Gordon's Garden Diary

15 Dec '07 5:03 pm

Well, Jack, there's lots to tell about this community. First, it was just a thought that I might go there, but as I have found out more about the people who live there, and about my new trailer park landlord, the urge to move is becoming stronger by the day! I'm finding it more and more difficult to make the owner of the trailer park richer now that I have discovered his true nature (I won't say more about that, as i prefer to think kind things about others); ergo, I feel I must stop giving him my money as soon as possible! I really don't care if someone else pays him, but I'll feel better if it's not me (talk about cutting off one's nose in spite of one's face, eh?)!

This village, "Saranagati", is a "spiritual" community, formed by the Krishna Consciousness folks back in the 1980s with the purpose of safeguarding their faith. While they are happy to allow non-believers live there as renters, in order to get partial ownership in the land and a vote in the direction of the community's development, one must, as far as I have discovered, be a member of their faith, for obvious reasons. There are a number of communities like this in Canada and the States, Europe and Australia. Also in South Africa. I'll give you a website address later so you can search out the S.A. ones for yourself.

While some of these communities are religious-based, many more are not. You just have to search around to discover the type you're interested in. Most, however, are NOT the "hippy, free-love", dumpy kind of places that gave the word, "commune" somewhat of a bad name 40 years ago. There are many that have started or are currently trying to start, in the way you are thinking about - one property owner who invites like-minded individuals to join with him/her to form a sustainable community to further some particular concept. I have an excellent book that gives an overview of these communities. Its title is, Finding Community, and it's published by New Society Publishers. Their web address is: www.newsociety.com.

Having been in contact by phone with a member of the Saranagati Village, I've now decided to visit there for a few days in March, which is the beginning of their planting season. I'll be able to stay there, help out on the organic farn and get to meet some of the local residents as well as seeing their irrigation works, "natural" (whatever that means) homes, etc. Then I'll return home to think about what I've learned and decide whether or not I want to return for a further visit in the summertime. Perhaps based upon the results of the second visit I'll be able to decide if I really want to move there or not. If the answer is "yes", then I'll have to put my place here up for sale, all the while preparing to rent for at least a year before applying for membership in the Village.

I know it sounds like quite an involved process, but that's what membership in these intentional communities is like, both for their sake as well as for the would-be member. It costs quite a bit of either cash or lifestyle or both, to join these groups, and nobody wants to make an error!

Here is the address I mentioned before. From here you should be able to research such communities world-wide and find what you need to begin one: http://directory.ic.org/ . Good luck!!

Cheers!
gordonf

15 Dec '07 7:18 pm

Hi again, Jack!

I forgot to mention a few things in my last post, so here they are.

In Canada, there ARE government grants that can help with intentional community formation. There is a federal programme that assists with the provision of high-speed internet service to isolated communities; since quite a number of them are isolated (off the power grid, etc.), this helps with keeping them in touch with like-minded groups, not to mention enhancing education for their children.

There is other money provided through the federal government to assist with the provision of irrigation facilities; while they don't cover all of the cost, the money provided can help with about a third of the cost.

I believe that provincial and territorial governments also have programmes that help with provision of electricity for isolated communities that want to be connected with the grid as well as support for home-schooling. There are also assistance programmes to help with retro-fitting homes and community buildings to provide better energy use and lower heating costs (important in a cold country!)

I'm sure that other programmes are available for specific problems on ad-hoc bases.

Surely many other countries have similar programmes set up to assist with their particular difficulties. It just takes someone with the time to do the research!

Hope this helps give you some ideas of what to look for.

Cheers!
gordonf

17 Dec '07 5:16 am

Hi there Gordon! Enjoyed very much your lovely garden shots in winter and your Christmas cactus is so beautiful, I'm green with envy! Wink

Thanks for sharing. And hope and pray everything works out best for you, dear friend.

18 Dec '07 10:12 am

Oh Gordon!!! Coming back here, I just wanted to pass from your Diary first!!! And I have to tell you, I have been fascinated by your thoughts and plans!! Cause you bring me back to my dreamer-self of my Youth!!! I think, you will be perfectly happy with this Community!!! Religion stops being negative and restrictive, when you have an open, tolerant mind, and a heart with an open window to the World around you....And God is ONE , of course, loves ALL His children in the same way!!!Only Cultures are different...So!!! I am sure you are going to realize your dream, and become perfectly happy in this serene land and Community, with these people, showing Love and Respect to Nature and to each other!!!

18 Dec '07 7:37 pm

Hi, Liza and all you others at Moosey's who have been giving me such positive feedback! This is the ONLY place where I can depend on positive, thoughtful comments on my latest plans (or crack-pot ideas, as my family would call it! Rolling Eyes

). And, Liza, I wholly agree with your latest comments about God being One, albeit with many names. And, Jack, I was pleasantly surprised to hear that you, too, have ideas of starting an intentional community; how similar we all are, even though separated around the globe!!

One of my first investigations into the new community was about the possibility of having an internet connection there as I don't want to be disconnected from all of you. That does not appear to be a problem - perhaps more costly than it is here, but do-able. And my instincts are telling me that, barring an unexpected major problem (like having a stroke, or something like that), my dream will be realized in some way. Maybe not the way I expect, but it'll happen! It always has with me in the past, so why not this time?? After all, I don't expect paradise or a life of sitting around doing nothing. As I've said before, just keep wishing me good luck!

