Celebrations!

1/5/2023

by Nisargo Troy

Greetings and a happy, healthy, peaceful and gentle New Year to you All!

Where do I start? It has been less than three months since I wrote last, but we have had so many beautiful events here at Heartwood since then that it is hard to not tell you about them all. So I will attempt to give you a little peak.

But first I want to share something else. I often get asked when people come to visit Heartwood, how much time it really requires of each member to keep the community running. When we become members we commit to 25 hours of our time per quarter. Yes, there are meetings. Yes, there are work parties. There are special responsibilities one takes on, which take time. We are grateful for the snow plowers, the accountants, the cooks, those who keep the pastures green, the tractor working, the greenhouse producing, the common house clean. The list goes on. And those hours are needed indeed.

But then there are those hours spent preparing for special celebrations, the dances, the parties, the Happy Hour food contributions, the planning of the many fun events. These hours spent on the community are just as important and they can be so fulfilling. Yes, it takes time to keep Heartwood’s heartbeat beating. But in the end, it is so worth it!

So read on in this issue about the many ways we love to celebrate!

As always, I am fond of doing my “show and tell” accompanied by photos. This edition will have even more than the usual. We will start with Halloween and end with New Years. Here we go!

Look at these two beautiful ladies! Mimi and Lyn donned their best on this special day. Don’t they look fantastic?

And look who came to visit! Knowing that Emilio would be dressed as a calf for Thanksgiving, Sandy, his Nanny, followed “suit”, so to speak.

Very scary dishes were served, by whom?? Jason is truly spooked!

I dare you…. so delicious!

In early November, a very cold, but still stunningly, beautiful camping trip to Canyonlands did not only provide many opportunities for hiking the multitude of trails, but also meals around the fire and the making of s’mores accompanied by spellbinding stories, read out loud. It was also a great opportunity to reconnect and get to know some friends from our Phase 2 project better who hope to live soon at Heartwood and who came to join us there.

Campers and tents spread throughout the site, the kitchen area right in the center and almost always a fire going to keep hands, toes and booties warm.

Fun times around fire under the almost full moon!

Not much later the community prepared for the always greatly anticipated Thanksgiving celebration. The day began with the customary turkey trot, different groups of people walking the trails on our property, completed with coffee and sweets at the common house. There the set up crew had already decorated the tables and delicious smells were wafting from the oven in the kitchen.

Ronda, Jack and KJ are busy with last preparations.

By 4pm trays of food arrived from every house until the two long tables were filled. Vegetarian fare as well as dairy-free and gluten-free options were offered. Gratitude for all the love and nourishment we receive here filled the room.

Now, we don’t only join in connection and fun with others around food. Helping each other with bigger projects is sometimes just as much fun!

At our monthly work party in November we worked alongside each other as usual on outdoor projects.

Here is Lily, our youngest soon-to-be-member, helping with stacking wood for future use within the community.

Beth and Dylan at the pre-move-in painting party at #17.

A move-out-party at #18. In through the side door, out the front, and all the boxes and furniture were in the truck in no time.

Solstice, the return of the light, is important to many of Heartwood’s members.

So on the winter solstice we bundled up around the fire for a beautiful ceremony lead by Tom. We set intentions for the new year and/or let go of something not needed anymore - into the fire.

And then there was Christmas, which at Heartwood is always celebrated with a Posada on Christmas Eve. In this Mexican Christmas tradition a certain couple is remembered who, a very long time ago, knocked on many doors, trying to find shelter. So here we walk through the community, stopping at specific houses where we are treated royally by some of our members. The first stop was for appetizers and drinks at #22, then soup and bread at #1 and then coffee and desserts with some music and caroling to finish up at the common house.

Daniel’s famous Margaritas and a plethora of appetizers were enjoyed at #22.

Then came the snow. And it kept on snowing! The world outside today is still a magic wonderland. Our little Kubota with the attached blade for snow removal is being used everyday, clearing the pathways. Lucy the tractor is busy keeping Heartwood Lane open. We continue to be grateful to those who are willing to be out there making sure we can get around!

We celebrated New Year’s Eve with another lovely dance party, enjoyed many delicious food contributions and a game or two.