Happy Thankful Day

At this moment, on this day, in this month, in this year:

I am thankful to have been born into a body containing a healthy, strong and capable brain that has an ever increasing desire to learn and grow. More so, I'm thankful for every single one of you who have been, and continue to be my teachers along the way.

I am thankful to have been born into a body containing a healthy, strong and capable voice. A body which has experienced much and (among many other wonderful things) has learned to laugh, cry, dance, respect, feel, sing, love, think, do and be. More so, I acknowledge and appreciate that through my learned skills, abilities and my voice, that I am empowered to make a difference.

I feel blessed to have been born with a healthy, strong and passionate spirit which has the ability to perceive the abundant beauty on this planet with a sense of awe and wonder. More so, I feel humbled by an immense sense of gratitude to have received so much love, compassion and understanding in my life, and feel very fortunate to have been shown the multitude of ways to give back.

Most of all, I am simply thankful to be able to say: I am.

* * *

Much love, gratitude and appreciation to you all on this day, and every day this year.

quick update...

Been having some really amazing and intense experiences the last few days, which I will go into more detail on later. And, have also begun to catch the cold that has been circulating around the community...

So, today has been really, really, really hard. But I'm dealing and just trying to be really gentle to myself. I'm learning loads about living in a community and trying to balance my personal/mental/emotional needs with the personal responsibilities of sharing space with 20-30 other people. And I'm finding it's really quite hard!

Also, another balance that has been rough is figuring out how much time to spend and when to be online (to post these updates, load new photos onto flickr, send emails and connect with you all via skype or other methods...) I have noticed that since I've arrived here, I've spent *way* more time on the computer that I'd like, and am going to be setting up a system for myself to cut way back. I'm going to see how I go with twice per week for a few hours. Usually we have our day off in the week on Mondays, so that will be one day in the week, and I'll have to see about the other one.

Mostly this message is just to let you all know that I'll be online less in an effort to get into better habits of spending my time doing productive things *unattached* to my laptop!

I've discovered that I can accept phone calls from you without it using any minutes on my thai sim card, so if you'd like to get in touch with me that way - shoot me an email and I'll happily send you the number!

Much love to you all and hope your week (and Thanksgiving) is wonderful!

Daily life at Panya

WAKING:
I generally wake slowly and peacefully to the sunrise (around 6am), the soft sound of the crickets and morning insects and the sound of the rooster crowing in the chicken coop, steps away from my house...sometimes, however, I sleep right through all of that and wake to the sound of my own alarm at around 6:15. Regardless of what time I wake up, I always find time for a silent morning meditation (minimum of 30 minutes in this space, sometimes just on my bed in my room.)

ACCOMMODATION:
All buildings here are open to air, to some degree (some more, some less). In fact, my room is probably one of the only rooms on the property that is as enclosed with walls as it is. I live in “The Cottage” which is an adobe structure made from earth, clay and rice husk. It was entirely hand built and plaster finished by people on the farm. Here's what the inside looks like. Even though there are shutters on the two windows in my room and a door, I keep them all open at all times, to let the maximum amount of air in. Due to the thermal mass properties of the clay walls, the room stays at a pretty even (or, at least very comfortable) temperature throughout the day and evening – despite the extremely hot temps during the day and sometimes, near freezing temps at night.

WEATHER:
Rainy season ended just before I arrived, so it's still pretty warm and humid out during the day, and cool-ish at night. Actually, since I've been here, it's been, supposedly, unusually warm here for the season, so the during the daytime, it's been almost unbearably hot. (Around 32c/90F in the hottest part of the day, and hasn't been below 12c/55F in the night yet.) I'm eager to get further into “winter” when the daytime will be more like upper 70s to mid 80s and where the nights can get down to 30 or 40. The way the weather is currently, makes it really hard to do manual labor work outside in the exhausting heat everyday...

In the middle of the day, usually we all take it easy and try to have a rest (afternoon siesta after lunch!), then go out and work later in the afternoon, when the sun isn't directly overhead. It's VERY humid here all the time. Everything is coated with a fine layer of dew in the morning that dries quickly as soon as the sun comes out from behind the morning fog, usually around 9am. Even if it looks like there are rain clouds forming in the morning (as it did this morning), it doesn't actually rain, and is usually sunny and clear all day.

