Steve: I am impressed, and moved, by your work. Excellent videography, wonderfully accompanied by Caleb Miles. I must correct moviebod on 1 tiny point: the Acid House (love that name) and TA and the land they sit on are still owned, taxes paid regularly, by some of the original hippies. My Jeanne and I met in the latter and honeymooned in the former. Moonrise Hill, a much larger building that housed multiple families of our commune (3 couples including mine were married behind it in the same ceremony), unfortunately stood right by the roadside, and so was utterly obliterated by the authorities the instant we left; no trace remains, not even a nail. Thanks for an emotional time travel.
I so appreciate you taking the time to comment, friend! After visiting these places for nearly 13 years in all light and weather and seasons, I never thought I'd hear from the man himself. I've read your articles from those years, and learned whatever secrets of those times that I could. You see, I've lived my whole life just briefly over the hill from these homes, less than 5 minutes drive, since I was born in 1987. I never even knew that they existed until 2007, just sleeping away in the woods. Discovering these homes was like an unveiling to me, a great adventure, a magical time. Thank you so much for your part in making this history. It helped to make me everything I've become, as an explorer, adventurer, artist. I can't thank you enough!
@@SteveSkafte Steve, your excellent camerawork, direction and narration helped take me back 45 yrs to some of the happiest days of a very happy life. My sincere thanks. For awhile I lived in Phinney’s Cove, across the street from the Bay Of Fundy, in a house called The Red Palace that is now all gray. It stands between 2 of the big navigation markers erected for fishermen. I once asked one how he navigated those killer rocks through fog in a tiny vessel without radar or sonar. He laughed and said he navigated by potato. ‘Ya keep a sack o’ spuds in de bow, and when it’s foggy, ever’ so often you toss one ahead. If ya don’t hear no splash, TURN!” He wasn’t joking. Behind the Red Palace, above it, at the mountain’s peak, we found much evidence of a once-thriving community, so long extinct nobody could tell us what it had been called in its day, nor what had ended it. I was a city boy from the Bronx; my mind exploded. The neighbours were all SO kind to us, so generous with their knowledge and skills.
@@spiderrobinson6807 That's a fantastic story. Love it. You know, the Red Palace sounds like the home I've been calling Phinney's Reach all these years! If you have a moment, please take a look at this album of pictures I've taken there over the past decade, and let me know if I'm right. www.flickr.com/photos/fetusboy/albums/72157622936471086
I've also got albums for The Five-Sided House (www.flickr.com/photos/fetusboy/albums/72157604062602764) and another for Total Anarchy (www.flickr.com/photos/fetusboy/albums/72157622572378059).
@@SteveSkafte That does indeed appear to be what we called The Red Palace. If it’s about 500m from the Bay of Fundy, and stands just to the right of two giant markers that fishermen out there can line up to determine their precise position, that’s the place. I asked one once what he did BETWEEN pairs of markers? I knew he had no radar or sonar: he basically had a dinghy with a phonebooth on the back. He said he navigated by potato. I asked what that meant. “Ye keep a sack o’ spuds in de bow,” he explained, "an’ ever' so often you t’row one off. If you don’t hear no splash, TURN!” He was NOT kidding. Tough b’ys on the Fundy Shore. I saw a neighbour then in his 90s, Lester Bent’s father Don, chainsawing a cord of wood in bedroom slippers! He said he’d TRIED steel-toed boots, but found they dulled too many blades. I’m from the Bronx: I thought I was tough. HA!
I remember going there as a young teen with my mom. It was a safe and magical place and I think about it often. The world was a different place back then..
I was there! What an adventure. We arrived in a VW bus with no clutch. My boyfriend at the time wouldn't tell me where he was taking me. We parked on the side of the road, and walked into the woods. That alone was magic. Then to encounter Five Sides and TA and Spider Robinson! They were still liveable back then (1976 or 77), and Spider gave us tea and the tour. That was one of my best days. Thanks for sharing!! Never thought I would see them again.
Nice to encounter you again, Meg. I regret to report Jeanne had to leave awhile back, but to her great solace, her teacher Reb Anderson ordained her a Buddhist priest at her memorial service, kindly waiving the usual 5-years-in-silence-in-a-monastery part. (She was already a monk when I met her.) It was Reb who’d given her her the informal name by which she was known in the Soto Zen community: Wired Buddha. Do stay healthy!
@@spiderrobinson6807 So great to hear that you're alive and kicking!! I was sorry to hear about Jeannie, but glad to know that she attained priesthood. I'm sure she could have used that during her life, but after is good, too!
I’ve see a few pics and videos of these building where are they located would love to check them out great video I love seeing this stuff in this beautiful province
Beautiful work. I have known some other parts of the North Mountain with unusual hippy houses, mostly rotting into the forest now. I wrote a thesis on the "alternative community" of the Annapolis Valley. There would be copies at Acadia, maybe the Wolfville library. Or contact me.
@@SteveSkafte I like the music too, but feel like a better balance between your voice and the music could be achieved. I had to interrupt the experience and scroll down to read the content, and that took some of the richness out of it for me..."There is no such thing as human nature." So profound, so true. Still one of your biggest fans!
@@marianwhit Personally, I'm very pleased with the balance of voice and music as it stands. But it may sound different depending on if you are listening on a phone, through headphones, or with speakers. It is difficult to optimize sound of a video for all viewers and viewing situations. I did the editing on my desktop computer with a high quality sound system, and experienced no issues, and have received no complaints up to this point. I always prioritize voice above music. Words are key and king above all else, and this film was edited with that in mind. Thanks for watching just the same!
