Last year the SFKossacks visited side pocket's farm in the Wine Country. During our party, which was fantastic, side pocket told me that someday he wanted to have a bigger event. He said he sits outside in the evening and fantasizes about a large group of kossacks mingling and munching. And dare he say it out loud, he wishes he could have Markos attend. I replied to side pocket, "well... I think I can make that happen..." He said, "if you give me this event I'll pull out all the stops and spare no expense." I felt like Don Corleone.
It did happen. On Sunday, Dec. 6th over 60 kossacks from around the Bay Area drove as many as 5 hrs. to attend. This was our largest meetup ever. Even though locals may have driven long distances there were two folk who receive the ROAD WARRIOR award this year. Oke, who flew in from Iowa just for this event and trashablanca who drove up from Southern Cal.
Join me below for *100* plus photos of our event.
So while I managed all the promotion and invitation communication side pocket and Mrs. side pocket did all the hard werk. side pocket rented a large tent plus a bounce house for the kids and Mrs. side pocket cooked all the food! Not only did they prepare all the food they also GREW almost all of the vegetables. ♪♪ Farm livin' that's the life for me ♪♪
Let's start with the invite which features the grapevines in side pocket's yard:
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Secondly, I'm going to feature SFKossack dweb8231's (one of the official photographers invited to shoot NN09) professional quality photos of the event:
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joustchr
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Books waiting for Markos to sign
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trashablanca
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dadanation and Vigilant Meerkat
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Paul in Berkeley
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Get a load of Paul in Berkeley's nametag. LOL!
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Mary Rickles, director of communications and media for Netroots Nation
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Mr. Gina Cooper, spousal unit of Gina Cooper who sits on the Board of Directors for Netroots Nation
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jotter
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Mrs. jotter
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DavidW in SF owns the online bookstore that supplied Markos' book for us
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Makeda
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Angry Mouse, welcome back to the Bay Area!
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SallyCat, Happy Birthday!
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rfall who was kind enough to chauffeur Angry Mouse and pick Oke up from the airport
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John07801 who gave a ride to kimoconnor
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kimoconnor
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homogenius
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marthature
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norm
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Amy, I think
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Markos arrives
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That's me, navajo zipping around checking on everything...
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Little Loner
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Eli, Markos and Elisa's daughter, 2.5 years old
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Mrs. side pocket has coffee percolating and side pocket has a bounce house set up
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RedMeatDem aka leftylimblog and leftcoast
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RedMeatDem aka leftylimblog, Oke and maggiejean
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SFKossacks lined up for chow
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zdefender and marthature
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Let's start with the back of Will Rockafellow's head and then clockwise with Markos, SusanG's daughter, Micaela, little Eli, Elisa, SusanG and Amy
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Jeff in CA, Hunter standing, elfling and I'm guessing that's elfling's father and his wife
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Angry Mouse and half of a SallyCat
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The other half of SallyCat and Elisa, Markos' wife
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Will Rockafellow, General Manager of Kos Media and Eli
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Markos is extremely affectionate with both his children. This is Eli sharing a moment with her dad.
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This might be elfling's father.....anybody know?
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Hunter herding kids. This was the greatest place for kids, one told side pocket, "wow, you have so many places to hide!"
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Archangel
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side pocket with his special cake
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Doug's pic of me taking pics with my little idiot camera
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Thanks Doug for all these excellent photos!
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Speaking of my idiot camera, it's time for my on going series Idiot with Idiot Camera:
My photos start as we arrive early to help the side pockets setup.
Low and behold, look at the sign that side pocket has attached to his mailbox! Of course I asked side pocket how the hell he got that! Here's his email reply:
Markos posted some comment about the new upcoming version of Daily Kos (said we'll all hate it at first) and someone asked if the flag guy was still there. He said yes but would be revised and updated, and posted a picture of the the new one. Knowing I was going to do this party someday I quick grabbed it. Mrs. side pocket knows a professional artist so I commissioned her to paint it on both sides of the white board and she did a perfect job.
Yes, she did.