TOILETS:
The only toilets on the land are composting toilets. They are designed so that no matter how many people are staying here at any one time, there are always at least 2 stalls available for use, and usually the other 2 dormant for composting. Once full, they sit for 6 months to give them the opportunity break down all of the organic matter and pathogens and then can be used as compost for the fruit trees and other non-veggie patch plants on the farm. We are in the process of building another small, composting, bucket toilet area further back to be more accessible to the cottage (whoohoo!) and other dwellings near me. (pictures to come soon...)

SHOWERS:
Outdoor showers! So wonderful! I find it SO much more refreshing to take a shower outside...and these showers are designed so well, it feels like such a luxury each time! The water for the showers currently comes from the well on the farm. Any and all hot water we get for the showers is entirely solar heated (so, hot showers in the afternoon, warm-ish showers in the morning)...and, pretty much, unlimited cold water...as long as the pump is working and there is water in the tanks!

WATER:
There is a reservoir at the top of the land that, when full, is capable of holding 2 million litres of water. This would be enough to provide for all of the water needs of the farm (showering, garden watering, washing, etc.), for a full year. However, in the four years of the pond and farm's existence, it has not yet sealed properly, so the most that it can hold at any one time right now, is ¼ million litres. A significant amount, yes, but, also, unfortunately not yet hooked up for efficient use on the farm. Like most things here, still a work in progress.

Also, these 6 water tanks catch the water run off from the roof of the sala, and completely fill up during the first few weeks of the torrential downpours of the rainy season. They hold 4000 litres each, for a total of 24,000 litres. This provides for pretty much all of the drinking water needs on the farm for the entire year, until the next rainy season starts. (And, is most likely the best source of clean, fresh, unfiltered drinking water in all of Thailand.) Through the dry season (Nov - April) is when most of the courses and internships occur. During these months, there is an average of about 15 - 20 people here all the time (we usually max out at about 30 people when the PDC is happening). Then it drops down to anywhere from 1 - 6 people for the rainy season. I think last year was the first year in which any water supplement needed to be purchased for the farm until the rains began again. (And that was just to carry over for a couple of weeks...) Yay for water catchment systems!!!

Also, as mentioned above, we do currently use the well water for showers, dish washing, clothes washing and garden watering, but that is just until the reservoir system becomes functional, at which point the well system would be used only for backup.

FOOD/COOKING:
We use wood fired, adobe stoves and a hand built cob oven for all of our cooking, baking and food/drink heating needs. I LOVE cooking on wood fired stoves, but the most challenging thing for me is starting the fires and fighting with the smoke. I regularly have to step back from the stove and blink rapidly when I'm cooking then turn back and try to find the pot again with smoke-filled, watering eyes. It's a fun challenge. So far I've made my favorite sweet potato curry with tofu, a kick-ass tomato sauce base for pizza night (!), a *way* too salty pressed salad and some other yummy side dishes.

We make our own meals, plus: wine, cheese, cookies, bread, kombucha, kimchi, etc. all with ingredients we can find on the land, or purchase from the local hill tribe market or other near by thai markets. I'm getting quite the education in asian ingredients and in eating local, seasonal food. When we do supplement with food from the markets, we try to get as much organic, non-chemical laden food as possible. We eat tons of brown rice, many noodle dishes, lots of garlic, cabbage, eggplant, papaya, watermelon, pumpkin...mmmm...and more...

We definitely try to use as much food as possible from the gardens, but unfortunately, not much that is growing in the gardens right now is harvest-able. It is now just the start of the growing season, so we are amidst planting of many wonderful foods, but will have to wait a couple of months until we have abundance of anything. That said, we *do* currently (and always) have an endless supply of passion fruit, (usually) bananas, and more chili peppers than we know what do do with!

Even with everyone pitching in on the cooking (where, generally, you never know what you'll get), the food is always heaping and delicious!!!

Here's me with some thai rice whisky (not brewed on the land, but purchased at the small thai market in the village)! YUM!

CHORES/WORK:
We have a rotating chore schedule to handle all of the chores that need to be completed on a daily basis. This is in addition to any other projects happening on the land (ie. building new dwellings, laying the drip line, finishing/final plastering the interiors and exteriors of the buildings, etc...) The chores include, compost flipping/emptying, cleaning, cooking and metta. Metta is my favorite chore day...it basically just means creating beauty and spreading love around the place. This is our day to give out hugs, find flowers to prettify the place, make artwork, etc...kind of a relaxing day off from chores. :)

TRASH:
I've lived here for about 2 weeks now, with 8 people to start, now up to 20 people for the last week, and I think this trash bin has only been emptied a total of 2 times, in that time. There are small trash bins around the property (in the shower rooms, in the houses, etc., but none of them need to be emptied that often (maybe once every few months or so?)

