FROM THE EVENING STAR OF GUEMES ISLAND NEWSPAPER
JANUARY 2008
Many wild and wonderful surprises have been a part of the Woodchopper's Ball these last 22 years. Infused as it is with the spirit of that legendary party animal, "One Bubble", a.k.a "Ming Toy", a.k.a Henrietta Finley.
Bubble, who died in 1995 after several "last parties" would have loved this one, as organizer Mike Gwost and friends secretly conspired to pull off a wedding, featuring none other than Leo Osborne and Jane Lane.
The kindred spirits had their own private commitment ceremony four years ago atop Mt. Maxwell on Salt Spring Island, B.C., but had been considering a "legal" marriage and wondered how to pull it off without having to go through the minefield of compiling a guest list.
Leo came up with the idea of asking Mike to make the Woodchopper's Ball a costume event with a wedding thrown in.
(Mike was ecstatic because it was his marriage to Sue that led to the Woodchopper's Ball. The band was made up of friends who were all woodcutters getting in their winter supply. They were having such fun that all decided to "play on" for the weekend and it became the first Woodchopper's Ball, says Leo).
Rev. Larry Pinnow was retained to do the blessing and the Badd Dog Blues Society was hired for the music. Leo's daughter Rachel in New York and Jane's daughter Gena in Maui, were able to attend and Leo's longtime friend, Jim Bertolino, appeared to recite his poem, The Wedding Toast.
After the first set of music, Mike announced the event and the crowd "was surprised and elated".
"The ceremony included not only the exchange of rings by the pearlescent sea-bride and the salty pirate groom, but also with the two mysterious sisters (Rachel and Gena) as it was for us an important aspect of their union to realize the family circle that was being created in this moment of celestial celebration" said Leo. "The circle of rings enclosed the harmony that they wish to hold sacred within the four...so like the many symbolic circles and rings that have been forged in the past," he added.
The Woodchoppers Ball will never be the same again...who knows what the next year's event may hold in the secret cache of the mysterious ravens of Guemes. The Guemes Pranxters strike again!!
A WEDDING TOAST
May your love be firm,
and may your dream of life together
be a river between two shores-
by day bathed in sunlight, and by night
illuminated from within. May the heron
carry news of you to the heavens, and the salmon bring
the sea’s blue grace. May your twin thoughts spiral upward
like leafy vines, like fiddle strings in the wind,
and be as noble as the Douglas fir.
May you never find yourselves back to back
without love pulling you around
into each other’s arms.
