It’s been a gentle time of integration when I focus on my inner life and the life of nature all around me. I wake up in a green antique bed beautifully carved and painted with flowers on the tall headboard. It sits by a large window overlooking the pond and stable with a wide long distance view over the now snow capped Vosges Mountains, which 50 miles from here become Germany’s famous Black Forrest. We are in Alsace, also called the ‘three corner country’ meaning that 3 countries, France, Germany and Switzerland are within one hour’s drive or less from each other.
My sister Aries is already up and walks past the huge windows that wrap around the room. She looks like a Heinzelmännchen (gnome) in her red steeple cap and long warm coat bent over against the wind and cold frosty morning. Horse and donkey are already awaiting her arrival to be led out of the dark winter stable. 5 weeks ago I arrived here in France to join my sister and friends to create a very small self sustainable eco village.... my dream of the last 25 years finally coming true.
There is much work to be done. The property lies between two charming villages surrounded by agriculture fields like a little oasis. Pierre, deceased four years ago, bought the land and 4 chalets 40 years ago, log cabins imported from Norway which had been highly acclaimed for their superior building style. There are four different styles and sizes on our land and we plan to add 4 tiny houses. I am now in the process of moving into a 3 bedroom cottage, good size living room with wood stove and 3 tiny bedrooms. It suits me well, and I am excited to find new places for my personal goods still on their sea voyage from my home in Pennsylvania.
The decision to leave my colorful home of 20 years in Pa. and move to France came quickly. The house on my sister ‘s property became available and voila I was on the move !
Next week is Christmas and the colorful Alsatian villages are beautifully decorated as they have been for centuries and full to the brim with goodies, but we see almost no tourists in the normally overcrowded streets... no one comes to admire their decorations and buy their famous Alsace wines even ! We speak to the shopkeepers through our masks and listen to their woes of financial ruin. They insist on buying us hot chocolate and sit with us on cold chairs at one of the desolated cafe tables in the square.
At home we cozy around the fireplace. Aries has just made a German meal of beloved red cabbage with apples, we read and listen to wise historians who give us an overview of the pathways other countries and centuries have taken. The present situation we find ourselves in is most puzzling. What we hear and see about Germany on alternative internet channels is most alarming. It looks like 1933. We have been here before, both of us born into the middle of WW2.
So it seems even more urgent to move into self sustainable living, honoring the gifts of the Earth and create vision boards for the future. Maybe we can become a small role model of alternative ways of living, so badly needed now. Before that happens much dreaming needs to be done to manifest and manage this with practical and financial support. Much of the infrastructure has been neglected over the last 40 years !
But our friend Susanne, who has moved into the small one room guest cottage, has definitely been sent from heaven to us in France ! She herself has lived in various eco village communities and has researched to the gazoo, is full of alternative living knowledge and wisdom, and is ALSO the most kind and caring person I have ever met !! Navigating me endlessly through the non sensical and SLOW French red tape.Stay tuned, and if you know a way of how to support this earnest adventure let us know, we will be most grateful. Maybe you will come and visit this beautiful spot on the planet....we can use a lot of ‘bakers and candlestick makers’....
And so the three of us make a good team at the start of this adventure.
With donkey ‘Ramses’, horse ‘Chica’, dog ‘Wolle’, cat ‘Taru’ and storks, swans, herons, kingfishers and many other critters (and no heat or hot water for the last 2 weeks, and not for another 2 weeks before the old pellet heater can be fixed !) we live in the moment.
Meanwhile I think of you all with great warmth in my ❤️and wish you and the whole world amazingly blessed days and a year of gentle transitions to a deeper consciousness ...we hold each others’ hands across the ⭐️ 🌎⭐️
Next week is Christmas and the colorful Alsatian villages are beautifully decorated as they have been for centuries and full to the brim with goodies, but we see almost no tourists in the normally overcrowded streets... no one comes to admire their decorations and buy their famous Alsace wines even ! We speak to the shopkeepers through our masks and listen to their woes of financial ruin. They insist on buying us hot chocolate and sit with us on cold chairs at one of the desolated cafe tables in the square.
