Co-Housing in Tucson

Driving to Tucson from El Paso showed me an interesting change in landscape. Whereas El Paso's desert is dry with scattered scrubby plants, approaching Tucson I saw sajuaro cacti, tall and noble, often with one or more "arms," which don't start to grow until the plant is at least 50 years old. Other, shorter cacti were visible. On a vist to the wonderful Desert Museum I learned a lot about these and other living things of the desert.

I stayed with former Peace Corps Volunteer (Turkey) Jackie Day in Milagro (Miracle) Co-Housing Community whose unifying principle is "To live lightly on the land." Interesting place: about 28 residences, some of them duplex, occupied by young families with small children up to retired folks. Each house has a solar unit on the roof that provides heat for the water supply, and large tanks are at each house to catch rainwater off the roof. Their grey water is piped underground to a "wetland" where a certain kind of reed has been planted to clean the water. The black water from toilets eventually goes there too, after settling. All this is piped back to water the plants in the community, most of which are local and therefore don't require much water. But they do have some citrus and fig and some other fruit trees, I think.

One would expect to see a community garden there, but as with almost any community with voluntary membership, there are a few who don't want to go along with the majority, and there is no garden, though some individuals do grow vegetables on their own property.

I attended a vegetarian dinner at the home of another resident and talked to about ten women about West Africa, showing my artifacts. Ten-year-old resident Emily modeled carrying a baby on her back.

At a thrift shop in Florida where I had hoped to buy a baby doll for such demonstrations I learned that baby dolls can't be sold unless they are tested for lead in the paint. So my "baby" is a teddy bear.

School Experiences

It's been a long time since I was in a school, but I got a good dose this past week here in El Paso, as I talked to three schools in three days. Two of my experiences were with LITTLE kids, pre-K to 5th grade, who assembled in their schools' libraries; I talked to six groups each day and showed an abbreviated version of my PowerPoint presentation. I sold about ten books to teachers in those two days, and had a great time. The kids enjoyed dancing the African hilife.

The third day I was in a high school, speaking in the auditorium to four different groups of humanities students. Also a good day. Their questions and responses were more insightful and interesting, but few of them danced.

I'm looking forward to Tucson tomorrow, as I'll be staying with a returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Turkey) in an Intentional Community, but they call it co-housing. As friends at home are hoping to establish such a community, I'm interested in seeing how this one is organized.

Snow in Texas

You guys up north think you have a corner on the snow market! Driving from Ft. Stockton to El Paso, up in the mountains, there was snow, but the wind was blowing so hard it didn't get a chance to land on the ground. Actually, snow in El Paso is not unusual.

The wind carried dust and tumbleweeds with it that reminded me of my years in Wyoming.

That same wind was a headwind for me, and I'm sure my hybrid used about a gallon of gas for every 15 or 20 miles, as opposed to its usual 39 mpg. I was surprised when the fuel signal came on, and had to drive about 50 more miles to find a gas station, coasting down hills to save gas. The gas at that little outpost on the prairie was $2.22/gallon, but it saved my hide.

Am staying with my nephew Daniel and his family. His wife Sandra is a teacher, and she has arranged for me to speak at three schools in three days. Today I was at a K-5 school, and spoke to six different groups of little kids, 1/2 hour each. It was fun! Am also enjoying my two great-nephews, ages nine and two.

Just as the pandhandle of Florida is in Central time, the panhandle of Texas that's El Paso is in Mountain time. This time the change gave me an unexpected hour on my way to Daniel's house, so I found my way to a Cracker Barrel to return two books on CD I'd borrowed back in San Antonio. Will pick up a few more as I move west, but must beware, as there are no Cracker Barrels in Nevada or California. How will I manage?

The Lone Star State

One thing I learned at deFuniak Springs is that Florida's panhandle is in the Central Time Zone! My first day there, dinner was scheduled for 5 p.m., kinda early, but I showed up at 4 because I didn't know I should have changed my clock. After waiting an hour I was hungry.

I also was surprised to learn that Florida is a big cattle producer, and I did see lots of them along the way.

It's a two-day trip from there to San Antonio, through a little bit of Alabama and Mississippi, then Louisiana and a long way through Texas. But it was all (except for skirting New Orleans and San Antonio) on U.S. highway 10! I remember remarking to friend Jack Lord long ago that I was pleased that Boerne, Texas, the place I was moving to from Los Angeles, was on Highway 10 that starts in Santa Monica and L.A. He said he in Santa Monica and his brother in Jacksonville, Florida hold down either end of that road.

