All of us here at Heartwood share the value of living in community, but we have many different interests, talents, beliefs, and backgrounds. In the passages below, you'll meet some of our current members and learn what they enjoy about life at Heartwood and you'll meet some of our future Phase 2 members and learn what attracts them to life at Heartwood.
Heartwood Phase 1 Members
Julie M
I have lived in #2 since the summer of 2003. Prior to that I lived in Durango for 23 years. Salt Lake City, Northern Virginia, Eritrea, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Long Island, New York.
I am the divorced mother of 3 and grandmother of 2. During my 17 years at HW all my children and grandchildren have lived with me at some point. My younger GC was born in the living room of #1 and my daughter, Kelly, currently lives here, as well as our social golden-doodle, Mae.
Kelly is a TSA inspector, I am a grief counselor who became an accountant 11 years ago. Mae is a full-time dog.
What I like about living here:
I have lived in #2 since the summer of 2003. Prior to that I lived in Durango for 23 years. Salt Lake City, Northern Virginia, Eritrea, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Long Island, New York.
I am the divorced mother of 3 and grandmother of 2. During my 17 years at HW all my children and grandchildren have lived with me at some point. My younger GC was born in the living room of #1 and my daughter, Kelly, currently lives here, as well as our social golden-doodle, Mae.
Kelly is a TSA inspector, I am a grief counselor who became an accountant 11 years ago. Mae is a full-time dog.
What I like about living here:
- That all of my family have felt comfortable living here at various times. It makes this our "Family Home".
- Knowing that neighbors will always offer each other a helping hand.
- Even in times of Covid, we find ways to celebrate.
Jack & Ronda
Jack McGroder and Ronda Ramsier live at #4. We have lived here throughout most of Heartwood's years. We were married here on the Village Green in 2006. Our son, Lee, was 13 when we moved here, and has long-since moved on to the big city.
What I, Ronda, really like about living at Heartwood is being “known” by so many familiar people. I pretty much always feel supported, seen, understood, and loved by those who know both the good and the not-so-good about me.
What I, Jack, really like about living at Heartwood is the land, the peace and quiet, the people, the feeling of community. I am very much looking forward to the completion of Phase 2 and the infusion of new people and new energy to mix with the “old”.
Jack McGroder and Ronda Ramsier live at #4. We have lived here throughout most of Heartwood's years. We were married here on the Village Green in 2006. Our son, Lee, was 13 when we moved here, and has long-since moved on to the big city.
What I, Ronda, really like about living at Heartwood is being “known” by so many familiar people. I pretty much always feel supported, seen, understood, and loved by those who know both the good and the not-so-good about me.
What I, Jack, really like about living at Heartwood is the land, the peace and quiet, the people, the feeling of community. I am very much looking forward to the completion of Phase 2 and the infusion of new people and new energy to mix with the “old”.
Laurie
I live in #6. Kyla, my 26 year old daughter, is here periodically though her recent move to Chicago may make that less and less likely. I have lived at Heartwood since 2005 and have been a part of the community, in one way or another, since the beginning.
What I enjoy about living at Heartwood is the ease of balancing private and social times. I have as much privacy as I may want or need and then when I’m ready to move out and engage there are often either community activities or the ease of engaging with my neighbors by just walking out the front door. I am often challenged and rewarded by the depth of interpersonal interactions and the different ways we view the world. I love being able to walk out the door to hike, snowshoe or ski on our trails.
I live in #6. Kyla, my 26 year old daughter, is here periodically though her recent move to Chicago may make that less and less likely. I have lived at Heartwood since 2005 and have been a part of the community, in one way or another, since the beginning.
What I enjoy about living at Heartwood is the ease of balancing private and social times. I have as much privacy as I may want or need and then when I’m ready to move out and engage there are often either community activities or the ease of engaging with my neighbors by just walking out the front door. I am often challenged and rewarded by the depth of interpersonal interactions and the different ways we view the world. I love being able to walk out the door to hike, snowshoe or ski on our trails.
Lynne
My name is Lynne McGee, aka Mimi, and I have lived in Heartwood from the beginning. I was a part of the Geneva Cohousing group that came down to Durango from Boulder 27 years ago with the hopes of starting a cohousing in this region.
Initially I rented # 14 while I built my straw clay house on the West End. Fran Hart (#8) and I built our homes in tandem and to this day share elements of our backyard space. She even invited me to build my small hoop house and raised bed garden on her property as the sun access was preferable there.
I live alone with my 11 year old Wheaten Terrier Ringo. I am the oldest member of Heartwood (but Han Bishop has been trying desperately to catch up). I love to hike and camp in my small teardrop trailer which is basically a bed on wheels with a kitchen on the back. Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and occasionally Arizona are our favorite destinations.
Since moving to Durango I have had a myriad of jobs including catering and creating one-of-a-kind art to wear clothing but am now permanently retired with nothing to do but bask in gratitude for the beauty in all its forms that surrounds me.
Textiles are a particular interest of mine and I explore the realms of Shibori, felting, and piece work in my own personal wardrobe and decor. Gardening is a great love of mine and although I have had to decrease some of my growing areas in the last few years I cannot imagine not being surrounded by masses of flowers and fresh vegetables.
I have three grown children and five grandchildren (two of whom grew up here).
The depth of intimacy and friendship I experience at Heartwood is beyond anything I could have imagined when my heart was leading me to community. I intend to live my remaining years here and be buried on the land leaving my body to continue to nourish this place that has brought me so much love, peace and joy.
My name is Lynne McGee, aka Mimi, and I have lived in Heartwood from the beginning. I was a part of the Geneva Cohousing group that came down to Durango from Boulder 27 years ago with the hopes of starting a cohousing in this region.
Initially I rented # 14 while I built my straw clay house on the West End. Fran Hart (#8) and I built our homes in tandem and to this day share elements of our backyard space. She even invited me to build my small hoop house and raised bed garden on her property as the sun access was preferable there.
I live alone with my 11 year old Wheaten Terrier Ringo. I am the oldest member of Heartwood (but Han Bishop has been trying desperately to catch up). I love to hike and camp in my small teardrop trailer which is basically a bed on wheels with a kitchen on the back. Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and occasionally Arizona are our favorite destinations.
Since moving to Durango I have had a myriad of jobs including catering and creating one-of-a-kind art to wear clothing but am now permanently retired with nothing to do but bask in gratitude for the beauty in all its forms that surrounds me.
Textiles are a particular interest of mine and I explore the realms of Shibori, felting, and piece work in my own personal wardrobe and decor. Gardening is a great love of mine and although I have had to decrease some of my growing areas in the last few years I cannot imagine not being surrounded by masses of flowers and fresh vegetables.
I have three grown children and five grandchildren (two of whom grew up here).
The depth of intimacy and friendship I experience at Heartwood is beyond anything I could have imagined when my heart was leading me to community. I intend to live my remaining years here and be buried on the land leaving my body to continue to nourish this place that has brought me so much love, peace and joy.
Lyn & Barry
In 2020 Barry and I celebrated 45 years of living together. We met in a class called, “Learning How to Tell the Truth,” in Denver, CO. Four years later, 1981, we moved with our then 18 month old son, Matthew, to Durango. We became part of a spiritual community here called the Emissaries of Divine Light. Their headquarters was in Loveland, CO but the 24ish members here was the group of friends that became our family and we all helped in raising each other’s children. That closeness lasted for 11 years and even though we are all still dear friends, the focus of the Emissaries dissipated. In 1991 we started looking for others that wanted a community where we could share land and our lives together. In 1994 we met who became the founding members of Heartwood.
Barry hales from Brooklyn, NY but left there so long ago that it’s like another lifetime. During the first 30 years of living in Durango he opened and successfully ran Barry’s Fix-it Shop. He repaired mostly home appliances, but had a go at many other things. Then he moved on to being a property manager which he still does in the Farmington area. We’re hoping he can retire from that in the near future.
Lyn left rural eastern Kansas at age 20, and after getting her MA worked as vocational rehabilitation counselor for 25 years covering SW Colorado. Retiring from that in 2008 she opened a part-time Astrology Counseling business, which has been her love since she was 24. Still finding much of her sanity through studying the heavens she can’t ever imagine not marveling at the miraculous.
