recovery looks like this

January evening sky.
Frozen pond. December snow storm.

Wild Mountain with the remains of the December snows.
November. Past the ruination of the stone wall I built in my 8th month of pregnancy 32 years ago, you see Wild Mountain.  Thanksgiving has a whole new meaning now.

from half a year later

Six months on, our world looks and feels very different. 

Some are living on their land. It's barren, but no longer does the ash tear your throat, nor eat through your clothes.  Nature is beginning to replenish. It's raining today...our third rain since the fires. It's soft and steady...a benediction.

the snap-shots:

directly above: my first trip to my home post-fire 6 days

above it: 3 weeks after the fire, the bracken ferns push up from charred earth

middle image: august. these little sprouts from the root crown appear to be the 3rd incarnation of this live oak

2nd from top: september. our beloved mother mountain in the background: Wild Mountain

top: October. the earth is still black, but there is green and PINK too

S H E D S !

Well, we all know that sheds aren't exactly sexy, but they sure are useful. I thought anyone reading this might like to hear what Concow residents said when notified that they were to be one of the shed recipients.
(check back to the main site to read about this Concow Phoenix/CSUChico Construction Management Department project)

>*"Finally, some good news."
*"It's a blessing! It's just a blessing!"
*"It's almost more important than the house."
*"Great, now I can get my tools out from under the tarp!"

Big ol' thanks to the student volunteers who reached out and helped folks in the foot hills start to rebuild. Y'all ROCK!

1/27 Butte Watershed Workshop

Butte County Department of Water and Resource Conservation
presents



Rural Watersheds Workshop



Tuesday, January 27, 2009

4:00-8:00 PM

Butte College Cafeteria

3536 Butte Campus Drive

Oroville, CA



Join us for a FREE workshop on how best to

use and conserve water, as well as reduce fire

risks on your property in rural Butte County.



Water is a vital resource. When properly

managed, everyone benefits from healthy

watersheds, vibrant wildlife and environmental

populations, more effective agricultural

production and reduced fire risks.



Presentations Include:

·
How does groundwater function?

• Ways to monitor and efficiently use

groundwater.

• Implications of current drought conditions.

• A Healthy Watershed... what does

that mean?

• Fire wise living on your property.

• How to rebuild and replant after a

catastrophic fire.

• Effective and efficient gardening

using native vegetation.

• Erosion control.







Light refreshments will be served

For more information on the workshop,

including a detailed list of presentations and

speakers, visit:

http://www.buttecounty.net/waterandresource/

watershed_groups.htm




Information Booths:
• Butte County Resource Conservation
District
• Tehama County Resource
Conservation District
• Natural Resources Conservation
Service
• Butte Fire Safe Council
• Butte Creek Watershed Conservancy
• Big Chico Creek Watershed Alliance
• Little Chico Creek Watershed Group
• Deer Creek Watershed Conservancy
• Golden Feather Watershed/Concow
Phoenix Project
• Butte County Farm Advisor

This workshop is presented by the Butte County
Department of Water and Resource Conservation
Watershed Outreach and Education Program in
conjunction with local watershed groups. Funds for
these activities have been provided by a grant from
the CALFED Watershed Program and administered by
the Department of Water Resources.

Concow Rising 2009 Calendar

Support Concow fire survivors by buying a calendar full of information about California foothill native plants and fire prevention.
Calendar is $15 by mail to: CPP, 4096 Big Bend Rd, Yankee Hill, CA 95965.

Email: info@concowphoenix.org

Or make donations and view website at www.concowphoenix.org

Quarterly News & Fundraising

During this season of
thanks and giving,

..
we THANK YOU for your interest
in Concow Phoenix Project.

Some positive things are happening for fire survivors in Concow,

and we want you to know about them.

Concow Phoenix Project is co-sponsoring our
ADOPT-A-SHED program

with the Construction Management Department of CSUChico.

Student volunteers will be building 10 or
more weather-tight, secure, storage sheds in
Concow during the 3rd week of January.

Fire survivors really need a place to store their belongings and tools this winter.

