Intentional Community Day 2

I'm writing from a truck stop in El Paso, but I shall be reporting on the events of yesterday.  We are going to try for membership at this intentional community.  I made some awesome friends there who I want to have as a part of my life.

They're picky about who they let in, but I will begin going through the membership ritual in April.  I first have to live in the community for a few months for them to make sure I'm not any trouble.  Then they can vote, and it must be a 2/3rd vote to get me and my mom in.

We haven't started anything yet because we still have to be in New Orleans in March to fly to Puerto Rico.  After that we'll be heading back to New Mexico, and should be here by April.  So...we'll see how it goes!  This might change from an RVing blog to a living in a commune blog.  @-@  Exciting?

Just now I got a call from Shirley (my new bff even if she doesn't know it yet) and she's getting thing in the works to smooth over my integration into the colony.  This is so nice I'm almost brought to tears.  They really want me!!

All of the homes I'm sharing with you through the pictures are either vacant, or the owner gave me permission.  Isn't this place cool?!

One woman named Fran gave me the grand tour of her EPIC set-up.  She was super-nice, and I hope I can get to know her better once I'm in (if I get in).  She is like the uber-version of what I picture myself becoming.  She uses the sunshine to filter her water, lives on solar, raises veggies with her own compost, and has some amazing projects and out buildings.  She showed me so much I hope I can convey it all in this post.

Here's the outside of her main house.

The inside is kind of like a really heavily padded yurt.

Look at her car!  I don't even...!

She has lots of little RV trailers here and there.  The pink boots are for a celebration at the 'Pink Store' in Mexico

She has a bus converted to an RV in her backyard.  I blocked out Shirley because I'm not sure if she was okay with me sharing her picture.

Look at this steering wheel!

It has a stove!

So kewl!

Here's Fran's outdoor bathtub!  The barrel will heat the water with the sun in the summer and in the winter she can light a fire under it.

What the heck is this?!  She had it in her back yard too.

Inside is a giant pit!!  I thought it might be a root cellar, but it's actually a place to go during the hot summers so she can live without AC.

She has quick hoops with chicken wire to grow stuff without the rabbits feasting.

She also grows stuff in trows recovered from abandoned pasture in the desert.  The bottoms are all rotted out, so they drain for her.

 I was amazed and grateful she was okay with pictures.  She's a really cool lady!  Not everyone lives like this, but some of the long term residents have amazing set-ups.  They embody what you'd expect from a colony like this.

That doesn't mean everyone is living that way.  There are mobile homes and modular homes with all the modern conveniences also.  We would live in our RV with an electrical connection.  We might buy a home for sale here, but might not.  We really like our RV.

It was exciting, incredible, rejuvenating, and hope inspiring.  It gave me a destination for my chaotic life.  I will be away for a while, but I know I'll be back.