Matthew returned to Colorado, moving to Littleton, with his family in 2018. We are delighted to be so close to especially our now 7 year old Granddaughter, Mckenzie.
We are both so very thankful to live in this wonderful community, Heartwood. And even though the foundation here is strong, we recognize that it still takes everyone of us to continue to create this most amazing way of life.
In 2020 Barry and I celebrated 45 years of living together. We met in a class called, “Learning How to Tell the Truth,” in Denver, CO. Four years later, 1981, we moved with our then 18 month old son, Matthew, to Durango. We became part of a spiritual community here called the Emissaries of Divine Light. Their headquarters was in Loveland, CO but the 24ish members here was the group of friends that became our family and we all helped in raising each other’s children. That closeness lasted for 11 years and even though we are all still dear friends, the focus of the Emissaries dissipated. In 1991 we started looking for others that wanted a community where we could share land and our lives together. In 1994 we met who became the founding members of Heartwood.
Barry hales from Brooklyn, NY but left there so long ago that it’s like another lifetime. During the first 30 years of living in Durango he opened and successfully ran Barry’s Fix-it Shop. He repaired mostly home appliances, but had a go at many other things. Then he moved on to being a property manager which he still does in the Farmington area. We’re hoping he can retire from that in the near future.
Lyn left rural eastern Kansas at age 20, and after getting her MA worked as vocational rehabilitation counselor for 25 years covering SW Colorado. Retiring from that in 2008 she opened a part-time Astrology Counseling business, which has been her love since she was 24. Still finding much of her sanity through studying the heavens she can’t ever imagine not marveling at the miraculous.
Matthew returned to Colorado, moving to Littleton, with his family in 2018. We are delighted to be so close to especially our now 7 year old Granddaughter, Mckenzie.
We are both so very thankful to live in this wonderful community, Heartwood. And even though the foundation here is strong, we recognize that it still takes everyone of us to continue to create this most amazing way of life.
Dick & Gay
We have been married since 1966—55 years! We met at Swarthmore College, were friends for 4 years and got together right before graduation. We have lived in Philly, Hartford, and then moved to Questa, NM, a small Hispanic town north of Taos, where Dick started practicing medicine — the first physician to live there. We lived in Albuquerque for his Residency, and then moved to Durango in 1970 with our two young sons. When the nest was empty, we moved to Heartwood, in 2000. We are happy that Dave and Bryan and their families both now live in Colorado. One daughter-in-law is a doctor, and the other a nurse. We love being able to spend time with our granddaughters, 17 and 13, in Grand Junction, and our 7 year old Anya, in Denver, who is bilingual in Russian and English, like her Ukrainian mom. We have a 12 year old big black lab mutt, called Ty, and an elderly chestnut mare called Missy. We love to hike and camp, cross country ski, canoe and paddle board on nearby lakes and rivers, and work outside. We have sung with the Durango Choral Society for 45 years, including several trips to Europe, to Hawaii and Carnegie Hall. We have enjoyed doing a lot of traveling in many wonderful countries on all continents (except Antarctica!)
Doctor Dick: I grew up in Philadelphia and am a Quaker and member of Durango Friends’ Meeting. I started my concern about human population in 1960, in high school. The path this has led me on included practicing OB-GYN for 40 years in Durango and writing the only newspaper column focusing on aspects of population since 1995. I have practiced medicine in a small town in the mountains of Puerto Rico, where we lived while our sons were in 3rd and 6th grades, and doctored in Swaziland and worked on a research project in Ghana. I love to travel.
I am happy to live at Heartwood for many reasons, including close relationships with friends, the beautiful land and the fact that living in an efficient community allows us to have smaller footprints. I helped to establish Heartwood's Renewable Energy Fund, and get our solar irrigation pump and the photovoltaic system for the Common House/Workshop. I am happy that we just installed an electrical vehicle charger near the Common House for visitors as well as residents. We have solar panels on our home and on our carport, to plug our hybrid into the sun.
Gay: My name is Gail, but “Gay” is my nickname, especially at Heartwood. I have been a teacher since college and grad school, first teaching High School and then going back to get a degree in Elementary Ed at Fort Lewis. A group of us started an independent preschool/elementary school in Durango in ’78 and it is still thriving, though I have been retired for about 20 years. During that time I have volunteered as a teacher with Durango Nature Studies and Big Brothers/Big sisters, and helped teach in our Heartwood Home School Cooperative. Singing in the Choral Society is very important for my mental health, and recently Dick and I have enjoyed getting involved with our local Rotary Club.
What I love most about Heartwood is working and playing with my neighbors outdoors on our beautiful land. I love being able to chat with neighbors informally, without arranging special events or dinners, and seeing friends at common meals and potlucks. I enjoy Heartwood work parties and growing vegetables with friends, old and newer. It’s also fun to cook common meals with others—I have gotten more interested in cooking since I have lived here. I enjoy getting to know the Heartwood animals, as well as their wonderful owners! Having been a teacher all my life, I have also had some very special times with children here, and hope we will have more young children in our community once Phase 2 is a reality.
We have been married since 1966—55 years! We met at Swarthmore College, were friends for 4 years and got together right before graduation. We have lived in Philly, Hartford, and then moved to Questa, NM, a small Hispanic town north of Taos, where Dick started practicing medicine — the first physician to live there. We lived in Albuquerque for his Residency, and then moved to Durango in 1970 with our two young sons. When the nest was empty, we moved to Heartwood, in 2000. We are happy that Dave and Bryan and their families both now live in Colorado. One daughter-in-law is a doctor, and the other a nurse. We love being able to spend time with our granddaughters, 17 and 13, in Grand Junction, and our 7 year old Anya, in Denver, who is bilingual in Russian and English, like her Ukrainian mom. We have a 12 year old big black lab mutt, called Ty, and an elderly chestnut mare called Missy. We love to hike and camp, cross country ski, canoe and paddle board on nearby lakes and rivers, and work outside. We have sung with the Durango Choral Society for 45 years, including several trips to Europe, to Hawaii and Carnegie Hall. We have enjoyed doing a lot of traveling in many wonderful countries on all continents (except Antarctica!)
Doctor Dick: I grew up in Philadelphia and am a Quaker and member of Durango Friends’ Meeting. I started my concern about human population in 1960, in high school. The path this has led me on included practicing OB-GYN for 40 years in Durango and writing the only newspaper column focusing on aspects of population since 1995. I have practiced medicine in a small town in the mountains of Puerto Rico, where we lived while our sons were in 3rd and 6th grades, and doctored in Swaziland and worked on a research project in Ghana. I love to travel.
I am happy to live at Heartwood for many reasons, including close relationships with friends, the beautiful land and the fact that living in an efficient community allows us to have smaller footprints. I helped to establish Heartwood's Renewable Energy Fund, and get our solar irrigation pump and the photovoltaic system for the Common House/Workshop. I am happy that we just installed an electrical vehicle charger near the Common House for visitors as well as residents. We have solar panels on our home and on our carport, to plug our hybrid into the sun.
Gay: My name is Gail, but “Gay” is my nickname, especially at Heartwood. I have been a teacher since college and grad school, first teaching High School and then going back to get a degree in Elementary Ed at Fort Lewis. A group of us started an independent preschool/elementary school in Durango in ’78 and it is still thriving, though I have been retired for about 20 years. During that time I have volunteered as a teacher with Durango Nature Studies and Big Brothers/Big sisters, and helped teach in our Heartwood Home School Cooperative. Singing in the Choral Society is very important for my mental health, and recently Dick and I have enjoyed getting involved with our local Rotary Club.
What I love most about Heartwood is working and playing with my neighbors outdoors on our beautiful land. I love being able to chat with neighbors informally, without arranging special events or dinners, and seeing friends at common meals and potlucks. I enjoy Heartwood work parties and growing vegetables with friends, old and newer. It’s also fun to cook common meals with others—I have gotten more interested in cooking since I have lived here. I enjoy getting to know the Heartwood animals, as well as their wonderful owners! Having been a teacher all my life, I have also had some very special times with children here, and hope we will have more young children in our community once Phase 2 is a reality.
