This is the story of our adventure of radically changing our lives, leaving our beloved New England after 20 years, and traveling America in our RV in search of a new home.
This past Monday, we eagerly attended the Sunflower River Community Harvest Festival. Sunflower River is an impressive and land-centered intentional community in south Albuquerque that we visited last March, making fast friends with the stewards of this special place. The Harvest Festival was very special, and we're happy to have been invited to such a wonderful event.
A pie contest made everyone's taste buds quite happy.....
Kids and dogs abounded....
And many members of the wider Albuquerque pagan community were there.....
And live music in the shade of the orchard was one of the highlights of the day....
Sunflower River is a place where the people live and love with integrity and a deep connection to the land and all it provides. The people of Sunflower hold a special place in our hearts, and we thank them for being our friends and fellow communitarians.
This past Fun Friday, we decided to spend the day locally, eschewing the use of our car, and spending the day both here at The Commons on the Alameda and in downtown Santa Fe. It was a great day with those ubiquitously glorious blue New Mexican skies and many hours to do whatever it was that suited our fancy.
First, we enjoyed some time in the spacious home and cozy garden where we're house-sitting until the 10th.....
...then we wandered the community, picking fruit from the various fruit trees exploding with organic ripeness....
.....marveled at some of the flowers in the neighborhood....
....had a Skype video chat with a dear friend in Massachusetts....
...did a photo shoot of Mary in her new blue dress from the Tesuque Pueblo Flea Market.....
...came home to Tina and Barney the Dog (who's in our care until the 10th)......
...and finished an action-packed yet leisurely day by having some kind neighbors over for a grilled salmon feast.
We're very grateful for our very high quality of life this summer, and recognize how lucky we are to be doing what we're doing. It's been a great summer so far, and as the kids return to school and September blooms beautifully, we look forward to seeing what autumn is like here in northern New Mexico. The Fun Friday tradition will continue, of course, and who knows what delightful surprises subsequent Fridays will bring!
As part of our weekend at the 2010 All America Laughter Yoga Conference, a series of spontaneous public events was sponsored by The Levity Project, a non-profit organization whose goal is "creating social change through public acts of creativity, laughter and celebration. The Levity Project has sponsored events all over the country, and Albuquerque was ripe for some fun!
First, about 100 of us converged on the downtown Albuquerque Trader Joes, where we all entered the store anonymously and began to shop. At a signal from the coordinators, everyone began to dance in the aisles, engaging with customers and staff and simply having a blast. Many customers and employees seemed to enjoy the fun, a few going out of their way to say that we had made their day, while others said, "Who are you people?" and "Please come to my workplace and do this!"
The young man in the green t-shirt pictured below was just one of several customers who happily joined the fun! (Can you find Mary in this photo?)
Next, we walked into a crowded outdoor shopping area and began a "Laughter Party" on a street-corner, putting Hawaiian leis around people's necks and inviting them to laugh with us. Cars stopped, people laughed along, and it was ten minutes of pure unadulterated laughter.
The family pictured below wandered by the laughter party and got right in the spirit of things.
Finally, small groups of volunteers wandered the streets, stopping random passersby and saying "You are amazing!" with gusto. Most people seemed to greatly appreciate the sentiment, although a few appeared slightly apprehensive about being accosted by anywhere from 4 to 10 strangers loudly affirming their amazingness. Still, it was a fun social experiment that went off without a hitch.
The Levity Project creates many events that are quite similar to "flash mob" events that have been well-documented on YouTube and elsewhere. The founders of the project feel that bringing laughter, play and celebration to the streets is a means to world peace, personal change and an improved sense of connectedness. Feel free to visit their website and contact them if you'd like The Levity Project to come to your town, or if you'd like to play along!
Here's Mary in the Friday evening costume parade as a tomato........
We also did some circle dancing (Dances of Universal Peace) at the end of the night.....
This is Mary with some of her cohorts who were here for the Laughter Coach Training. The second person from the left is Katie West of The Levity Institute, who offers the only Laughter Coach certification in the world (and Mary is well on her way to graduation and certification!)
And finally, the man who made Laughter Yoga a worldwide reality, Dr. Madan Kataria....
Welcome to our travel blog! We left our home and dear friends in Western Massachusetts on October 30, 2009 in search of a new life. We have visited more than twenty states and over thirty intentional communities, and we are now living at a cohousing community in Santa Fe, New Mexico for the foreseeable future.
We'll continue to post about our experiences and adventures frequently, so please visit often and comment when you can. Many blessings on your own life journey, and thanks for stopping by!
We are Certified Laughter Yoga Leaders and Certified Professional Coaches. As wellness professionals, we spread the benefits of laughter and optimal health to individuals, communities, and groups throughout North America.
