I live on an intentional community in Middlesex, New York – about an hour south of Rochester, near Canandaigua Lake. While I haven’t been here long, and don’t know how long I’ll stay, I do live here.
I sleep in the attic, but mostly I live in the garden. I live in the beets, the swiss chard, the snap peas. I live at the farmers market. I live with dirty fingernails and tired muscles.
I live with my friends. I live with a large group of people. There used to be a yellow jacket’s nest right outside my window, but my friends killed them for me. That is just one example of how we help each other.
In the morning when breakfast is ready a large bell is rung. We have no money, but we eat well. There is always hot cereal. Then we do dishes and begin the day’s work.
We laugh in the garden all day. Some people make pottery in the pottery studio. Or work in the wood shop. Or work in the apple orchard. Or other places.
I swim in a pond at the top of a hill and walk at night with the fireflies.
I’ve only been here since mid-May. Right now I’m happy.