Han & Sarah
My name is Sarah and my husband is Han. We moved to Heartwood #14 in July 2016 from the San Francisco Bay area. We are so grateful to be here and love community life, even more so during this COVID crisis, when connecting with neighbors has been challenging at times, but certainly rewarding and enlivening despite not able to share common meals. The land and people are what attracted us to Heartwood after visiting several communities in the West. Our ability to step outside our door and have access to 360 acres with many miles of trails brings joy to our hearts, minds and bodies. Additionally, there are outdoor sport opportunities within a short drive from Heartwood. This picture was taken last winter at Vallecito Nordic Ski Center, about a 20 minute drive.
My name is Sarah and my husband is Han. We moved to Heartwood #14 in July 2016 from the San Francisco Bay area. We are so grateful to be here and love community life, even more so during this COVID crisis, when connecting with neighbors has been challenging at times, but certainly rewarding and enlivening despite not able to share common meals. The land and people are what attracted us to Heartwood after visiting several communities in the West. Our ability to step outside our door and have access to 360 acres with many miles of trails brings joy to our hearts, minds and bodies. Additionally, there are outdoor sport opportunities within a short drive from Heartwood. This picture was taken last winter at Vallecito Nordic Ski Center, about a 20 minute drive.
Gail
Hi, my name is Gail Davidson. I am one of the pioneer founding members that came from Boulder to Durango in 1993; we began moving into our homes in January, 2000. Our intention was to create a community of living lightly on the land, sharing resources and creating higher levels of intimacy in our lives.
So be it – Heartwood Cohousing!
I am single, retired, and as of this writing (2020), 78 years of age. I don't have any pets of my own, although the neighborhood dogs sometimes think they live at #15. I have four grown sons and four grandchildren, two living in Colorado and two living in California. A sense of family was and continues to be important, i.e., my Heartwood family.
I am a very active person, hiking in the high country north of Durango a few times a week and snowshoeing weekly in the winter.
Feeling welcome and being part of something bigger at Heartwood has been a great gift as I go through my world. I am surrounded by people who create a welcoming environment, where I feel loved, have lots of fun, great conversations and a strong sense of belonging.
Hi, my name is Gail Davidson. I am one of the pioneer founding members that came from Boulder to Durango in 1993; we began moving into our homes in January, 2000. Our intention was to create a community of living lightly on the land, sharing resources and creating higher levels of intimacy in our lives.
So be it – Heartwood Cohousing!
I am single, retired, and as of this writing (2020), 78 years of age. I don't have any pets of my own, although the neighborhood dogs sometimes think they live at #15. I have four grown sons and four grandchildren, two living in Colorado and two living in California. A sense of family was and continues to be important, i.e., my Heartwood family.
I am a very active person, hiking in the high country north of Durango a few times a week and snowshoeing weekly in the winter.
Feeling welcome and being part of something bigger at Heartwood has been a great gift as I go through my world. I am surrounded by people who create a welcoming environment, where I feel loved, have lots of fun, great conversations and a strong sense of belonging.
Mac & Sandy
Our three kids have mostly grown and gone (ages 20 - 25). Our youngest, Joe, was born in this house shortly after moving to Heartwood and recently went off to college. Wow, what an earthshaking transition for us. So happy and so sad all at once. Because of Covid, our middle child, Al, has moved back in to finish up his Geology degree at Fort Lewis College (in Durango) while living in his old room in our basement. We also share our house with our sweet dog, Roo.
What Mac enjoys about living at Heartwood...
On the physical side, I love:
On the community side, I love:
What Sandy enjoys about living at Heartwood...
I enjoy sharing meals together, the ease of interactions with friends and neighbors. I enjoy living with people who really see me, know who I am and love me anyway. I am an introvert to the highest degree and love that I don’t have to make plans weeks ahead to get together with my friends. I love that I can go to a party at the common house for a few hours and go home while Mac is able to stay until the very end. I love looking out my window and seeing people I know and care about as they go to work or out and about. I love the land. The trails, the wildlife, the peace and beauty.
I love that my kids got to grow up in an environment where they were loved and respected by so many people of all ages. I love that they got to experience a deep connection to Nature and the beauty of the surrounding areas.
Our three kids have mostly grown and gone (ages 20 - 25). Our youngest, Joe, was born in this house shortly after moving to Heartwood and recently went off to college. Wow, what an earthshaking transition for us. So happy and so sad all at once. Because of Covid, our middle child, Al, has moved back in to finish up his Geology degree at Fort Lewis College (in Durango) while living in his old room in our basement. We also share our house with our sweet dog, Roo.
What Mac enjoys about living at Heartwood...
On the physical side, I love:
- walking out my front yard and hitting the trails after a day of desk work for a run, bike ride, or XC ski
- soaking in the hot tub under a dark, starry sky
- building furniture and other projects in the workshop
- living in close connection with Nature
- watching kids playing on the SS Ponderosa (play structure)
- playing tennis on the best court on Earth
- living in a super energy efficient house with no air conditioner, where the climate lets us keep the windows open for more than half the year
- walking over to the greenhouse to harvest some greens and herbs for my breakfast
- being close to millions of acres of mountain and red rock wilderness for endless adventures — skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, hiking, camping, whitewater rafting
- living in an incredibly safe place, virtually free of crime
- living in a four season climate with sun, sun, and more sun
On the community side, I love:
- walking down the path and connecting with friends I know and love
- having my kids grow up in the most nurturing neighborhood I could hope for
- sharing meals with my neighbors
- knowing my neighbors and being known by them
- feeling comfortable, secure, and happy in knowing that my family belongs to a community that we care about and that cares about us
What Sandy enjoys about living at Heartwood...
I enjoy sharing meals together, the ease of interactions with friends and neighbors. I enjoy living with people who really see me, know who I am and love me anyway. I am an introvert to the highest degree and love that I don’t have to make plans weeks ahead to get together with my friends. I love that I can go to a party at the common house for a few hours and go home while Mac is able to stay until the very end. I love looking out my window and seeing people I know and care about as they go to work or out and about. I love the land. The trails, the wildlife, the peace and beauty.
I love that my kids got to grow up in an environment where they were loved and respected by so many people of all ages. I love that they got to experience a deep connection to Nature and the beauty of the surrounding areas.
Maria, Clint, & Lincoln
Hi! We are Maria, Clint, and Lincoln Miller. Maria is a local elementary school teacher, Clint works for Atmos Energy, and Lincoln is a full-time kid. He spends his summer days chasing lizards, getting muddy, playing on the SS Ponderosa, and climbing trees. We live at #18 and share our home with Becky Logan (downstairs apartment), Wally and Butters (great big senior dogs), and Mr. Mouse (our tuxedo kitty).
One thing to know about our family is that we like to take our time. Clint and I met in Middle School in 1991 and built a solid 20-year foundation of friendship before the wedding! It also took us a while to commit to Heartwood. In 2010, we learned about Heartwood and the concept of cohousing. We became enchanted by the idea of landing there some day to raise a family.
By 2013, we moved to Bayfield and remodeled a 100-year-old foreclosure in the center of town. At that time, Heartwood was out of reach financially, but was still very much on our radar. After two years of hard work, we had built our cozy little nest and it was darling. The only thing missing was a baby. In February, 2015, we welcomed Lincoln Rio into the world! Our lives changed in an instant. All that mattered from that moment forward was building a safe and happy childhood for our little boy. As much as we loved the nest we built, we didn’t have a sense of community in our neighborhood or access to wild open space for Lincoln to explore as he grew up.
By 2018, we were ready to seriously explore the idea of moving to Heartwood. We jumped on the opportunity to sublet the downstairs apartment of #18 for a couple of months to be sure community life was a good fit. What we thought would take two months of consideration took about two days. We fell in love. We said YES, to cohousing, YES, to Heartwood! Friendly folks, smiles, the great outdoors, the gardens, sharing food, and honest conversations made us feel like we had found our place in this world. We couldn’t wait for the right home to come on the market so that we could return and raise our little boy here.
