Things have been busy as ever here at the Hostel. One night around the campfire we had an open mic poetry, spoken word and song sharing where we all opened our hearts and ears to hear some good word. Another night we had a burning party around the lake campfire where we burned things, both physically and metaphorically, that needed to be let go of. For Cinco de Mayo we learned a little bit about what the holiday is, and celebrated with some homebrew we made ourselves here in the kitchen. Another night we had a Native American peace pipe circle ceremony, with a homemade peace pipe built in the traditional design and traditional Native American peace pipe herbs and some teaching about Native American traditions and religion. We’ve even had a couple old fashioned movie nights with a projector and a bed sheet and pillows and warm bodies. We’ve also been continuing our mini workshops with guitar lessons, and fermentation workshops, and the gardeners have set up an urban garden to teach how you can have your own garden no matter where you live.

We have welcomed onto staff Laeo from Asheville, who is the resident chicken shaman and handyman. We are happy to have him as part of the Hostel family. On a sad note though, our forest pixie Paige has left us to move on back home. Her absence is felt throughout the forest. And, dear Hostelites, it is with the heaviest of hearts that I announce my own time has come to leave the forest. For the past four months I have enjoyed our weekly one-way palavers, and I thank you for your time reading them. I wish to leave you with one final quote; one of my favorite quotes. “Human beings, vegetables, or cosmic dust – we all dance to a mysterious tune, intoned in the distance by an invisible piper.” (~Albert Einstein.) I hope for the honor to write you again sometime, but until then, you are always in my heart.

Love, Whitney

Until next time,

May The Forest Be With You…