We find many ways to reuse and recycle most of the would be trash (ie. aluminum cans used for garden labels) that is generated here, and do a pretty good job of not bringing much trash to the land to begin with. In my mind, this is an incredible feat in a country where everything is over-packaged and plastic bags and bottles are handed out and sold at a dime-a-dozen.

FUN/FREE TIME:
Swimming at the reservoir at the top of the hill in the village! Updating you people! Trying to find the balance between recording/relaying experiences and having them. Reading! There are so many amazing books to read here and soooo much to learn!

We have been doing skill shares here where we get the opportunity to teach the skills we've learned throughout our lives and also learn something new that someone else has knowledge in. Last week I taught a drafting/design workshop (which was nerve-racking, but ended up being awesome!), and I've learned about deep tissue massage, soap making, wine making, peanut harvesting, kombucha making...the list goes on. I'm literally learning about 5 new things *every* day.

ANIMALS/WILDLIFE:
There are 2 cats (Mi Mi and Tao Tao) and 2 dogs (Tou Dom and Dang) who live on the property. Also, since I've been here, we've discovered a mama snake and 3 baby snakes – which, according to the description, are highly venomous and potentially deadly, (a situation which is definitely urging me to reconsider my ground floor, mattress on floor, sleeping arrangement!)

Also, I've saved numerous earthworms from a scorching, firey sun-ball death on the walking path, I've not yet had any attack me, but many people have at one time or another been an unknowing host to the tiny but mighty leeches hanging around the place, I/we have seen/discovered 3 scorpions, countless termites, ants, mosquitoes, flies, butterflies, moths, spiders, snails, frogs, small lizards and a few mice and rats (usually caught and tormented by the cats)...and I keep discovering new insects and animals every single day! Living in the tropics, on a budding permaculture farm definitely allows me to experience the amazing biodiversity that exists here, and that seems to be growing and maturing all the time.

EVENING TIME:
There is no electricity on the land except for in the buildings, so I use my headlamp to go on night walks, to the toilets and along the 30 second walk from the sala to my room in the cottage. It's kind of surreal (but also wonderful) to watch the frogs and lizards in my peripheral vision, hopping out of the way as I pass by. I usually fall asleep to the clicking and creaking sounds of the small frogs nearby and to the crickets and night bugs chirping and singing their night songs.

AMAZING STUFF/CHALLENGES:
The hard stuff: Bugs!!! Holy crap the bugs! My skin looks like I got the chicken pox really, really bad, then partially recovered, then got them...again. The mosquitoes, biting ants and flies are *relentless* here.

Getting used to the heat during the day. I find myself drained and out of energy pretty much until the sun starts to go down. And not used to so much outside time...which, don't get me wrong, is INCREDIBLE for my physical and mental well being. It's just an adjustment.

Also, I'm finding that I'm having a really hard time finding balance within myself to live here sustainably. I find that I need a lot of personal, alone time to relax and recover from all of the things I find taxing here, (living with 20 other people - including a 4 year old child, the intense heat, different foods, working outside, massive change of routine, habits, lifestyle, etc.) but no one else seems to need as much time to themselves as I do. So, I wonder often if I'm contributing enough to the community. I've had a couple of really reassuring conversations with folks here recently, which has felt great and relaxed me a bit, but still sometimes wonder.

Learning how to live a fulfilling, balanced life in this type of setting is definitely something I am eager to know how to do successfully, and I'm understanding more and more that it's going to take some time. So...learning patience again is also a recurring and constant challenge!

The amazing stuff: Just being here and having the chance to experience community living in this setting is...hmmm. Hard to find the words. Let's just say I feel like the luckiest girl in the world every morning waking up in this place! Truly. It's amazing.

11:01 PM – Tuesday night:

Mimi caught a giant rat (about ¼ the size of her own body), came into my room with it hanging out of her mouth, paraded it around my room, then proceeded to climb through the open door of the bookcase, with it still in her mouth, drop it, play with it, then torture it to death. I had almost forgotten what it was like living with outdoor cats. Good thing the only shoes I have with me are sandals...