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side pocket is the ultimate FAN BOY of Daily Kos, here is his license plate
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Here is Mr. navajo at the Heifer, International display and making his contribution. The side pocket's chose Heifer, Int. this year as our charity drive. Mrs. side pocket volunteers for them. The side pockets provided all the food and asked the SFKossacks to donate to Heifer instead of bringing pot luck.
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side pocket setting up the bounce house, we filled it with balloons
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Jude and Ari getting ready to cross swords
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Mona T. Brooks is an angel. She's mopping up the excess moisture in the bounce house before the kids get in. I'm too old to climb in a bounce house.
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Mona T. Brooks getting the bouncing going
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Ari and friends jumping in the bounce house
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Markos taking Eli to visit the bounce house
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Eli can't get her shoes off fast enough to get into the bounce house
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Markos helping Eli get into the bounce house
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Oh noes! It's too bouncy in the bounce house!
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Mona T. Brooks helping Eli out of the bounce house because she was scared. Markos helping her put on her shoes.
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MoodyLoner making people laugh as usual, homogenius, Paul in Berkeley and Makeda
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Mary Rickles, director of communications and media, Raven Brooks, executive director and Mona T. Brooks, official photographer for Netroots Nation
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Markos signing Angry Mouse's book
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Markos signing books with DavidW in SF who owns an online bookstore in San Francisco and hand carried some orders with him.
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side pocket gets a much deserved sit down with Markos to sign all his books
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This is a great story:
This is Mary Rickles and Raven Brooks of Netroots Nation listening to Oke (center) about her project. Oke made DailyKos coasters and brought them for Markos to sign, he did and Oke is donating them to the current craft auction for NN10.
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A closeup of Oke's coasters as she's making them
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leftcoast, jotter and Markos
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Mrs. side pocket, finally looking up from all her work
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leftcoast
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Jude with his pop Will Rockafellow and Hunter
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Markos signing my book
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Jotter laughing with Markos and Mr. navajo in the grey cardigan
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elfling and Hunter
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from left and then clockwise:
Vigilant Meerkat, Predictor, Elisa, SusanG and Archangel shooting me
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dadanation shooting me, agggggggh, you got me copper...
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Take that dadanation, you dirty rat, why I oughta'
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side pocket serving his cake
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From the left and then clockwise:
Gina Cooper, Markos, zdefender, DavidW in SF and makeda
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Oke most likely praising Hunter as we all do. He's pretty much a rock star walking among us.
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Elisa chatting with Elfling and RedMeatDem aka LeftyLimblog wondering where his cake is
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I don't think Eli could be any cuter...
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Ari asked me, "how do you know my name?" I said, "because your dad is famous and he talks about you online." He replied, "I don't know what you mean." I tried to explain more but he walked away. I don't blame him.
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Moody Loner, side pocket and Mr. Gina Cooper and Mrs. Moody Loner ducking out of the photo as usual
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Mr. SallyCat finally gets to sit down. He was an excellent kitchen helper, never complains, out loud any how.
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Markos (with Ari close by) showing Gina Cooper a preview of DK4 on his iphone
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DavidW in SF looking at Markos' iphone and a preview of DK4
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zdefender, dweb8231 and DavidW in SF
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Paul in Berkeley grabbing the last cookie
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How cute is this? Vigilant Meerkat and trashablanca
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side pocket's home on his self sustainable farm, oh here's another great story. Markos arrives and says he doesn't know what he's going to do about gas, he's on E. Well, side pocket to the rescue. It's a farm so he has gas tank reserves. He filled Markos' car and saved the day PLUS fed the multitudes. I'll try to get a pic of him walking on water next time since I neglected to get a pic of the gasoline story. And don't fault Markos, this farm is on multiple winding roads far out in the Wine Country's outback.
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And now a few photos from Archangel:
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MaggieJean getting her book signed
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Oke, Patrick and Markos
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Markos signing a bunch of Oke's DailyKos coasters to be donated and auctioned off.
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I love how Ari's wrapping his leg around his dad's and Moody's waving at Little Loner on the hill; good fathers
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Here's my parting shot, goodbye and good night, I'm done.
Who wants the next event? NO PRESSURE, this is not a hard act to follow or anything...
side pockets, job well done!