Again, it took us some time, but in 2020, (after 10 years of thinking about it), the stars finally aligned and our dream was realized. We ended up buying #18 – the same house we stayed in two years before! Our hard work on the little nest paid off and helped finance the purchase of our dream home.
We feel like Heartwood's multigenerational cohousing dream to once again have young children romp the paths and command the SS Ponderosa playground was realized too. A month after moving in, a family with four kids moved in next door. It fills our hearts to the tippy-top to watch this “new crop” of kiddos build the next generation of Heartwood kid culture. We are so grateful and happy to be here!
Hi! We are Maria, Clint, and Lincoln Miller. Maria is a local elementary school teacher, Clint works for Atmos Energy, and Lincoln is a full-time kid. He spends his summer days chasing lizards, getting muddy, playing on the SS Ponderosa, and climbing trees. We live at #18 and share our home with Becky Logan (downstairs apartment), Wally and Butters (great big senior dogs), and Mr. Mouse (our tuxedo kitty).
One thing to know about our family is that we like to take our time. Clint and I met in Middle School in 1991 and built a solid 20-year foundation of friendship before the wedding! It also took us a while to commit to Heartwood. In 2010, we learned about Heartwood and the concept of cohousing. We became enchanted by the idea of landing there some day to raise a family.
By 2013, we moved to Bayfield and remodeled a 100-year-old foreclosure in the center of town. At that time, Heartwood was out of reach financially, but was still very much on our radar. After two years of hard work, we had built our cozy little nest and it was darling. The only thing missing was a baby. In February, 2015, we welcomed Lincoln Rio into the world! Our lives changed in an instant. All that mattered from that moment forward was building a safe and happy childhood for our little boy. As much as we loved the nest we built, we didn’t have a sense of community in our neighborhood or access to wild open space for Lincoln to explore as he grew up.
By 2018, we were ready to seriously explore the idea of moving to Heartwood. We jumped on the opportunity to sublet the downstairs apartment of #18 for a couple of months to be sure community life was a good fit. What we thought would take two months of consideration took about two days. We fell in love. We said YES, to cohousing, YES, to Heartwood! Friendly folks, smiles, the great outdoors, the gardens, sharing food, and honest conversations made us feel like we had found our place in this world. We couldn’t wait for the right home to come on the market so that we could return and raise our little boy here.
Again, it took us some time, but in 2020, (after 10 years of thinking about it), the stars finally aligned and our dream was realized. We ended up buying #18 – the same house we stayed in two years before! Our hard work on the little nest paid off and helped finance the purchase of our dream home.
We feel like Heartwood's multigenerational cohousing dream to once again have young children romp the paths and command the SS Ponderosa playground was realized too. A month after moving in, a family with four kids moved in next door. It fills our hearts to the tippy-top to watch this “new crop” of kiddos build the next generation of Heartwood kid culture. We are so grateful and happy to be here!
Becky
I joined HW over 2 years ago. I currently rent a lovely apartment and am a future P2 Homebuyer, waiting to move into my own house. After retirement, I sold my home in Vermont and took to the road in a beautiful 36’ travel trailer. Boy, I loved the travel, seeing so many wondrous places from Down East Maine to Big Bend, TX, from the Ozarks to the Wichita Mts. of OK, from Appalachacola, FL to St. George, UT. BUT, after 2 years traveling alone, I was lonely. So I went on search for a cohousing community, the one kind of community I could envision being a part of. After visiting two essentially unfriendly cohos, I dropped into Heartwood and never looked back. I was invited to join the October camping trip to Canyonlands and fell in love with the openness and generosity found with this group of people.
Love the SW – boulders, tors, cliffs, canyons – all such scenery stirring me. I hike, continue to travel with my little teardrop camper, before the Age of Covid, was a pickleball addict and hope to be again, am a Unitarian Universalist, love to play board games. Miss community dinners and potlucks, and, inexplicably, love yard work and gardening – I’m the Queen of fire mitigation, thistle eradication, and cluster beautification.
My household extends to Amber, my 2 year old Greyhound/Viszla, who is more social than I am, very friendly and inexhaustible – whereas I might hike 5 miles, Amber scoots off to explore and experience the surrounding terrain, probably arriving at 15 miles to my 5.
What I love about HW: well, the complex variety of people, groups and families living here, some so kind, some so darned smart and well-informed, some with amazing backgrounds and experiences, some with such good ideas for social gathering, some so spiritually open, some so talented, some so engaged with the outside community… All of us giving and sharing.
Living in a rural area with so much open land but only ½ an hour from a big town where I enjoy pickleball, church, shopping - this is the kind of life I’ve always had and very much enjoy.
Living so close to some of the most beautiful places to hike, and find inner fulfillment – like the Piedra River trail, Potato Lake, Sand Canyon, Penitente Canyon. Living close enough to take off camping near the national forest surrounding St. George, UT, or Silver City, NM, or Sedona, AZ.
This is my home and here I find respect and support and, in turn, find a very good place where my contributions are valued.
I joined HW over 2 years ago. I currently rent a lovely apartment and am a future P2 Homebuyer, waiting to move into my own house. After retirement, I sold my home in Vermont and took to the road in a beautiful 36’ travel trailer. Boy, I loved the travel, seeing so many wondrous places from Down East Maine to Big Bend, TX, from the Ozarks to the Wichita Mts. of OK, from Appalachacola, FL to St. George, UT. BUT, after 2 years traveling alone, I was lonely. So I went on search for a cohousing community, the one kind of community I could envision being a part of. After visiting two essentially unfriendly cohos, I dropped into Heartwood and never looked back. I was invited to join the October camping trip to Canyonlands and fell in love with the openness and generosity found with this group of people.
Love the SW – boulders, tors, cliffs, canyons – all such scenery stirring me. I hike, continue to travel with my little teardrop camper, before the Age of Covid, was a pickleball addict and hope to be again, am a Unitarian Universalist, love to play board games. Miss community dinners and potlucks, and, inexplicably, love yard work and gardening – I’m the Queen of fire mitigation, thistle eradication, and cluster beautification.
My household extends to Amber, my 2 year old Greyhound/Viszla, who is more social than I am, very friendly and inexhaustible – whereas I might hike 5 miles, Amber scoots off to explore and experience the surrounding terrain, probably arriving at 15 miles to my 5.
What I love about HW: well, the complex variety of people, groups and families living here, some so kind, some so darned smart and well-informed, some with amazing backgrounds and experiences, some with such good ideas for social gathering, some so spiritually open, some so talented, some so engaged with the outside community… All of us giving and sharing.
Living in a rural area with so much open land but only ½ an hour from a big town where I enjoy pickleball, church, shopping - this is the kind of life I’ve always had and very much enjoy.
Living so close to some of the most beautiful places to hike, and find inner fulfillment – like the Piedra River trail, Potato Lake, Sand Canyon, Penitente Canyon. Living close enough to take off camping near the national forest surrounding St. George, UT, or Silver City, NM, or Sedona, AZ.
This is my home and here I find respect and support and, in turn, find a very good place where my contributions are valued.
Sondra & Paul
Sondra Joyce and Paul Nazaryk are native Coloradans and live at # 24 with their cat, Mr. Poe. They were married at the Heartwood farm in 2010. Before that, Sondra and her son Joren (or JJ) lived at Heartwood. Joren grew up at Heartwood, currently lives in Durango, and is a frequent visitor.
Paul moved to the area from Missoula, Montana. His two daughters, Krista and Carly, were raised in Montana and the Denver area. Krista lives in Durango, and Carly lives in New York City with her husband, Israel. (They were married at the Cloisters during the Covid pandemic.) His stepdaughter, Lyndze, lives in Colorado Springs with her husband, Tommy, and their four kids.
Sondra is a realtor, commercial property manager/owner of Animas Square in Durango, and a coach. She loves living lightly on the earth, knowing people with diverse ideas and backgrounds that live here, all the amazing conversations that ensue because of that, breaking bread together, spontaneous parties, the fire circle, celebrations of the changing seasons, and the forward-thinking way we live together.
