Update 3

Sunset on Mt. Monadnock

Dear Listeners,

  The past week and a half has been filled with anticipation and last minute projects. We have been scurrying around trying to finish all of our various commitments, and accomplish as many of the amazing things as there are to do in this part of the world with the time we have left. Last Monday we were able to go and visit Michael Kohout and his wife Jessie, along with their wonderful children, Owen and Tashi. Michael is a master bow and arrow maker and he taught us so many interesting things about the trade and its history. We even got to do some archery. We worked with his son Owen on making fires with bowdrills, and made flower essences with Jessie. She knows so much about alternative healing and had such an array of knowledge to share with us. We were also lucky to have Nate Johnson come and go on a walk with us in the forest, teaching us about the systems and relationships that support each other within these amazing woods. Nate is one of those extremely playful souls that you can’t quite tell how old they are, my guess is somewhere between 15 and 40.  When you go out into the woods with him its hard to go very far, because as soon as a mushroom comes into sight, we’re all crouched on the forest bed dissecting this tiny being with quizzical eyes.

Zoe and Charlie finishing the greenhouse

Last Tuesday we began building the greenhouse that will stay at Kroka, leaving some remnant of our community behind with it. We have been working with Hugh Landis, Kroka’s master carpenter who has helped build many of the beautiful structures around the property. I was amazed at how the greenhouse seemed to spring up out of the ground, it’s so nice to see all of our hard work standing up so strong ready to have life growing within it! When we weren’t working on the greenhouse we were studying English, focused on New England poetry; learning Spanish; adding last touches on backpacks (they are all completely finished now!); and having a few lessons on permaculture.

Happiness

On Thursday night we all ventured out into the woods for our first overnight solo. Each of us found our own special spot and began the task of building ourselves a shelter from the resources around us. Once our palaces had been erected, we set our minds to the activity of fire making. We had all brought a delicious feast for one of bread on a stick with cheese, a hot dog and precisely three ginger snaps. When our kitchens were blazing with our own handy-work we cooked our meal with self-sustained satisfaction. On this topic I can only speak generally, since I really experienced it only for myself and have a very limited idea of how the night went for all the others. I can say however that it was one of the best experiences most of us have had so far, and in a way culminated our time here in New Hampshire.

The rest of the week was spent in anticipation for parents’ weekend. It was strange to think that our families would soon be arriving, bringing with them our previous lives, a life that we still carry with us but in a somewhat removed fashion. In a way, many of us felt like we had just arrived, but in another way we have done so much and become so close, its amazing to think only three weeks have gone past. When the parents arrived on Saturday you could feel the excitement of something different and new, some change in our daily rhythm that created a tangible difference around camp. All of us would like to thank our parents, grandparents, relatives, or whomever it might be that they hold close, whatever amazing person is making it possible for us to be here together. Reflecting upon the weekend, we thought it was important to express our gratitude and each of us would like to give a piece of our thoughts to whoever might need it.  These are added, with gratitude, below.

Mt. Monadnock

Happy Birthday Michael!

As a final goodbye to this beautiful region, we climbed Mt. Monadnock this past Monday. Under our feet its beautiful stone has morphed for thousands of years, and as we walked we took in its weathered surface, listening to its ancient story. At the top we huddled close, sheltering ourselves from the wind, and ate a delicious dinner as the sun began to near the horizon. That night we spun, and twirled, and laughed and were utterly confused at the Nelson Contra dance, but, with good-humored smiles, many of the regulars helped us with the steps and even the caller himself personally came down and led Charlie through the dance. Last night we stuffed ourselves with pizza at Orchard Hill after our day and a half of an attempted vegetable cleanse (technically it only lasted for one meal… I know, I know, we have a huge amount of will-power you don’t have to tell us). Now we are all scrambling around camp, showering, packing, cooking, and preparing for our departure for ECUADOR IN 10 HOURS!!

Lots of love to you all. Hasta Pronto

-Siena (Siesta) Powers 

Tommy, Mateo, Churo, Charlie, Nicole, Ayere, Meredith, Zoe, Phoebe, Siena, Malcolm, Chiara, Kata and Shai

ON GRATITUDE…

Phoebe.

“I am beginning to see the impossibility of expressing gratitude for a single thing. I had wanted to write a simple thank you to my parents, but I found myself at a loss for where to begin, and, even more so, where to end. Thank you for visiting me this weekend, for working joyfully alongside me, for making it possible for me to come here, for raising me, for giving me “roots and wings” for giving me life itself. But how can I thank my parents for visiting me here, without also thanking everyone and everything that has made Kroka what it is? Or the sun that shone for us as we shared the day, or the rain that nourishes the earth at night? Or the beautiful families we shared the weekend with? You see, I know not where to end.”