And now it is nearly Christmas and the shortest day of the year in my part of the world. Today it got dark outside around 4:30 in the afternoon, but in a week each day will be a minute or so longer. My summer-flowering gloxinias have both put forth little mouse-ear leaves to tell me that I must begin watering them. Soon it will be time to set up my banks of lights again to light the way for the new seedlings for 2008. I don't think I will plant as many this year as I did previously due to the possibility of a move coming up, but I can't let spring go by without trying SOMEthing new! And, can you believe it - today someone gave me 8 beautiful red tulip bulbs which I have now planted in a big pot and put outside to begin rooting. Hopefully they will bloom for me in a few months! I know it's very late in the year to plant them, but it's worth a try, eh??

All the best to you all, and Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to everyone!!

gordonf

25 Dec '07 4:31 pm

Merry Christmas, everyone!

We had a lovely day here today between the storm that just ended and the one that's due in tomorrow, so I took some pictures down by the river to show you the estuary on Christmas Eve. It's not a very "Canadian" scene, as there is no snow visible, but just a couple of miles up the road inland there is lots of the white stuff - so much that the other day the truckers were turning back due to poor road conditions!

Anyway, there are a bunch of floating camp buildings tied up along the river for wintertime servicing and renovations. I thought that many of you might like to get a glimpse of them, as they are typical of here during the winter. In late winter they all head back up the coast to be put in position for summer operations.

There are a couple of general pics of the estuary as well as one of the piles of Himalayan blackberry bushes that are waiting to be burned as part of the ongoing war against this rampant invader. This is the second time this year that the vines have been cut to the ground in the same spots, so you can see how resilient the plants are!

Enjoy the pictures, and have a wonderful Christmas, Kwanza, Honnica, Ede, Divali, or whatever holiday you are celebrating at this dark time of the year!!

-gordonf

25 Dec '07 6:03 pm

Merry Christmas to you, Gordon, between storms! Those floating buildings look really strange - am glad you explained! Have a great holiday season and don't get too house-bound. Though you may not get a choice, I guess! Cheers, M

25 Dec '07 7:07 pm

Fascinating shots, again proving how limited ones visions of Other People's Worlds are! I just assumed all would be snow and ice. Instead beautiful clear air, colours reflecting, and a sense of tranquillity in the busy estuary.

Thinking of you and our many forum friends in this time of togetherness

25 Dec '07 9:04 pm

Well, we were seven for dinner tonight and very happy to have Lia's dad Jim with us again this year. Lia's son Kalle, his girl friend Anee' and their new housemate Jimmy joined us too as did Lia's nephew Martin. I made duck with a sauce that was much too fancy to make again but good to have tried. The sauce started with a "gastrique", stock, drippings with sherry and finished off with lemon zest and Grand Marnier. I also baked some parsnips in butter and brown sugar and steamed brussel sprouts and covered them in butter with horseradish. Lia made a mideastern rice dish and an old family cole slaw recipe for dinner and then flamed a persimmon pudding for dessert that she had steamed earlier. I feel very fortunate to have had family and friends to share today with. We're lucky that Kalle hasn't moved out of range for coming home for dinner and that Anee' didn't. So many relatives we used to see at Christmas have passed on in the last ten years. There isn't much generational buffer between ourselves and the grave (I hope that isn't too morbid). Best to savor today and everyone we still have near, and while you may not be near physically I appreciate you Gordon and all our Moosey friends that brighten so many days every year.

Looking forward to enjoying vicariously your adventure to the interior. Happy holidays Gordon.

26 Dec '07 7:54 pm

Hi, all, once again. Well, it's nearly midnight on Christmas Day as I write this. It has been a pretty full day for me as I was cooking from noon until 6:00 (with breaks from time to time). I had 3 for dinner and one extra for dessert. One of my special friends brought a cooked turkey (what will I do when i have to become a vegetarian?? Rolling Eyes

), stuffing, gravy and a jellied salad. I cooked the yams, a turnip casserole, a carrot salad, cranberry sauce and the Brussels Sprouts. I cut the sprouts in half, then browned them on the cut side in a mixture of butter and oil, then added a bit of lemon juice, salt and pepper. We forgot to serve the 2 salads (par for the course!!), but they'll keep for tomorrow and later in the week!

For dessert, I tried a new invention of mine: Dutch Baby baked pancakes baked in individual ramekins, then served with a sweetened sour cream topped with fresh Kiwi Fruit (I know, Dixie, "Chinese Gooseberries!!), drizzled with raspberry syrup and topped with grated dark chocolate. Yummy, except that the pancakes all stuck to the ramekins because I didn't grease them well enough. I'll know for next time! Very Happy

It stormed all day with heavy rain and high winds so I was glad that I didn't have to go out myself. Even Joey wouldn't go outside until his dog friend, Bella, arrived!

And, Jack, quite a lot of Canada had a green Christmas this year - Climate Change lives, I guess!! I can't remember a green Christmas from when I was a kid, but they are becoming increasingly common across the country. Not reliably, but much more frequently than ever before.

While I plan to visit friends tomorrow, I won't go near any of the stores as they will be packed for the sales and I just don't need the hassle. I think I'll wait until I need more groceries or something essential, like a book!!

All the best, everyone!!

Cheers!

gordonf

Gordon's Garden Diary

Intentional Community

Follow-up

Winter shots!

A Daring Dreamer, With Feet on Earth!!!

New Beginnings

Merry Christmas!!

Happy Xmas, Gordon!

Merry Christmas Gordon,

More Christmas Greetings