Paul is an attorney and an environmental consultant with an office in Durango. He is passionate about convertibles, music, especially Bruce Springsteen, and travel. Paul also does volunteer work with the Mountain Studies Institute and Axis Health Systems, where he serves on the Board of Directors. He loves to hike, mainly with his guy friends. Paul’s favorite thing about Heartwood is living with a close circle of friends and neighbors in a tolerant and progressive community with plenty of open space.
Sondra Joyce and Paul Nazaryk are native Coloradans and live at # 24 with their cat, Mr. Poe. They were married at the Heartwood farm in 2010. Before that, Sondra and her son Joren (or JJ) lived at Heartwood. Joren grew up at Heartwood, currently lives in Durango, and is a frequent visitor.
Paul moved to the area from Missoula, Montana. His two daughters, Krista and Carly, were raised in Montana and the Denver area. Krista lives in Durango, and Carly lives in New York City with her husband, Israel. (They were married at the Cloisters during the Covid pandemic.) His stepdaughter, Lyndze, lives in Colorado Springs with her husband, Tommy, and their four kids.
Sondra is a realtor, commercial property manager/owner of Animas Square in Durango, and a coach. She loves living lightly on the earth, knowing people with diverse ideas and backgrounds that live here, all the amazing conversations that ensue because of that, breaking bread together, spontaneous parties, the fire circle, celebrations of the changing seasons, and the forward-thinking way we live together.
Paul is an attorney and an environmental consultant with an office in Durango. He is passionate about convertibles, music, especially Bruce Springsteen, and travel. Paul also does volunteer work with the Mountain Studies Institute and Axis Health Systems, where he serves on the Board of Directors. He loves to hike, mainly with his guy friends. Paul’s favorite thing about Heartwood is living with a close circle of friends and neighbors in a tolerant and progressive community with plenty of open space.
Committed Phase 2 Homebuyers
Doug & Jill
We have been living in a rural area in northern New Mexico for some time now. We built and have lived in an adobe home for 30-years, in the small town of Pojoaque, 20-miles north of Santa Fe. We are recently retired. Engineers in our last life. Ages 60 and 61. Enjoy staying active and like hiking, walking, cross country skiing, fishing, boating, traveling. Jill is a big-time fiber artist who likes knitting, sewing, dyeing (note spelling), and weaving. Doug is learning to weave too. When not engaged in the above mentioned activities, Doug likes to stay busy keeping up with and making improvements to the home and property. We don’t have children and live pretty quiet and simple lives. We believe in giving back, supporting and caring for each other, honesty, integrity, living lightly and fully, trying to minimize our environmental footprints and caring for the environment.
We were introduced to Heartwood by Mimi through our interest in possibly building an Econest house. Of course it didn’t take long to fall in love with Mimi and Heartwood.
We have been living in a rural area in northern New Mexico for some time now. We built and have lived in an adobe home for 30-years, in the small town of Pojoaque, 20-miles north of Santa Fe. We are recently retired. Engineers in our last life. Ages 60 and 61. Enjoy staying active and like hiking, walking, cross country skiing, fishing, boating, traveling. Jill is a big-time fiber artist who likes knitting, sewing, dyeing (note spelling), and weaving. Doug is learning to weave too. When not engaged in the above mentioned activities, Doug likes to stay busy keeping up with and making improvements to the home and property. We don’t have children and live pretty quiet and simple lives. We believe in giving back, supporting and caring for each other, honesty, integrity, living lightly and fully, trying to minimize our environmental footprints and caring for the environment.
We were introduced to Heartwood by Mimi through our interest in possibly building an Econest house. Of course it didn’t take long to fall in love with Mimi and Heartwood.
Sasha & David
We are a family of eight, at this time: 2 humans and 6 felines. A lot of cats, right? We are both active in animal welfare here in Austin, TX and have fostered and adopted out approximately 50 cats through the years. We "failed" 6 times, which means we ended up adopting some of our fosters. They are all males and are quiet, fixed, litter box trained, loving, and absolutely hilarious at times. Our house has no kitty odor because neither of us would stand for that. :)
David is 80 years old and Sasha is 65. We are both healthy. Sasha has two adult daughters and David has a son and a daughter, both adults. We have five young grandchildren, who have enormously blessed our lives. David taught government at the University of Texas at Austin for 50 years, writing a number of books on international relations and American politics. He retired 5 years ago but continues to be active in University affairs and writing. He especially loves to cook.
Sasha has her own financial management company and is chief financial officer for a company in the music business founded by one of her daughters. Her main avocation continues to be animal welfare.
Sasha has always loved the idea of community. When she was a single mom, she always had a roommate and then she joined a spiritual community which she enjoyed for several decades. David considers himself to be spiritual and Sasha defines herself as a Buddhist atheist.
We both have had wonderful times in our four visits to Heartwood and have especially enjoyed and appreciated the people we met. A nice surprise was when David discovered someone who went to the same college as he did on the east coast was one of the founding members of Heartwood. We both look forward to continuing to get to know our fellow P2'ers.
We are a family of eight, at this time: 2 humans and 6 felines. A lot of cats, right? We are both active in animal welfare here in Austin, TX and have fostered and adopted out approximately 50 cats through the years. We "failed" 6 times, which means we ended up adopting some of our fosters. They are all males and are quiet, fixed, litter box trained, loving, and absolutely hilarious at times. Our house has no kitty odor because neither of us would stand for that. :)
David is 80 years old and Sasha is 65. We are both healthy. Sasha has two adult daughters and David has a son and a daughter, both adults. We have five young grandchildren, who have enormously blessed our lives. David taught government at the University of Texas at Austin for 50 years, writing a number of books on international relations and American politics. He retired 5 years ago but continues to be active in University affairs and writing. He especially loves to cook.
Sasha has her own financial management company and is chief financial officer for a company in the music business founded by one of her daughters. Her main avocation continues to be animal welfare.
Sasha has always loved the idea of community. When she was a single mom, she always had a roommate and then she joined a spiritual community which she enjoyed for several decades. David considers himself to be spiritual and Sasha defines herself as a Buddhist atheist.
We both have had wonderful times in our four visits to Heartwood and have especially enjoyed and appreciated the people we met. A nice surprise was when David discovered someone who went to the same college as he did on the east coast was one of the founding members of Heartwood. We both look forward to continuing to get to know our fellow P2'ers.
Mary Ellen & Paul
We currently live in Denver, where both of us also grew up. We met in our 40's, in Estes Park. (We’re now in our 60’s.) Mary Ellen's a musician, music teacher, Dances of Universal Peace leader, and directs the non-profit group "Knitting4Peace". Paul's an Episcopal priest and teacher, with extensive experiences in Parish ministries, now starting a new position as Chaplain for a local elementary school. We both love to sing, garden, and hike. We have a large extended family with many siblings, in-laws, nieces and nephews.
We are interested in the mutual support of a connected and intentional community. Facilitating a smaller footprint through a more ecological way of life, with shared common areas and thoughtfully-designed homes. Opportunities to cooperate on important aspects of daily life, including sharing some meals and growing food. Generally shared values put into action especially around community and collaborative decision making. Looking to leave the stresses of city life.
Reasons we're specifically interested in Heartwood:
We currently live in Denver, where both of us also grew up. We met in our 40's, in Estes Park. (We’re now in our 60’s.) Mary Ellen's a musician, music teacher, Dances of Universal Peace leader, and directs the non-profit group "Knitting4Peace". Paul's an Episcopal priest and teacher, with extensive experiences in Parish ministries, now starting a new position as Chaplain for a local elementary school. We both love to sing, garden, and hike. We have a large extended family with many siblings, in-laws, nieces and nephews.
We are interested in the mutual support of a connected and intentional community. Facilitating a smaller footprint through a more ecological way of life, with shared common areas and thoughtfully-designed homes. Opportunities to cooperate on important aspects of daily life, including sharing some meals and growing food. Generally shared values put into action especially around community and collaborative decision making. Looking to leave the stresses of city life.
Reasons we're specifically interested in Heartwood:
- Looking to retire in the next several years, and live in southern Colorado.
- Heartwood's 20 years of experience and upcoming development of Phase 2 homes.
- Opportunity to become involved in agricultural enterprises: growing hemp, hops.
- Friends who live there (but may be moving....)
- A love for the area, its history, and people.
