EcoTexan

One Texan's journey among the global Ecovillage movement — Currently in the Southwestern U.S.

[ecotexan]

13.9 ~ Home (at Barton Springs Pool)

[ecotexan]

Gettin' Stuff Done in West Texas! . Last weekend Barton and I met some folks who invited us along for our first jaunt down to breathtakingly beautiful Big Bend National Park. Back in Marfa we helped relocate a huge patch of sunflowers to a neighbor's compost pile. And yesterday we pitched in on a project with local permaculturist Jon Johnson, who (in addition to running the Planet Marfa beer garden) has for years stewarded a volunteer program to install keyhole-style raised beds for Marfa residents to grow their own food. We offered him some tips on Permablitzing and social permaculture that could take it even further, but mostly we lent our hands (and paws) to the Work. . Reinforcing existing beneficial relationships and encouraging new ones seems to be our Thing out here. It feels pretty dang great to apply what we've learned on the Journey. But after a nourishing stay in Marfa we feel it's finally time to come Home. . Next week: Austin... (at Marfa, Texas)

[ecotexan]

Howdy, Marfa! This week Barton and I landed in this laid-back West Texas hamlet, famous for its mysterious "Marfa Lights", artist culture, and small town charm. We're camping here for a spell, letting the silence and isolation stretch our gaze back on the 15-month #BartonJourney before we return to Austin later this month. And of course there's always local football to watch, galleries to visit, and lots of good folks swinging through to share stories with. Plus the desert here is greener now than anyone alive can remember. It's a weird and wonderful Road indeed... (at Marfa, Texas)

[ecotexan]

¡Hola! Esta semana Barton and I made our way south, back into the very western tip of Texas. The bifurcated city of El Paso / Ciudad Juárez straddles the Rio Grande and serves as an Edge (on all levels) between México and the U.S. This historical "Paso del Norte" has been a crossroads for centuries. Goods, people, and culture cross the bridges here daily in great abundance. Juárez has a reputation for violence, related to drug conflicts and misogyny against women factory workers. However, through local guides I also glimpsed the Juárez beyond the stereotypes—a vibrant political art scene, film makers documenting activist Mothers, and the cheese-making Mennonite cabal that secretly runs all the agriculture of northern Chihuahua. Personally, the visit was also Edge work—immersing myself again in Español, practicing Trust beyond fear and judgement, learning to Listen and Open even more. And just as it has always been on this Journey, helpful strangers guided me, welcomed me, and shared with me everywhere I went. Gracias, Juárez. Que pase buen vida, y'all ✌️🇲🇽 (at Zona Centro Cd. Juárez)

[ecotexan]

New Mexico is old. The Land here has been peopled for many thousands of years. Despite the terrible efforts of colonialism and 'vanishing Indian' narratives, they are Still Here. This week, Barton and I have been engaging with the complex legacies of the Pueblos and other Native peoples of North America through various dimensions — seeing and touching this oldest continually inhabited structure in North America, witnessing the Santa Clara Pueblo people's annual corn dances and partaking of their generosity, and feeling deeply moved by films in this week's Native Cinema Showcase such as "What Was Ours" and "Fractured Land" that convey the intersectionality of challenges facing Native peoples today and the myriad powerful Ways they are responding. There are no answers here in the quagmire of Past and Present. Suffering, destruction, fear, guilt and despair too easily surface and overwhelm when one even begins to peer through the veil of ignorance. These are the pains of an inadequate bandage being ripped off. The untreated wound will not go away by hiding it more thoroughly. I truly feel that everyone like me who has lived their whole lives benefiting from the exploitation of Native peoples should at the *very least* have the decency to engage with their Stories, as They tell them. Acknowledge the Wound, then begin to Listen and Heal. It will hurt. Truth always does. But they are Still Here. They have always been Here. Remember. (at Taos Pueblo Indian Reservation)

[ecotexan]

Mushrooms! 😎 🍄

[ecotexan]

14.8 ~ Sailing (at Earthship Biotecture HQ)

[ecotexan]