CPP continues to raise funds for more sheds -- let's build another 10! Each shed costs $1500 to build.

Please consider a tax-deductible donation to our ADOPT-A-SHED program:

To donate any amount, make
your check out to : The University Foundation CSU
Chico
Please
mark your check "for" Chico-Concow Rebuild
2009.

Send to:
The University Foundation CSU Chico,
California State University Chico,
Chico, CA 95929-0305

..
( See the press release above for more details: "CPP-CSUC
PR-public title.")

Our BIG SEASONAL FUNDRAISER! In time for the new year -- get CPP's custom wall calendar, full of info about California foothill native
plants and fire prevention...with month by month recommendations and photos by Concow residents.

These calendars are beautiful and useful -- $10. each if picked up, $15 if mailed-- and will directly benefit Concow fire survivors.

Contact CPP at info@concowphoenix.org to order ASAP. Limited
quantity available for sale.

Thanks to our donors and our non-profit partner, North
Valley Community Foundation,
our first fund drive netted us enough money to begin
our efforts to help restore Concow.

We have made small grants to fire survivors to help them
buy construction materials.

We established a free, lending "Tool Bank" with donated tools at the Concow Campground.

Do you have extra tools? We need 'em!

Please contact info@concowphoenix.org.

We continue with local outreach and fun events.

Eat ice cream for Concow!

…
through the end of February. Bring the gang!

(See
the "BenJerryflyerwCoupons" attachment for Ben & Jerry's
coupons.)

Concow Phoenix Project always wants
volunteers. We will hook you up with a project you like to do, whether it's an hour a month or one day.

Contact
Tina at surfgirl@jps.net
to discuss,

CPP supports the Title 25 Citizens' Working Group, which has been
working with Concow citizens and several county departments.

We are planning a pilot program using a special building code for "Limited Density
Owner-Built Rural Dwellings".

Our hope is that this new code will allow residents to rebuild in an
affordable, creative and green way.
You may find yourself in the position of wanting to make charitable donations before year's end for tax
purposes -- or you may know someone in that position.

Please
remember Concow
Phoenix Project now.

Fire survivors are struggling to clean up their lands -- virtually no one has been
able to rebuild yet.

(See
the end of this email for how to donate.)

We're in it for the long haul, and we invite you to follow our progress and that of the land and community of Concow. Our web-site is a good
place to see images and read reports.

Check out www.concowphoenix.org

BIG THANKS to Morgan and Dawn of Las Tejedoras Web Design

for donating their work on our beautiful website.

>>>>>>>> EACH ONE REACH ONE !! <<<<<<<<<<

The best Christmas present you could give fire survivors would be to
become a donor -- or spread the word to others.

You can contribute to our general fund, which funds all CPP fire survivor
assistance other than the CSUC shed project.

You could talk to your neighbors, your work mates or to family and friends
about local folks who are now homeless or displaced due
to the destruction of their homes.

You could say that the gift you'd like this season is a contribution by them to
Concow Phoenix Project.
Tell them they can help. Tell them how.

Pass it on!

Here are two ways to make a
tax-deductible donation:

(1) To avoid the processing fee, YOU MAY SEND A
CHECK :

MAKE check to:

North Valley Community Foundation ..
!!! IMPORTANT
!!! Please write on your check:

.. .. ..
"for Concow Phoenix Project Fund."

MAIL check to:

North Valley Community Fund

3120 Cohasset Rd., Suite 8

Chico, CA 95973 ..
A receipt will be sent to the name and address printed on the
check.

..

(2) TO DONATE ONLINE, please enter this
URL in your browser:

http://nvcf.org/donate&list=..f452:0

Online donations are secure through Pay Pal.

A small processing fee will be
assessed per Pay Pal transaction. CPP/NVCF will mail you
a letter for receipt/tax purposes within 30 days.

All contributions are generous, regardless of
their size!
All contributions will go to help the good people of Concow rebuild their lives.

All contributions made to us through
North Valley Community Foundation are tax-deductible.

Thank you ..
CONCOW RISING!