This week we celebrated the Hostel in the Forest’s 33rd birthday on July 4th, complete with two chocolate cakes shaped like the domes and shingled with sliced almonds, fennel and rosemary. Lots of incredible people showed up and participated in the festivities with a garden party, dancing and drumming out at the lake, and the flag project – envisioning and drawing or painting a new flag for America which incorporated the growth and change we’d like to create as our country continues to evolve. Thanks to everyone who made such an amazing weekend possible: Emily and Dawn from Connecticut and Texas cooking dinner, Kara and Leanne from Asheville cooking dinner for two nights, Chuck and Marissa cooking dinner for yet another night, and Tau leading a Tai Chi workshop in the glass house. And of course to everyone else who threw down and helped us love up the hostel over the weekend.

We’ve also had some huge thunderstorms pass through with some deafening lightning strikes right in the forest – one right behind the pool! Everyone is safe and we’ve only found one tree that blew down so far, and the garden has been soaking up the steady supply of sky water. The pond is even up a bit from its extremely low level due to local drought. This weekend Trey will be leading an Ingredients Workshop – learn what additives like sodium nitrite really are and what effect they have on your body, as well as some basic nutrition awareness. We also will be beginning a series of Candlelight Nights, most likely around the full moon schedule, where we will lead a candle-making workshop and then encourage everyone to forego the use of electric light that evening and use candles they’ve made.

Lately we’ve had very few no-shows, and lots of calls confirming or sometimes cancelling reservations – thanks for your consideration and respect for the hostel.

May The Forest Be With You…