- Beautiful natural and wilderness areas nearby.
- Dark skies at night.
Shelley
Our household includes me and my dog and cat. The cat is the boss. :-)
I feel that community is an essential component to living a healthy, balanced, extraordinary life. I think it gets harder as we get older to connect with people and form community because everyone is so busy with work, their own immediate family concerns and other busy-ness and life seems kind of structured to keep us isolated.
I long to be in nature and to be with people that are more like me in how they value living respectfully on the earth. I love the large acreage, nature, quiet, beauty, growing food and animals. I appreciate the balance of privacy and socializing, that pets are welcomed and common, that things are run by consensus and self-governed and that it is established with I'm sure lots of wisdom gathered along the way.
Our household includes me and my dog and cat. The cat is the boss. :-)
I feel that community is an essential component to living a healthy, balanced, extraordinary life. I think it gets harder as we get older to connect with people and form community because everyone is so busy with work, their own immediate family concerns and other busy-ness and life seems kind of structured to keep us isolated.
I long to be in nature and to be with people that are more like me in how they value living respectfully on the earth. I love the large acreage, nature, quiet, beauty, growing food and animals. I appreciate the balance of privacy and socializing, that pets are welcomed and common, that things are run by consensus and self-governed and that it is established with I'm sure lots of wisdom gathered along the way.
Dawn & Tom
My name is Dawn. I am 62 and enjoy vigorous daily walks, yoga, and cooking. Originally from a small town near the Canadian border, in New York state, I love the four seasons, and spent many summers swimming, sunning and boating on Lake Ontario. Today I find the most inspiration experiencing the magnificence of the mountains as well as the tides, winds and surf of the beach. I am an entrepreneur, having created and operated two small businesses for 20 years. I love music, dancing, deep conversations, and all types of animals and wildlife. I am a licensed aesthetician and specialize in helping folks take care of the skin they’re in. I am also a Sexuality Coach, Certified Tantra Educator, and a bodyworker.
I am Tom. I am 67 and view myself as a lifelong learner. My experience is that the natural universe is our greatest teacher. Observing and experiencing nature has, for me, far outweighed any other avenues of learning. For example, nature has taught me that diversity is essential, and as a result, I believe that the unique gifts of each person should be valued, cultivated, and celebrated. I am working in a second career as a holistic psychotherapist (semi- retired), licensed in Texas, Hawaii, and now Colorado. I love riding my bike, working on projects around the house, helping others, and maintaining spiritual connection.
We are committed to living together as a couple, and are interested in joining a community of people that value nature, health, spirituality (however each chooses) and are committed to living an open-hearted, peace-filled life, with a minimum impact on the environment. We are both vegan, and have had an interest in intentional living and cohousing for many years. We currently live in The Woodlands, Texas where it is hot and humid most of the year, and the opportunity to enjoy nature is limited. Also, in our current community, residents tend to be isolated. We love traveling, and have joined friends on yoga retreats to Peru and Greece. We recently took a road trip to Colorado. During the COVID crisis, we have mostly sheltered in place together, and practice social-distancing and mask-wearing when in public. We have spent many weekends at Galveston beach on the Texas gulf coast. We are ready for change and are excited to be newly committed homebuyers at Heartwood.
My name is Dawn. I am 62 and enjoy vigorous daily walks, yoga, and cooking. Originally from a small town near the Canadian border, in New York state, I love the four seasons, and spent many summers swimming, sunning and boating on Lake Ontario. Today I find the most inspiration experiencing the magnificence of the mountains as well as the tides, winds and surf of the beach. I am an entrepreneur, having created and operated two small businesses for 20 years. I love music, dancing, deep conversations, and all types of animals and wildlife. I am a licensed aesthetician and specialize in helping folks take care of the skin they’re in. I am also a Sexuality Coach, Certified Tantra Educator, and a bodyworker.
I am Tom. I am 67 and view myself as a lifelong learner. My experience is that the natural universe is our greatest teacher. Observing and experiencing nature has, for me, far outweighed any other avenues of learning. For example, nature has taught me that diversity is essential, and as a result, I believe that the unique gifts of each person should be valued, cultivated, and celebrated. I am working in a second career as a holistic psychotherapist (semi- retired), licensed in Texas, Hawaii, and now Colorado. I love riding my bike, working on projects around the house, helping others, and maintaining spiritual connection.
We are committed to living together as a couple, and are interested in joining a community of people that value nature, health, spirituality (however each chooses) and are committed to living an open-hearted, peace-filled life, with a minimum impact on the environment. We are both vegan, and have had an interest in intentional living and cohousing for many years. We currently live in The Woodlands, Texas where it is hot and humid most of the year, and the opportunity to enjoy nature is limited. Also, in our current community, residents tend to be isolated. We love traveling, and have joined friends on yoga retreats to Peru and Greece. We recently took a road trip to Colorado. During the COVID crisis, we have mostly sheltered in place together, and practice social-distancing and mask-wearing when in public. We have spent many weekends at Galveston beach on the Texas gulf coast. We are ready for change and are excited to be newly committed homebuyers at Heartwood.
Terri & Sam
We are Terri and Sam, and have a border collie mix who is about four years old. Our grandson, Zach is almost 15 and lived with us until joining his mom in California several months ago. He will be visiting when it is Covid-safe. Terri is a retired educator who enjoys reading and gardening. Sam is a software engineer and enjoys tinkering with our VW camper van. We enjoy traveling and hiking, and look forward to contra and English country dancing again.
We have visited various cohousing communities and have enjoyed meeting the people who live there. We miss social interactions and being part of a community, whether at work, school or a dance. While we enjoy our suburban neighbors, we realize we don’t know any of them well. We have grown weary of traffic and pollution, and would love to see stars again.
We recently visited an urban cohousing community and were both surprised at our strong dislike of the urban setting, even though it was a beautiful place. We love many things about Colorado, and struggle with leaving the state. Heartwood appears to be beautiful and the established and well organized community are appealing. We are attracted to clean air, sunshine, visible stars and a true community.
We are Terri and Sam, and have a border collie mix who is about four years old. Our grandson, Zach is almost 15 and lived with us until joining his mom in California several months ago. He will be visiting when it is Covid-safe. Terri is a retired educator who enjoys reading and gardening. Sam is a software engineer and enjoys tinkering with our VW camper van. We enjoy traveling and hiking, and look forward to contra and English country dancing again.
We have visited various cohousing communities and have enjoyed meeting the people who live there. We miss social interactions and being part of a community, whether at work, school or a dance. While we enjoy our suburban neighbors, we realize we don’t know any of them well. We have grown weary of traffic and pollution, and would love to see stars again.
We recently visited an urban cohousing community and were both surprised at our strong dislike of the urban setting, even though it was a beautiful place. We love many things about Colorado, and struggle with leaving the state. Heartwood appears to be beautiful and the established and well organized community are appealing. We are attracted to clean air, sunshine, visible stars and a true community.
Nicole & Terry
We live in California, next to Venice and Santa Monica. We have two teenage boys, Max (16) and Morgan (14) and a Jack Russel named Destiny. Nicole was born and raised in Berlin, Germany. She studied Graphic Design and worked in that field for a long time. She then studied Landscape Architecture and Horticulture at UCLA. Later on she became a homeschooling mom. She also dabbles in real estate, likes traveling and pottery.
Terry grew up in Ohio and then moved to California with his family when he was 13. He works as an executive for an international nutrition company. He is a very positive, outgoing and creative person. He has travelled all over the world for his job. Terry started a work assignment in Shanghai, China in September 2020. He came back for Christmas and got ‘stuck’ at home, because China is not allowing people in at the moment (maybe in a few weeks). His China assignment should be over in September 2021. He also likes the Grateful Dead.
Unfortunately, we have no direct experience with cohousing, but we are eager to experience actually living in a community. We (mostly Nicole for now) have been following the Heartwood’s community, checked out others but have always come back to Heartwood. We share the vision, values, and shared agreements. We want to live in a community where people actually care to get to know you and where it is easy to find connection by sharing meals and other community activities. We both love the mountains more than the beaches. Terry, Nicole and sons look forward to connecting with others in the near future. We are very excited to explore the Heartwood community.
