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Hello! My husband, Frank, and I are new residents here at Heartwood—into our seventh month as happy homeowners. I’m a writer by trade and happy to be your new correspondent for Heartwood Happenings. As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to us here at Heartwood with any questions you might have about our neighborhood nestled in the woods and mountains of Southwest Colorado. Yours in Community, Monica  One of the many benefits of living in community is the freedom to practice—and share—your hobbies, your creative side(s), your passions and interests. Not only do cohousing communities generally offer a large Common House (Heartwood’s is 4,000-square feet) for activities, but you often find specialized and dedicated spaces generated through one or more members’ efforts and interest. Here at Heartwood, we’re an inspired bunch, if we don’t say so ourselves. And one person’s idea of fun can be infectious, bringing us together to share in the fun as well as in the organizing effort. That’s what happened with the case of our first-rate woodworking shop. We’re talking a craftsman’s oasis here, complete with state-of-the-art table saw, planer, jointer, miter saw, drill press, shaper, and band saw. The shop was the inspiration of a few of our residents who had a lot of tools and decided to share them with others who were properly trained or ready to learn. Soon, the building was up and a woodworking guild created. Are you a fix-it person? A DIY-er? Then, this is for you. One of our residents, for example, uses the shop each November to create massive pine-bough Christmas wreaths for local businesses. Some of us stretch ourselves in other ways—literally. Our morning Yoga group in the Common House is taught by a respected local instructor from Durango who provides hands-on attention to each individual, ensuring prevention of injury and appropriate challenge. Another of our Heartwood neighbors heads up a regional organization called Seniors Outdoors, convening seniors from the region for weekly outdoor activities such as hikes, snowshoeing and skiing. Each of us at Heartwood have our own unique networks, and we love to share a good find with our neighbors. We have a Ukulele teacher teaching once a month and various experts who share their presentations with us over dinner. Hearing about the local library’s book sale/fundraiser drive, our neighbors Becky and Gay thought of holding a community-wide yard sale and donating the proceeds, as just one example. And how about our llama-packing folks? They live here along with the furry friends housed in the pastures south of our cluster of homes, and they regularly take packing trips into the spectacular wilderness areas all around us -- some of the largest in the country. If you have an idea, you’ll likely find a receptive audience here at Heartwood. From book clubs to fire circles, from raising chickens to building a soccer field for the kids, our neighbors have seeded Heartwood with their skills, and the results are pretty fabulous. Warm Wishes, Monica |