Twenty years ago on September 11, 1994, a dozen people so disillusioned with existing options for satisfying, life-affirming living situations, put their hands and available capital together to put Earthaven Ecovillage on the Western North Carolina map. This year, in the midst of much rethinking and refreshing of goals and potential, we celebrated the theme of Giveaway, a time-honored indigenous peoples’ response to prosperity and abundance. No, we haven’t gotten that big endowment yet, but we recognized our wealth in this special bioregion, this splendid forest, these crystal creeks, these developing farms and gardens, these gorgeous children, the skills and talents among us, and most of all the rich and abundant relationships we’ve formed with one another.

Gathering on the Saturday night before the 11th, we enjoyed a delicious finger-food buffet donated by Tricia, and then joined each other at the community Fire Circle. Carleigh got the fire going with a bow drill (whew!) and then Zev led off a spontaneous offering of stories and memories from our two decades of growth, as winding as the roads that lead us here. Old friends, some who only came around early on but who never lost touch with us, retold favorite memories for the newest EHers to hear.

On Sunday morning, quite a few folks turned up both for Kimchi’s Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) mini-workshop and a Trauma Release session with Gaspar. Gaspar also organized a volley-ball game on the Village Green, and Rainbow coordinated a mural painting party to brighten up the game room that has blossomed inside the old brown storage containers. The younger ecovillagers were given paint and the run of the interior of the game room.

We feasted together on the Village Plaza with local and donated dishes and desserts, and were thrilled to look around and see old friends and former Earthaven family showing up to celebrate with us. A ceremonial circle of gratitude and abundant wishes for the future was followed by a Timeline brainstorm in which we recalled the many big and small events still in our hearts, charting the year of their occurrence as best we could, for a chronological outline of the history of Earthaven. In the afternoon, informal teach-ins and tours were offered, while many just lingered in the Village Center to socialize and absorb the good vibes.

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During the school year, kids who attend the Forest Children’s Program can be seen scampering across the Village Green at least three days a week, while several, mostly older kids commute to schools in Black Mountain or to their other parent’s locale in Asheville.

Back in June, I became curious about whether these lucky younguns were going to stay around all Summer, or go off to other adventures, and here’s what I was told. In “the Brandon and Tanya family,” Brandon wrote: “Aleah [Tanya’s 11-year-old] has been visiting Kentucky and Missouri with her Dad, and will be going on a trip to Indiana and Massachusetts with us in July. Here one week and with Dad one week after that. Aurora [Brandon’s ex-partner Brandi’s 9-year-old] will also come on the trip to IN and MA; and while at home she is doing an outdoor leadership program called Task. (Willow, the baby, will, of course, accompany the family, as she approaches her first birthday in September.)

Mihaly offered this list on behalf of 7-year-old Tessa, who lives during the school year with her Mom in Nashville: playing troll under the new bridge, eating homemade raw ice cream, jumping on the trampoline, watching movies, building a fort, swimmin’ in the hole, riding bikes, sleeping late, picking blueberries, helping with chores and construction, massage nights, contra dancing, reading at bedtime, dressing up, playing cards, listening to her CDs, eating candy at the Trading Post, walking Bridgit (the Cow), collecting eggs, playing in the woods, double-slumber parties, writing in her diary, putting on skits.

Holly wrote from Main Street: “Rose is working one day a week at the Inn on Mill Creek, a B & B near Ridgecrest. She is also apprenticing with [our neighbor] Rainbow in order to learn how to paint murals, and going to the Thursday contra dances as much as she can. She practices her guitar every day. She was accepted into, and leaves tomorrow, for a program called CLIMBE (Center for Learning and Investigation in Mountain Backcountry Ecosystems), which is done through Montreat College. It’s a 6-day scientific backpacking expedition for rising 8th through 12th graders, in which they’ll hike from Mount Mitchell down to Montreat and test water quality as they come down. There will be 10 kids at a time and the program runs for 6 weeks total, so 60 kids were accepted from over 100 applicants from around the country. She is also helping around the house, working in the garden, and hanging out with friends at Earthaven. ” Holly continued: [Rose’s brother] “Eli is not doing much this summer! Aside from some EH and town playdates, he goes to work with me two days a week. It’s a little boring there, but he reads a lot. He has also done a math camp with the TLC director and math teacher. Both kids will likely spend some time in Indiana and Ohio with extended family this summer.”

We also got an update from Jill on daughter Mira’s behalf (although I’m surprised that articulate 8-year-old didn’t write her own!): “Mira’s first 2 wks at EH were great! She joined the Sister Stitch group, which inspired her to sew a purse for Fran, which was well received at Fran’s b’day party. Mira also enjoyed a great b’day celebration with Cory getting into the mud/clay pit!! Mira has been enjoying spending time with the other kids, bike riding, berry picking, going to the swimming hole, planting seeds, harvesting, picking up our harvest at the CSA, chasing the salamanders. She put together a 500-piece puzzle the A&A folks loaned her. She is a bookworm, and while Jill is at Qigong class, Mira is somewhere in the magic treehouse book collection off on adventures with the characters. Greg took her out on a library trip, and got her the new Peter Pan DVD. She has a charmed summer life, and we’ve only just begun. We make our rounds with dinner dates. Life is good!”

Seems like we got the goods on most of the girls, and on Eli, but we know our other fellas Gailen, Nick and Joshua, Cory, and Yeshua and Otus were out there swimming, picking berries, going to town with their folks, checking out the woods’ creatures, and playing lots of games, too.

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