We live in California, next to Venice and Santa Monica. We have two teenage boys, Max (16) and Morgan (14) and a Jack Russel named Destiny. Nicole was born and raised in Berlin, Germany. She studied Graphic Design and worked in that field for a long time. She then studied Landscape Architecture and Horticulture at UCLA. Later on she became a homeschooling mom. She also dabbles in real estate, likes traveling and pottery.
Terry grew up in Ohio and then moved to California with his family when he was 13. He works as an executive for an international nutrition company. He is a very positive, outgoing and creative person. He has travelled all over the world for his job. Terry started a work assignment in Shanghai, China in September 2020. He came back for Christmas and got ‘stuck’ at home, because China is not allowing people in at the moment (maybe in a few weeks). His China assignment should be over in September 2021. He also likes the Grateful Dead.
Unfortunately, we have no direct experience with cohousing, but we are eager to experience actually living in a community. We (mostly Nicole for now) have been following the Heartwood’s community, checked out others but have always come back to Heartwood. We share the vision, values, and shared agreements. We want to live in a community where people actually care to get to know you and where it is easy to find connection by sharing meals and other community activities. We both love the mountains more than the beaches. Terry, Nicole and sons look forward to connecting with others in the near future. We are very excited to explore the Heartwood community.
Bruce
It's just me. I have a grown daughter, but she's having fun creating her own path through life.
When I think back on it, my interest in community living goes back to when I was 16 and spent a summer bicycling through Europe with my sister. I grew up in a family of four kids and a mom where our normal place in the house was gathered in the kitchen talking and cooking. While traveling in Europe, my sister and I stayed at hostels. The feeling I got sharing meals and conversation with people with different perspectives and different histories felt like home. Among all the places I've lived over the years, the places I've felt the most comfortable have been places designed for community interactions, and I've always been drawn to hostels with their sense of community. Cohousing seems like the perfect place for me to call home, and the people I've met so far at Heartwood seem like a wonderfully diverse and interesting group to share that home.
As I've researched cohousing around the west, I've been drawn to the rural nature of Heartwood. I am passionate about Nature. Being in it. Experiencing it. Protecting it. Teaching about it. Sharing it with others. I've spent my career as an environmental chemist, and much of my free time running, hiking, backpacking, skiing in the mountains. I think it may go back to when I was four years old and spent a summer with my siblings on a cattle ranch; I was just fascinated by the natural world that I was immersed in. That four year old lives on inside me.
It's just me. I have a grown daughter, but she's having fun creating her own path through life.
When I think back on it, my interest in community living goes back to when I was 16 and spent a summer bicycling through Europe with my sister. I grew up in a family of four kids and a mom where our normal place in the house was gathered in the kitchen talking and cooking. While traveling in Europe, my sister and I stayed at hostels. The feeling I got sharing meals and conversation with people with different perspectives and different histories felt like home. Among all the places I've lived over the years, the places I've felt the most comfortable have been places designed for community interactions, and I've always been drawn to hostels with their sense of community. Cohousing seems like the perfect place for me to call home, and the people I've met so far at Heartwood seem like a wonderfully diverse and interesting group to share that home.
As I've researched cohousing around the west, I've been drawn to the rural nature of Heartwood. I am passionate about Nature. Being in it. Experiencing it. Protecting it. Teaching about it. Sharing it with others. I've spent my career as an environmental chemist, and much of my free time running, hiking, backpacking, skiing in the mountains. I think it may go back to when I was four years old and spent a summer with my siblings on a cattle ranch; I was just fascinated by the natural world that I was immersed in. That four year old lives on inside me.
Caitlin
I am a single mom with two teenagers, a 17 year old son and a 19 year old daughter. My daughter is a freshman at CU Boulder and my son is a senior at Cherry Creek High School; graduating in 2022. We all live just south of Denver. I am a Buddhist and I love the Grateful Dead, reading and the arts.
I work for a Boulder based company called Farm Ingredients. Farm Ingredients is a start-up social impact company that (if all goes well) will be producing US sourced collagen peptides in 2022 in collaboration with ranchers dedicated to organic, grass fed and finished cows. By creating new economic opportunities for rural communities and ranchers we can keep cows out of feedlots and their by-products out of the landfills.
I am interested in community living for a few reasons. As a food scientist and nutrition professional I like to grow my own food. Every year when my veggies are about to peak, off we go on vacation and my garden dies. I love the idea of being in community where we all support the garden! I also love the outdoors. I hike, ski, mountain bike, camp, etc. and it would be fun to be in a community where perhaps someone might join me on an adventure. I am particularly interested in learning more about Heartwood because I love the location and the values that have been presented.
I am a single mom with two teenagers, a 17 year old son and a 19 year old daughter. My daughter is a freshman at CU Boulder and my son is a senior at Cherry Creek High School; graduating in 2022. We all live just south of Denver. I am a Buddhist and I love the Grateful Dead, reading and the arts.
I work for a Boulder based company called Farm Ingredients. Farm Ingredients is a start-up social impact company that (if all goes well) will be producing US sourced collagen peptides in 2022 in collaboration with ranchers dedicated to organic, grass fed and finished cows. By creating new economic opportunities for rural communities and ranchers we can keep cows out of feedlots and their by-products out of the landfills.
I am interested in community living for a few reasons. As a food scientist and nutrition professional I like to grow my own food. Every year when my veggies are about to peak, off we go on vacation and my garden dies. I love the idea of being in community where we all support the garden! I also love the outdoors. I hike, ski, mountain bike, camp, etc. and it would be fun to be in a community where perhaps someone might join me on an adventure. I am particularly interested in learning more about Heartwood because I love the location and the values that have been presented.
Sandhya & Dylan
Sandhya & Dylan (34 years old in 2021), currently live in Durango and are excited to make Heartwood their home in the near future! They love cooking and dancing around the kitchen together, exploring the mountains and desert of the Southwest by bike, foot, and packraft, and spending time with friends and family.
Dylan is a 5th grade English & Language Arts teacher at Park Elementary School where he loves connecting poetry, Shakespeare, and social justice to kids' lives and experiences. Dylan is originally from San Mateo, CA and was raised by musician parents on one side, and business-minded parents on the other. He is passionate about biking, bread making, beer and kombucha brewing, lots of kitchen experiments, disc golf and teaching. Dylan loves striking up casual conversations and getting to know folks.
Sandhya is originally from Santa Barbara, CA and was raised in an intentional living community for the first 18 years of her life, where she loved being surrounded by many adults as supportive role models and lots of other kids running around. Sandhya is a participatory facilitator through her own business, Sagebrush Ltd., where she facilitates collaborative, consensus building conversations, strategic planning retreats, and regional coalition events. She is passionate about helping people discuss complex and often difficult topics and build innovative solutions to address the pressing issues which affect our community and world.
As Dylan & Sandhya dream of creating a family together, living in community makes so much sense, especially since their immediate family live elsewhere. They are immensely drawn to Heartwood to live in a close multigenerational community to steward land, raise kids, grow food, support each other through the big and small aspects of life, practice effectively communicating through compassion, and build a web of connection and support with others. From their first tour of Heartwood and meeting all of the community members there, they've known that this is where they want to call home.
Sandhya & Dylan (34 years old in 2021), currently live in Durango and are excited to make Heartwood their home in the near future! They love cooking and dancing around the kitchen together, exploring the mountains and desert of the Southwest by bike, foot, and packraft, and spending time with friends and family.
Dylan is a 5th grade English & Language Arts teacher at Park Elementary School where he loves connecting poetry, Shakespeare, and social justice to kids' lives and experiences. Dylan is originally from San Mateo, CA and was raised by musician parents on one side, and business-minded parents on the other. He is passionate about biking, bread making, beer and kombucha brewing, lots of kitchen experiments, disc golf and teaching. Dylan loves striking up casual conversations and getting to know folks.
Sandhya is originally from Santa Barbara, CA and was raised in an intentional living community for the first 18 years of her life, where she loved being surrounded by many adults as supportive role models and lots of other kids running around. Sandhya is a participatory facilitator through her own business, Sagebrush Ltd., where she facilitates collaborative, consensus building conversations, strategic planning retreats, and regional coalition events. She is passionate about helping people discuss complex and often difficult topics and build innovative solutions to address the pressing issues which affect our community and world.
