by Sue Stone

I wanted my 70^th birthday to be a gift to myself, as well as to my community, and to celebrate it with my friends here at Earthaven. It began with a work party and open house, then a potluck and celebration.

So many people came to help. I was amazed by how much work got done here at our Earthship, and by the joy and generosity of those who participated. Two members, Bob and Alice, came a day early to prepare our tool shed for painting. The day of the party, the shed was painted, railings and stairs were sanded and treated, firewood was collected and stacked and flower beds were weeded.

One work exchanger, Deb, dug a ditch along the front of the house so Geoff could repair the stucco, and another, Lindsay, entertained our two grandchildren, taking them to the orchard to pick strawberries.

People kept coming with small gifts and food for the dinner, and the day ended with songs and hugs and Eli’s famous carrot cake.

It was a wonderful way to celebrate a milestone birthday, and a reminder of the many benefits of living in community. Several people said, “We should do this more often. Who is next?”

Sue Stone and her husband Geoff have lived at Earthaven since 1999. Sue has served the community in many leadership and committee positions, in addition to helping Geoff build their 1200 sq. ft. Earthship. She also enjoys gardening, reading and playing piano, and her passion is creating beauty.