the above picture shows you the valley I am in, if you look closely you will see a Yurt and my house truck is behind that, but because it is wooden you can not see it as it blends in with the trees. My neighbours either live in yurts or trucks.
Everyone in the community lives a minimalist lifestyle and the above boat was created as a space where everyone can leave the things they no longer need, so that others can use them. You will usually find clothes, books, shoes, car seats for children, toys, electrical appliances and lots of home decor. Things get exchanged quiet rapidly and the community makes sure that it does not get turned into a dumping ground.
Next to it is the giant swing, that all the local kids love to play on. I live next door, which can be seen as both a blessing and a curse. Blessing because I do get the chance to see what people leave, but a curse because my girls are always trying to bring stuff home. But we have a rule, if you take something you have to leave something.
Up above is the nearest Town to me, which is a 25minute walk from my truck. It has everything I need, wholefood store, weekly market, where I get all the fruit and veg I need, that I do not grow on the land. There are lots of musicians and artists , circus performers living in the area so there is always a lot of performances going on.
There are regular get together's where we like to celebrate life and one another, with music, good food and singing and lots of children running wild around us.
There is also a Rastro one twice a month where folk can sell their creations and also second hand items. There is always music played and it is a great social gathering, it is sheltered by some beautiful Eucalyptus trees which brings such welcome relief from the sun on the hot summer days.
In the summer I spend a lot of time down by the river, where me and my girls cool down. It is one of my favourite spots and it is a beautiful walk that takes you to the bottom of the valley with amazing views of the mountains that surround me.
There are so many majestic Olive Trees near where I live, I had to include one of my favourites in this post as I love to go visit them and sit a while with my back against their trunk. This one is a 15 minute walk away from my home, but my home is also surrounded by beautiful Olive trees.
Less than an hour away and you hit the coast, this is one of my favourite beaches and also the last one I visited, the water was crystal clear and a perfect temperature and me and my girls had so much fun being carried by the waves back to shore.
There are so many amazing walks in the mountains that surround me. I spend 2 months walking the GR7 trail 3 years ago with my girls, so we have got to explore some of the region, but there is so much more to discover.
A few weeks ago we discovered this waterfall, which had a wonderful pool to cool off in. I love living close to nature and spend most of my time outdoors. There is so much more I could talk about, this area is quiet well know for it's retreats and yoga centres and it also runs a very impressive permaculture course. It is also well know for hosting really good parties, as a lot of the folk here work at setting up festivals.
Although it is nestled in the mountains, it is also a creative hotspot with so much going on. For me, it's all about the wilderness it as and the great dancing to be had at the parties that are put on.
Unfortunately I do not have any photos, from the parties as I am always too busy having fun!
I created a women's creative circle last year and we meet up regularly to create, to talk and to support one another, whilst our children hang out together or get involved in what we are making. I also like to attend a singing group as well, as singing is such a wonderful way to release and connect with others and it is so much fun. It is not about how we sound, but rather that we are coming together.
So there is a little about where I come from, make sure to check out some of the other entries into this wonderful contest.