New visitors may wonder what Olive Trees, the Olive Trees Picnic has to do with a web-site entitled ronvannostrand.com. When I started this site with the encouragement of others, I wasn’t quite sure where I was going with it. There was a decision made to call it ronvannostrand.com because there are other areas which I am involved beside the zine, Olive Trees, the picnic that resulted from the desire to give back to the artists and the donors that are so responsible in making the zine a reality and Olive Trees Meditational Garden which is where I have grown and flourished for the last twenty 26 years this October.

But I could not do a web-site without including the Olive Trees entity, because like it or not, for doing one thing for so long, it has become a definite part of who I am. It can be argued that perhaps it should be on its own. In the future this well may happen, but for now let us start simply.

So if you are looking for Olive trees related items; back issues, new issues, new works, artist information click on olive trees (the words) on the subject line and you can find things in this regard.

Also I would like to post new submissions on the site, so there will be more content available for our readers that can fit into the magazine. So please when sending things, in express your permission if you wish it to have your items posted on the web-site.

Water Balloon Toss at Olivetrees 2013 Picnic.

It has been over a month since the Olive Trees Picnic. With the hacking of my site and my general tendency towards procrastination, I have not been able to post the pictures until now.

There were 42 readers and contributors who participated in the day, bringing food, drinks and joy. In the whiffle ball game, the visiting team, led by team captain, Gavin Ellis beat the home team 15 to 12.

The water balloon toss was a tie between the Frederick’s of Caroga Lake and the team of Gavin and Schuyler of Auburn.

The three legged race was won by the Cleveland’s of Elbridge (again). There have been rumors that they tie their legs together and walk around like that at home just to practice.

The wheel barrow race was won by the Watrobskis. There has been a formal complaint lodged with the national wheel barrow race commissioner stating that Chris, the parent of Ethan, carried him over the finish line, therefore disqualifying the team because the “down” participant did not have a hand on the ground at the time of the finish. Stay tuned for results of this protest.

Click here to enjoy images from the picnic.