It feels good to be wanted. Even by strangers who only know the sound of your voice. I teach online classes to professionals about green buildings and sustainable operations. The topic is near and dear to my heart and my passion comes through when I'm teaching. Apparently, it's contagious. When I log on and my students excitedly say hello and that they are glad I am back, my entire day is lifted. It surprises me a little. And it feels like bragging when I share it. Bottom line is, I feel it, they feel it, it's undeniable that genuine enthusiasm is contagious.
0 Comments
My favorite form of service is teaching yoga to an open audience. I'm grateful there is a fabulous internet hub called 'meetup' to bring us together. http://www.meetup.com/Charleston-Free-Outdoor-Yoga/ The group I started is attracting a lot of people who are new to town-just like me. I wonder what other ways we are similar and I don't know about yet? For today's class, I felt the need to share pranayama, yogic breathing. We started with the 3-part falling out breath - I needed it! After some gentle neck stretches, we moved into seated warrior and victorious breath (ooh-jai-eee). I really emphasized linking breath to intention, and breath with expansion. Just now I see a connection that yoga is like an architect; both create space and shape light. The knowledge that came out of me tonight explained that physical healing brings mental healing. Asana highlights include: gate, bow, sun salutation, forwards folds, boat, and supine twists! Rather than a traditional shavasana, I taught 6 human beings to heal themselves with universal energy. Left palm raised (armpit open), right palm over heart. Ask the trees to share with you and offer love in return. Inhale through left palm, exhale through right palm. Feel the energy moving through you. Speak the intentions of your healing. Believe. Saint Martin lovingly shares his cloak. Philipsburg, the Dutch capitol in the SE corner this two-nation island of Sint Maarten was my school for a week. The French claim Marigot as capitol of the French, NW side the island of Saint Martin. This cruise port city has the European comforts of gelato and great buses for $1 a ride. Even better, most business is conducted in American dollars. A few government workers receive pay in Eastern Carib dollars (EC), so don't freak out when you see grocery stores shelves labeling a box of cereal at $7 (the cashier will exchange and accept your currency). Note, Euros are only accepted on the French side where the grand marche is straight out of Paris. I couchsurfed here for 10 days prior to a flight to Jamaica. Each day was a new opportunity to get onto a boat for short and long term freedom rides. Boating, akin to biking, gives me a feeling of freedom. My body becomes lighter and my field of possibilities opens up into new heights. Let me take you on an architectural tour of Anguilla's homes. Like much of hurricane-prone south Florida, this tiny island finds refuge behind thick walls of cinder block and cement. Ancient relics of the colonial past stand among playful homesteads. It did not rain a drop the ten days I lived on this hot rock. One day I gathered up the courage to walk to the beach at mid-day. I didn't make it a block before someone stopped to ask me if I wanted a ride because it was too hot outside to walk. My destination was 10x farther than his but the driver took me the whole way. Hitchhiking (or car-angels as I like to think of them) was the best way to get around the island, as there is no public bus system. I don't consider myself a 'tourist' so expensive taxis are also out of the question. Everyone I met was super friendly and they want you to enjoy their island as much as do. On one such journey, my car-angel even let me drive his car so I could experience driving on the left side of the road. As a former British colony, Anguilla retains certain British affects, like the Eastern Carribbean currency with the queens head on it. Only government employees get paid in EC, and the only stores that list prices in it are groceries-everyone loves the US dollar :) Don't try to use euros, they are not welcomed. Coldwater Gardens was an ideal farm for me because there were a variety of different environments to work in and learn from. So far I've introduced you to the organic vegetable garden. That was the main event on the property but only occupied a small portion of the physical land. On two occasions, i got to help out at the sawmill where trees from the property were sliced down to dimensional lumber and bark sided trimmings for garden beds. I was really intrigued by this operation 1) for the sheer size of the equipment, 2) general lack of women in this workshop, and 3) a rare opportunity. Beyond what I learn from the farm managers, I learned a lot from the other volunteers. The two people in the above photo series, Nick and Kiera, are both graduates of Warren Wilson College in North Carolina. They met on the forestry crew and learned how to operate a sawmill as part of their work trade that all WW students complete in unison with their studies. Kiera was not a volunteer on the farm (she just visited when it was raining) because she had a paid job on the Alabama burn crew setting controlled burns in Pine forest of southern Alabama. She was an all around bad-ass chick who taught her boyfriend how to operate the saw mill ;) The long and the short of this sawmill operation is a menu of hydrolic levers that move and position the log, lock it in place with a sharp metal claw, then the blade moves across the log slicing off sheets of wood. To get dimensional lumber, first you need to shave off the four rounded sides of the log until you have a square or rectangular block to cut down to size, 2x4, 2x6. On teh property we had lots of pine, white ash, and american cedar.
However, there is no kiln on site (when you buy 2x4s in a store, they are dried in a kiln), so we just stacked the lumber on drying rods under cover. And there is also no wood grader on site-as in person who grades wood. From my Architect days, I know that lumber is graded like school papers, A, B, C, D etc. To receive an occupancy permit, the builder must prove that the lumber was graded, typically by purchasing from a retailer. Private owners, like Coldwater Gardens would either have to hire an inspector to come to their site or send out the lumber to be kiln dried and graded. Either path is contradictory to a self sustaining farm. Thus, the lumber we milled is destined for patio decks, chicken coops, and art projects-my favorite! hanging out at the saw mill was a great activity for me because at the end of the day, I got to take the bark scraps to Fort Juan for art projects :) Finca Mycol is a Permaculture homestead just north of Gainesville (home of the Gators) where the roads turn to dirt and the night sounds are frogs and crickets. I chose this farm as my first WWOOF location because it focuses on wild edibles and habitat restoration. The property is full of huge live oaks coated in glowing Spanish moss. A dainty creek trickles past cypress knees and palmetto palms. Below is a brief photo introduction from sunrise on the farm. Top left: bob's camper (a living unit)-Bob is the resident 'old guy' and ecology expert, he identifies all the plants. Top center: the kitchen-covered, but open air, stocked with dry goods. Top right: example of a solar oven with morning fog in the background over the swimming hole. The kitchen also employs rocket stoves/cob ovens, dutch ovens, and good old fashion cast iron over a fire. Center left: an outdoor shower (covered with palm fronds) with solar hot water heater (the box on the right). Center-Center: my tent set-up under a huge live oak. She gives me good dreams every night :) Center Right: wide angle of the 'living room' of the farm, platform on right is the 'throne' a humanure composting toilet with a view over the property. Bottom row: the 'Yome' a yurt (home) supported with wood sides, which is the full time residence of the proprietor, Michael.
Read more about Finca Mycol at: http://www.growfood.org/farm/997 Learn more about WWOOF at: http://www.wwoofusa.org |
Categories
All
Archives
June 2016
|