Here in Boerne I've spoken at the local library and the senior citizens' center, and on Sunday will do so at the clubhouse in the development where my sister Helen lives. Chautuauquan Rainy Evans invited about 15 friends to her lovely house in San Antonio, and I spoke there. Several of them had already read my book (and liked it) and two women brought their children.

Boerne, where I once lived for five years, is of course bigger and has heavier traffic than in the past, and I guess that's true everywhere. But, as in Ghana, what strikes me most is the familiar: the house I once owned, the place I worked and mostly, of course, old friends. One of them, Lily Thomas, is now 91 and still a volunteer at the Senior Center's thrift shop. As I get on in years, older people are an important inspiration.

deFuniak Springs Chautauqua

Yes, there are other Chautauquas, and one of them is at deFuniak Springs, Florida. It has only one building, also housing the Chamber of Commerce, in a lovely spot near one of the two round lakes in Florida. The events of the conference were held there, at the nearby Methodist and Presbyterian churches, the Community Center and the Fairgrounds.

There were a number of exhibits, but the best was one in which each of the 53 African countries (I think there are 54, but maybe Fernanco Po was left out) was chosen by a local elementary, middle or high school class and illustrated in a 6' by 10' space. The exhibits were imaginative and informative--a great project.

I DID get to be a speaker after all, as there was a last-minute cancellation and I magnanimously stepped into the breach. (I had been disappointed when I learned of the conference too late to be on the speakers' list.) I showed my PowerPoint presentation and the cloth and artifacts that I hadn't used to decorate the Tea Room at the Community Center, and there was much interest and many good questions.

I did sell some books and had a good time, learned a lot and met many interesting people. I had a homestay with a lovely lady, and all in all it was a worthwhile visit.

Birds and Hot Tubs

Am very uncomfortably scrunched in my car in front of the de Funiak Springs library, picking up their wi-fi though they're not open yet. Breakfast is in 10 minutes, so I'll have to be brief.

Haven't mentioned the great birds I've been seeing at St. Petersburg and The Villages: wood storks, egrets, herons, pelicans and LOTS of ospreys.

Did do the hot tub with Susan, then again in The Villages with Judy Lawrence. Was there only two nights, but did get a chance to visit with Judy and with Pat Collins as well as see my friends Carol Cohan and Muzzette.

Arrived here yesterday afternoon, helped decorate the tea room with a number of pieces of my cloth and some artifacts (I am worried about security, but I'm living with it) and then attended a Chautauqua Network meeting: people from Chautauquas in Maine, Colorado, Ohio, New York and of course this one in Florida, and several other states. The conference on Africa starts today.

And I'll be setting up a table to sell and sign my books.

Saying goodby to St. Petersburg area

Thursday afternoon I gave a talk in Sarasota at the home of a former Guatemala Peace Corps Volunteer, Marcia Lang. Some of the guests had been in the Peace Corps, and many were well-traveled. Very interesting people. I didn't use the PowerPoint, but with all my artifacts there was a lot of visual.

On Friday I did my second talk for ASPEC (Academy for Senior Professionals at Eckerd College), this time for a women's group, though there were some men there. Susan Luehrs was the organizer, and she helped me set up and tear down, as she has been doing almost all week. This time I did the PowerPoint thing, and I ran a little over time. I have to learn to be a bit faster with that.

Afterwards we stayed to watch a showing of The Great Gatsby, with Redford and Farrow. Great film. I'd love to see the British version that will be shown next week, and the discussion of the two, but I'll be long gone by then.

Saturday Susan and I traveled 40 minutes up the coast to Palm Harbor Library, where I only had three in the audience. One was a girl of about 12, which was a nice change. No PowerPoint, and I think it went well despite the poor turnout.

Last night we went to a great concert by The Florida Orchestra conducted by Stefan Sanderling, who is the music director at Chautauqua as well. He gave a VERY interesting pre-concert talk, and I was delighted to be introduced to him afterwards. Here in St. Petersburg I've also seen an Albrecht Durer exhibit and been to the Dali museum. Tonight I plan to do the hot tub in this complex, as the weather is a bit warmer (in the 60s).

Tomorrow morning I leave for The Villages. I'll say a fond farewell to Susan and Dick, and to St. Petersburg. Great people in a nice place.