As Dylan & Sandhya dream of creating a family together, living in community makes so much sense, especially since their immediate family live elsewhere. They are immensely drawn to Heartwood to live in a close multigenerational community to steward land, raise kids, grow food, support each other through the big and small aspects of life, practice effectively communicating through compassion, and build a web of connection and support with others. From their first tour of Heartwood and meeting all of the community members there, they've known that this is where they want to call home.
Leah
I just moved to the 4 Corners from Austin, TX. I'm single. I have 2 elderly small dogs named Igor and Bella. Igor is a chihuahua mix and Bella is a Dachshund. They are both over 10 years old, so they don't tend to be adventurous. Mostly they want to chill out on the couch and receive cuddles, which I'm happy to provide.
I'm a social worker, working in Durango with people who are currently homeless, mentally ill, chemically addicted and medically complex. I really enjoy my work, but don't talk about it unless I'm asked. Over the 30 years I've been doing this work I've realized that most people find my job too depressing to hear about, so I don't talk shop in front of non-social workers unless it is made clear that I have an audience that wants to hear about what I do. I love my people and my job, so please ask if you are interested! My job requires that I work on site, so my days working from home won't be frequent, which is a shame, as I love working remotely!
I have experience with living in community from coop living in college to cohousing planning for 3 years in Austin. Unfortunately that project never came to fruition. Which is why I'm so excited to join Heartwood. I look forward to the day that we break ground on Phase 2! I cannot wait to live on the grounds surrounded by community, animals, gardens and more natural beauty than I've ever had. Sounds like heaven!
I just moved to the 4 Corners from Austin, TX. I'm single. I have 2 elderly small dogs named Igor and Bella. Igor is a chihuahua mix and Bella is a Dachshund. They are both over 10 years old, so they don't tend to be adventurous. Mostly they want to chill out on the couch and receive cuddles, which I'm happy to provide.
I'm a social worker, working in Durango with people who are currently homeless, mentally ill, chemically addicted and medically complex. I really enjoy my work, but don't talk about it unless I'm asked. Over the 30 years I've been doing this work I've realized that most people find my job too depressing to hear about, so I don't talk shop in front of non-social workers unless it is made clear that I have an audience that wants to hear about what I do. I love my people and my job, so please ask if you are interested! My job requires that I work on site, so my days working from home won't be frequent, which is a shame, as I love working remotely!
I have experience with living in community from coop living in college to cohousing planning for 3 years in Austin. Unfortunately that project never came to fruition. Which is why I'm so excited to join Heartwood. I look forward to the day that we break ground on Phase 2! I cannot wait to live on the grounds surrounded by community, animals, gardens and more natural beauty than I've ever had. Sounds like heaven!
Kristi
My household consists of just me. I currently live in Atlanta, GA where I've lived for a very long time - all of my adult life - and where I worked primarily for AT&T in I.T., Web Design, and Marketing. I am single, no children, 62 years young. I've been retired for 5 years. I have had feline pets most of my adult life but none at the moment, other than a feral cat who has somewhat of a parasitic relationship with me (I feed him).
I was first drawn to community living in the early 1990's with a visit my then boyfriend and I took to Sunrise Ranch, near Loveland, CO. We moved to a similarly spiritually based urban community subsequently in Atlanta; that community folded about 15 years ago, which left quite a gap in my life. I like that community living allows one to give of oneself, to experience people on a very personal level, to interact with different age groups. In effect, the community becomes one's extended family. I'm interested in community living at this time to have interaction with like-minded people on a daily basis, to develop caring relationships, to have friends who have my back and I have theirs, and to help steward the land. I expect to have a social life interacting with others, helping with projects but also to have alone time to pursue art. I like the structure and design that living in a community offers.
I was initially drawn to Heartwood by its website, the content and photos. I follow Heartwood on Instagram as well. The beauty of the land attracts me, the stewardship of it, the ability to grow food on it, as well as its close proximity to awesome outdoor recreation. As a nature lover, hiker, backpacker, kayaker, skier, I want to explore in greater detail the western states - which Heartwood provides. It is very inspiring to see how much food is grown at Heartwood and I would like to be involved in growing food. I like how solar energy is being used at Heartwood. To be outside in fresh air all day if one chooses is a huge attraction for me. Having new landscapes to be inspired by, for art and photography, attracts as well as having firsthand exposure to the ancient pottery (creating ceramic art is my primary work). I've researched many cohousing communities on the internet, including ones in Longmont, Santa Fe, Annacortes. The fact that Heartwood is already developed, and has a Phase 2 expansion is unique.
My household consists of just me. I currently live in Atlanta, GA where I've lived for a very long time - all of my adult life - and where I worked primarily for AT&T in I.T., Web Design, and Marketing. I am single, no children, 62 years young. I've been retired for 5 years. I have had feline pets most of my adult life but none at the moment, other than a feral cat who has somewhat of a parasitic relationship with me (I feed him).
I was first drawn to community living in the early 1990's with a visit my then boyfriend and I took to Sunrise Ranch, near Loveland, CO. We moved to a similarly spiritually based urban community subsequently in Atlanta; that community folded about 15 years ago, which left quite a gap in my life. I like that community living allows one to give of oneself, to experience people on a very personal level, to interact with different age groups. In effect, the community becomes one's extended family. I'm interested in community living at this time to have interaction with like-minded people on a daily basis, to develop caring relationships, to have friends who have my back and I have theirs, and to help steward the land. I expect to have a social life interacting with others, helping with projects but also to have alone time to pursue art. I like the structure and design that living in a community offers.
I was initially drawn to Heartwood by its website, the content and photos. I follow Heartwood on Instagram as well. The beauty of the land attracts me, the stewardship of it, the ability to grow food on it, as well as its close proximity to awesome outdoor recreation. As a nature lover, hiker, backpacker, kayaker, skier, I want to explore in greater detail the western states - which Heartwood provides. It is very inspiring to see how much food is grown at Heartwood and I would like to be involved in growing food. I like how solar energy is being used at Heartwood. To be outside in fresh air all day if one chooses is a huge attraction for me. Having new landscapes to be inspired by, for art and photography, attracts as well as having firsthand exposure to the ancient pottery (creating ceramic art is my primary work). I've researched many cohousing communities on the internet, including ones in Longmont, Santa Fe, Annacortes. The fact that Heartwood is already developed, and has a Phase 2 expansion is unique.
Felice & Chris
We currently live in Portland Oregon with our dog Ringo (a one-year-old corgi) and three cats ranging in age from 7 to 17 years old. We are recently retired; Felice (61) from being an owner/operator of three resale clothing stores and Chris (63) from managing research, quality, and informatics for the Heart Center at Cleveland Clinic. We both had previous careers, Felice as an elementary school teacher and Chris as an archaeologist.
Living in close community has been an abiding interest of ours for many years. We love working with and supporting other people on common goals. Now that we are retired and can’t find an outlet for that joy of collaboration through our work, moving to a cohousing community is a logical next step for us. We are excited to be a part of Heartwood’s Phase 2 because of its location on a relatively large piece of land in rural southwestern Colorado, its well-established community and processes, and its emphasis on environmental sustainability and appreciation.
We currently live in Portland Oregon with our dog Ringo (a one-year-old corgi) and three cats ranging in age from 7 to 17 years old. We are recently retired; Felice (61) from being an owner/operator of three resale clothing stores and Chris (63) from managing research, quality, and informatics for the Heart Center at Cleveland Clinic. We both had previous careers, Felice as an elementary school teacher and Chris as an archaeologist.
Living in close community has been an abiding interest of ours for many years. We love working with and supporting other people on common goals. Now that we are retired and can’t find an outlet for that joy of collaboration through our work, moving to a cohousing community is a logical next step for us. We are excited to be a part of Heartwood’s Phase 2 because of its location on a relatively large piece of land in rural southwestern Colorado, its well-established community and processes, and its emphasis on environmental sustainability and appreciation.