- - -

12:30 pm - Wednesday afternoon:

So, she seems to think I'm her mother or something. That rat from last night. Yep. She found it again after I had tried to dispose of it in a forest ditch back behind the house. Not only did she find it again, she brought it back into my room and decided to eat it for lunch...not inside the bookcase, not over in a corner of the room, not at the foot of my bed, but yes, she decided it would be best to enjoy her dead rat lunch directly in the the location of the room that is up against the mosquito netting that is the closest to my head...!

Hmmm. Good thing I brought some eucalyptus oil.

Kinda wishing I had been a cat in that moment, so I could have fully been the proud mama MiMi was seemingly seeking from me.

Instead, I just scooped up what was left of the rat and buried it in the compost pile.

There's never a dull moment 'round here.

Crazy Random Opportunity !

So, this guy, Richard, stopped by the farm a couple days ago and inquired if there was anyone staying with us who would be interested in taking up a last minute volunteer position for the weekend in the next town over, Chiang Dao. The organization is called Makhampom. It looked REALLY awesome to me, so I put my hand up to help out. Three other people from the farm are going too. We leave in about 45 minutes! ...and will be spending our weekend with them! Check out the photos of the place through their Resources page. AMAZING!

More later...

A little bit o background...

I arrived in Thailand for the first time this past January with the intention of staying for about 4 weeks to take the Permaculture Design Course (PDC) offered at Panya as well as visit my brother, sister-in-law and her family in Bangkok. I did all of this, plus visited many other areas in and around Chiang Mai and in and around Bangkok - most of which were astonishingly beautiful. It was definitely a journey full of new things and first time experiences...tropical climate, animals - plants and insects I'd never seen before, thai architecture, thai urban life, being in a country ruled by a king, rice harvesting in the countryside, thai culture - lifestyle - language and (amazing) food, river markets, overt poverty, stray dogs everywhere, wild dogs howling at night...the list goes on.

The permaculture farm (Panya) is located about an hour north of Chiang Mai, in Mae Taeng, in Northern Thailand. (map) The farm itself occupies roughly 10 acres in a valley, surrounded on all sides by gorgeous, rolling mountains and forest. There are two, like minded, neighboring communities within walking distance of Panya called Pun Pun and You Sabai. There is also a small, thai village about 10 minutes walking distance from the edge of the farm.

When I came to the farm last January, I immediately felt a sense of magic and beauty that I'd never felt anywhere else. The permaculture veggie gardens, food forest, happy chickens, endless coconuts bananas and passion fruit, open-air natural material buildings, vegetarian meals, community living, and focus on successfully creating sustainable, closed systems while doing it all through a genuinely cheerful and optimistic lens were the things that initially grabbed me about this place.

[excerpt from my journal: 10 Feb 09 - This place makes my soul sing.]

In fact, I loved it so much, I decided to extend my stay for an extra 10 days just to be able to soak in a little bit more...(not knowing at the time if I would have the opening in my life or resources to ever come back).

As fate would have it, I was invited back as a long term volunteer to stay through the winter season of classes, workshops and internships. Incredibly lucky and incredibly humbled I am, indeed. I feel as though I only touched the surface of what there is to learn here about living successfully in a community setting, about organic gardening and permaculture, and about myself.

So! In a nutshell, I'm back here now for (at least) the next 4 months...through February! And, I am SO very thrilled to be here.

So very much has happened already in just the few short days I've been back! I intend to keep this blog regularly updated with permaculture related stuffs as well as random thoughts and experiences I have while I'm here. So, bookmark this page and come back often!

Also, I will be updating my flickr account with new photos and videos of things I see and find around here.

If you find that you're interested in this stuff, please feel free to leave comments and questions on the blog and on the photos you see that may require more explanation. I LOVE thinking about and living this life, and my favorite way to stay fresh and engaged is by having conversations about it all!

So...I strongly encourage you to stick around, have a read, and let me know what you think.

Namaste

A warm welcome to you!

Here is a place where you can read about the details of my humble life which includes my experiences and ongoing education with permaculture, my current stay in Thailand, meditation, my perspective on traveling to certain places on the globe, my overall personal journey and (I'm sure) many more things I haven't thought of yet!