could possibly need for the week-long stone carving course I’ll be teaching at the Haliburton School of Art + Design (HSAD). It was exhausting. The kind of heat that makes the body ache and the air feel thick. Still, I pressed on, sweating through the process with that stubborn mix of dedication and anticipation.

I’m fairly sure I’ve packed everything… minus a few small items I can pick up along the way. But in a way, this feels a lot like the old pioneering spirit—trekking long distances to do something meaningful and radical. Teaching stone carving to a new group of creative minds isn’t just a job; it’s a calling. It’s a return to something elemental.

Today, I arrived on campus and saw the tent I’ll be working under for the week. It was better than I remembered—tucked in the shade, with a steady breeze and just the right kind of sunlight, the kind that warms without scorching. Even at 29 degrees, the environment feels balanced, like nature is giving us permission to do this work.

I’ve started to set up the essentials, laying the groundwork for what I hope will be a week of discovery, growth, and inspiration. There’s still more to do, but I trust that things will fall into place. That’s often the rhythm of this kind of work—you prepare, you adapt, and then you let the process unfold.

It’s always a bit surreal, standing at the edge of something like this. A blank stone, a group of new faces, and the possibilities that come from shaping something raw into something meaningful.

More updates to come as the week unfolds. But for now, I’m letting the fire crackle, watching the smoke rise, and holding space for what’s to come.