Sometimes you've just gotta climb, turn around, and stare back in awe... This week Barton and I left the comfort of Santa Fe for a bit to explore the surrounding mountains and trails. We summited Atalaya (a 1500' rise to 9000') and drank in the sunset as the monsoon rainstorms rolled in over the valley. Descending the next day to Museum Hill, we rested our weary bodies touring the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, awed by 1000-year-old human hair hunting nets and clay pottery painted with the patterns of life here long ago. After a couple of nights at the local Hostel, we're headed up to Santa Clara Pueblo to witness their annual corn dances and listen to any stories that might arise. Then we're off to Taos for the weekend and parts unknown beyond then. Feeling and flowing through the beauty, high and low, we dance on... (at Atalaya Mountain)

[ecotexan]

9.8 ~ Rainset (at Atalaya Mountain)

[ecotexan]

Howdy, Santa Fe! After a two-day train journey (including a stopover at Los Angeles Eco-Village), Barton and I have arrived in the Southwest. We're feeling the elevation, the dryness, and the expansive beauty of the high desert. Here we'll meet up with a friend from Austin, exploring the surrounding pueblos and mesas. Deep in the Mystery again, the Way patiently unfolds before us... (at Santa Fe, New Mexico)

[ecotexan]

BART. On. ;) That's all we've got this week, folks. Just a little pun off the name of the Bay Area's subway system + my armadillo compañero. It's been real, SF. Thanks for helping us tie up some loose ends and unravel ourselves a little more. Next time: New Mexico... (at San Francisco, California)

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Continuing our trend of simple joys, this week Barton and I made applesauce from apples we collected at Alemany Farm here in urban San Francisco. Totally volunteer-run on public land, Alemany Farm incorporates 3 acres of perennial hillside food forests with an acre of annual veggies, a lush pond for wildlife, bee hives, and more. The Friends of Alemany Farm (who steward the place) coordinate a free harvest for anyone who offers some love-in-action that day, and never turn away anybody who just needs some good, fresh, organic food grown in the heart of the city. Delicious, nutritious, sustainable and accessible are happening all together here – Hope you can pick up, purée, and spoon into your soul 🍏😊🍎 (at Alemany Farm)

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20.7 ~ YAY for DIY! When my SF hosts' fridge blew a fuse today, I was able to replace it with the help of the awesome folks at Noisebridge Hackerspace in the Mission. A $250 board saved by a $2 part, a little soldering, and a lot of love. Remember those five R's, y'all ~ Reduce Re-use Refuse REPAIR Recycle 🛠😊♻️ (at Noisebridge Hackerspace)

[ecotexan]

For me and Barton, good things come in simple forms these days. This week we arrived in San Francisco, and right away found the local Food Not Bombs crew. Cooking up a delicious vegan dinner from ingredients that would've been waste and serving folks for FREE in the heart of the Mission neighborhood, we felt immediately connected to People and Place. These folks have been going for 30+ years. No one owns this, no one funds this, and it happens every week anyway. That's Love in Action, y'all (at 16th Street Mission)

[ecotexan]

11.7 ~ That one time I rode to San Francisco in a school bus full of Hippies... ✌️😁💚 (at Eugene, Oregon)

[ecotexan]

Feeling flipped upside down this week. After being so deeply engaged and on-life this past month, I realized I actually needed a solid few days of peace and quiet to get on-LINE. So Barton and I made time to visit Lost Valley ecovillage near Eugene, Oregon. Calling friends, writing emails, googling All The Things... Lost Valley held a perfect Yin space for all the Yang that needed to arise. Grateful to these folks, who've had their fair share of ups and downs over the years and are earnestly moving through it, seeking the best Questions to hold as they co-create their future. Next week, California... (at Lost Valley Education & Events Center Meadowsong Ecovillage)

[ecotexan]

Blessings from the Mountain! This week Barton and I have been camping and hiking around Mt. Shasta in Northern California. This maybe-active volcano holds an immense energy. We feel Her in the melting snow streams, the fragrant pines, the colorful stones, and the loving, creative people of the city at her feet. Nourished and recharged, our Way continues next week back in Oregon... (at Mt Shasta)