November 2016, Newsletter
November
As fall is winding down so has a lot of our manual labor but A LOT has happened this past month.
Fall-a-tio
Fall-a-tio was an amazing celebration of friendship and proof that sometimes, we maybe can almost be classy! it was a wonderfully warm fall weekend at the peak of the foliage colors. Appetizers were served on the "veranda" while Townsend polished off an incredible meal and a crew of workers made beautiful tables and benches. As the night progressed we made sure to capture The Root and friendship with kegstands where we almost didn't drop someone.
The Root Community
We have long been in discussion about what The Root means and what membership looks like and are beginning to discuss what it will officially be. Here is a synopsis of our discussion.
Thanks to all for attending. One overarching theme that emerged long ago and confirmed here is that The Root Community is working, it’s special, prosperous, and amazing and we don’t want to change it. Inclusive is very important, The Root is a community not a club, I’d elaborate that everyone who enters The Root Community is automatically a member of the community, should expect to be treated as such, and be stewards of it.
The intention of this meeting was to begin to define “membership” and to articulate what we mean by the Root as Community. Certain topics brought up regarding “membership” are : responsibilities/expectations vs privileges, usage of dues, entry and exiting membership, decision making amongst members regarding usage of funds and communal projects, considerations for those who can’t pay or can’t come as often as they’d like to. A vote was taken and we are unanimously in favor of taking financial responsibility for “keeping the lights on” and offsetting Peter’s costs to make The Root Community happen. No financial numbers were presented at this meeting regarding “keep the lights on” costs so stay tuned. Things that will certainly merit future discussion are the long term sustainability of the root and it’s goals, making The Root an LLC, and future communal and commercial projects.
Artist Residency - Author - Kristian Isringhaus
Kristian first took a bus up to The Root 4th of July weekend after hearing Tom drunkenly talk about The Root at a party. After that he came up every weekend until he quit his job to move up and work on his novel. He was The Root's first Artist in Residence and an amazing friend. He has now left to travel over winter but we hope to see him back come spring! Here is his account of his time there:
Hallo! (That’s German. It means “hello.”)
The first time I came to The Root, I was almost speechless which, I suppose, isn’t awesome for a writer, but still better than it would be for a speaker. At least I wasn’t at a complete loss for words because I managed to wittily assess that everything was “rad,” regardless of what aspect of the project people showed me. I felt a little dumb reiterating a monosyllabic slang word over and over again, but I still stand by my initial statements as few other words can convey the incredible scope of vision, dedication, and labor by those who created this place. I have since taken a liking in the pun I made inadvertently at the time which doesn’t keep me from claiming advertency now. “Rad” is short for “radical” which comes from the Latin word “radix” meaning… guess, guess, guess… ROOT!
Assuming that this etymological evidence suffices to give the hypothesis of The Rootbeing rad axiomatic eminence, let’s see how it is for an artist. Oh, it’s rad. I can socialize when I need distraction from my work, or I can be completely alone somewhere in the woods. I can cut myself loose from the rest of the planet by leaving my phone somewhere where I’m not, or I can use the internet at the barn to do research for my writing. I can wander off by myself or with a puppy or two. I can counterbalance the focus required for writing with indolence, or I can counterbalance the sedentary quality of the task by splitting firewood, climbing trees, or working on a treehouse. And I can write in the nude whenever I please and free the mind by freeing the body. I can enjoy almost perfect silence inside a treehouse, or I can choose the beautiful background noises of a creek or leaves or cicadas to foster my thought. The options are plentiful, and during my seven-week retreat here, I barely once had a day on which I was not satisfied with the progress of my writing.
However, the people at The Root play an even greater role in nurturing my creativity. I have never felt this welcome anywhere before. I’m quirky. I’m a writer. I sometimes talk all day, and I sometimes don’t talk at all because my head is lost somewhere in my story. But here, I’m among people with quirks. I felt at home on my very first day, a state surely not detrimental to creative development. But the greatest thing about The Root community is the fact that superficiality is a concept completely alien to anyone here, and profound, thoughtful conversations will be found without effort when sought, providing interesting insights and compelling new perspectives. Aside from a place to write, I have found wonderful, true friendship at The Root, a community that inspires through its mutual support and love.
Library
The library in the silo is nearing completion as a BEAUTIFUL curved metal staircase was installed.