All fun and play

Meredith.

“It’s that speechless feeling of wonder, when, unasked for, unexpectedly, someone give you the right key to go on a trip that will change your life. It’s what you feel when, after a long day, someone holds the door open for you when your arms are loaded with parcels. It’s the feeling you get when a person you thought didn’t know you existed stands up for you. That’s gratitude. That bubbly, happy, relieved feeling that brings people together and just makes you want to hug the world.”

Tommy.

“Gratitude. Something we should feel towards everyone and everything around us. And we do not. We grumble and complain, always seeing the faults and never the beauty. And in that is the key to finding gratitude in oneself. You do not need to look for something to be grateful for, as it is already in you. You must push away the faults, release yourself from hatred or annoyance, and just embrace the world. When you do, you will be grateful. You will see that life has not screwed you over, that life is a gift; and gratitude and joy will fill you. That is the secret to happiness and harmony. Or at least it’s a secret.”

Ayere

Ayere.

“Once there was a rain shower

That fell upon a lonely flower

This flower had been parched for days

And now rejoiced with thanks and praise.

This very same rain shower

Fell upon a larger flower

Its leaves were very well tended

And by the shower quite offended.

This shows that we should be thankful for all

Even if we are big and tall.”

Ciara.

“My dear family, thank you

For joining me

For a very small part of my journey

I loved working hard with you

And now I say goodbye to you

Until winter my loves!

I will surely miss your hugs.”

Shai

Shai.

“I am so grateful for everyone who has helped me become the person I am. Being here has shown me that every moment is special, a miracle. I am so thankful for all your support that enabled me to come here and participate in this amazing program. I Love you all and think of you often,

Happy Fall, Shai.”

Nicole.

“Gratitude is having such a long lasting appreciation for someone. What they are for themselves, you and others that you can not help but want to aid them in any way to make their lives easier and free of burden.”

Kata.

“Gratitude, the art of giving and receiving. However, in order to give and in order to receive, there must be an interaction. No one can feel gracious without a connection to someone or something. Here at Kroka, I feel grateful for not only every person in my life, but for the world around me. Each person that has either been woven deeply or just stitched into my life has moved me to this exact moment in time, and this moment couldn’t be better. We sometimes forget the meaning of every daily interaction whether it be a kiss or a story. These interactions are what create our lives. I have to give a personal thanks to all of my family and friends for all of their support in everything I do. You are my needles and threads.”

Siena.

“If in a simple breath we take

We give a sigh of burrowed thanks,

To all the trees, to all the sticks,

To all the small and mighty ticks,

To every leaf, to every bird

To even the most insignificant fern,

To All the people who sing and say

My life is hard but still each day

I rise up with love and hate

And wash away that sinful fate,

That plagues the mosses with such disease

And resurrects it with such ease,

So in every simple breath we take

We give a sigh of burrowed thanks,

Each day in us its core shall rise

A gratitude that never dies.”

 Thank you,

Mum, Dad, Trina, Keenan, and Granny and Grandpa. I love you all.

Pizza night at Orchard Hill

Malcolm.

“The gratitude attitude is the appreciation celebration of creation.”

Zoë.

Family has always been one of the most important things for me. Not only my immediate family, but my cousins, aunts and uncles, all play such intricate roles in my life. I am grateful for the parents I have and the support I have been given from family and friends. This is the place where I truly want to be, and I appreciate all the effort in getting me here. To my parents and sibling, I will be thinking of you while I’m gone, lots of love.

Churo.

“Gracias pas por apoyarme y dejarme venir a Kroka porque la estoy pasando super. Que lindo con el Mateo nos hemos divertido full y con el resto de chicos. ell otro dia reimos hasta quedar sin aire en nuestra caseria de ardillas.

  Tambien gracias papa por ensenarme y practicar las cosas de la finca y los nudos.”

 Mateo.

Me silent agradecido por las oportunidades que mis padres me han dado. Supieron elegir una escuela maravillosa llena de profesores y companeros que fueron mug valiosos para mi. Ahora tengo el chance de estar aqui en Kroka conociendo y aprendiendo todo tipo de lugares, culturas y personas lo cual me llena de emocion pues falta toda la parte del programa ed Ecuador que estoy seguro que sera inolvidable.

Charlie.

“Remember who and where your home is, stay true to it. Breathe deep the air, and savor the feeling. Appreciate the world you’ve become a part of. Realize and love the part you play. Remain present and give it all.”