Our Members are awesome,

come join in on the fun!

Media, Rowan, and Aki

Hi, good to sit here with you. The sun in on my back and this water in my glass feels refreshing- I tend to have a water bottle with me- now that Achillea and Rowan are here it is usually in a metal container. A short 5 years ago there were many heavy, ornate, and simple flip top bottles. Various concoctions of floral water, teas, treasured glacial spring water captured where it danced from the earth, from a rich garden and apothecary to anoint and nourish the jars I took everywhere. A pandemic, 4 homes (being sold as a renter during gentrification) in less years, family loss, thee most amazing twins that made me mama have a way of shifting ones flair- I love to see how those ways of walking with beauty will rebirth.

We currently live in a sweet community about an hour north of San Francisco in Sonoma County- wine country that was once dominated by apple orchards. I was lucky enough to have lived in SF until my late 20s. The diversity and cultural experiences shaped me in ways that fueled my love of exploring. I love transitions, thresholds, transformation of nature, ourselves and our spirit. I only left my beloved City to move into a proper co-housing community in the East Bay city of Oakland!

After several years a wonderful opportunity to move into a rural village surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and the Pt Reyes National Seashore became my home for 20 years. I could walk to the beach with my dog, hike to the wilds of Pt Reyes from my door- it was a dream come true and a continuation of connected communal living I had sought my entire life. There so many ways to enjoy a beautiful day- with young twins perspective is key, a bit of nature, good food, a sweet smile and eyes to share it with is one of my favorite. So is a day adventuring in the City- live music, book stores, performances, and good food!

If I had leisure with abundant sustainable resources, it would be to find the discipline? Method? Practice? Frame of mind? Of effortless equanimity. It seems I have one or the other- time to do as one wishes is marvelous and ever changing- right now i am a practical mama- if i had more time i would develop economic sovereignty for myself and my family.

I love to learn! I am learning to ask more questions in life- it is fascinating and fun to go to school- take a course, learn. I really love the apprenticeship model and mentors. I would love to learn more languages- I love thinking in another language, I loved working in another culture, land, language- it was exhausting yet i love how it changes my perspective, the way it changes my thinking. I love the cultural exchange and would love to learn another language, culture and their food!

 

Emma

I’m originally from LA but have been living on and off between Portland and LA since 2011. I now live in NW Portland with my partner in a duplex we renovated ourselves over the pandemic. I worked in the music industry for 6 years as a songwriter / artist, writing for both myself, others, movie trailers, TV, etc.

My perfect day would be getting in a challenging morning trail run in Forest Park with my run club, taking myself out to a delicious new restaurant / food cart for lunch, having a nice long nap after that curled up with my kitten, then meeting up with friends at night to go dancing in town.

I love discovering communities like this and the feeling of life being deliberate.

Mario

Bio and photo coming  soon!

Aran

Hi everyone, I’m Aran. I live in Portland, Oregon, a city that’s become home to me over the last 7 years thanks to its vibrant community and natural beauty. Professionally, I’m a software developer with over 30 years of experience, specializing in everything from coding to team leadership. Work is just one facet of my life; I’m equally passionate about personal development and living thoughtfully, guided by the principles of secular Buddhism.

I love the simple, yet profound aspects of life – like the smile you get from a random act of kindness or the taste of a ripe plum or fig picked from a tree branch. The well-being of our planet matters a great deal to me, and I want to learn how to contribute more effectively. I’m looking forward to getting to know you and hopefully, we can create a welcoming, enriching community together.

Jane

I’m a proud grad of University of Portland, so the idea of settling on my old home turf is great fun.  Currently I work as a safety training manager for one of our local utilities here in the Seattle area.  I’ve had a lengthy career in sales and marketing and hope to retire by mid-2025.  I was born and raised in Portland, attended Grant High School, and most of the rest of my family has migrated back to Portland or are talking about it, and my priority is to be close to them.

I love walking, swimming, theatre, music, food, and the presence of friends and family.  I’m a writer and working on a rewrite of a novel I wrote 35 years ago and just rewrote with the hope of publication – stay tuned!

My perfect day is getting in a morning swim and taking a long walk with Kip.  Then planning meals and going grocery shopping.  And either coming home to cook a great dinner for family and friends, or to snuggle up on the couch and watch “Call The Midwife” or “Bridgerton.”  Oh, yes – and of course Jeopardy!

Kip

Photo and Bio coming soon!

Beth

I grew up in the Texas panhandle in a small town of about 800 souls where my father was a farmer/ranch, which meant we were all farmers too! I stayed in Texas and got my undergraduate degree at Trinity University in San Antonio, my masters back east at Yale, and my doctorate back in Texas at UT Austin. After graduating, I have spent my working life as a faculty member and administrator at colleges in Virginia, Chicago, Buffalo NY, and now McKinney Texas. I am planning on leaving academia in the next couple of years to pursue my passions as an animal chaplain and death doula, as well as finally learning to play the guitar and violin. The plan has always been to relocate to either Portland or Seattle to be near family and nature. 

My perfect day is waking up early in the morning for a run, brief meditation, and a walk with the dog to see the sunrise.    The absolute perfect day is being outside, particularly in rain or snow.  Rain was a scarce much needed commodity when I was growing up, and snow because I thrive in the cold and silence – absolutely magical. 

Rebecca (she/hers)
I grew up in Detroit but have lived in the SF Bay Area for a long time. A perfect day would be an invigorating hike which doesn’t involve a long car ride nor crowds of humans, accompanied by one or a small group of friends. I wish that I had more time for books, podcasts, exercise and time in nature. I enjoy many foods & cuisines so it’s hard to choose a favorite but I really appreciate seasonal produce from the farmers market. And I love bread! I would like to learn to successfully complete small home repairs and improvements and also increase my very basic command of Portuguese.

Rick (he/his), Lisa (she/her), Elijah and Albany
Rick enjoys the quiet of natural settings and the beauty of diverse communities. He loves hiking, backpacking and fishing. He also enjoys reading, browsing in bookstores, and traveling. He is more of a quiet generalist, but enjoys working with groups, wordsmithing, tinkering, and delving into topics around spirituality, ending racism and climate change. Lisa loves hanging out with her family/friends – hiking, traveling and learning together. One of her favorite interests is policy work in the legislature. She enjoys playing flute with classical/Irish ensembles and loves traveling abroad. She is committed to using her white privilege to end systematic racism.

Our son, Elijah, is inspired by innovation, beautiful engineering, fine cars, history, current events and amphibious pedal vehicles. Our daughter, Albany, just started college out of state in August 2021. She is inspired by space flight, science, social justice, the environment and more. She also loves dogs/cats, surfing and traveling. We work daily to honor them and their paths.

Camilla
I grew up in Oklahoma, and have lived in Chicago, the Bronx, Minneapolis, Washington, DC, San Francisco for 50 years, and now Portland.

My best kind of day is any day spent in a peaceful, sunshiny place—beach or mountains—with friends.

I have always wanted to learn to play the piano, ever since I was a little girl!
My favorite foods are mashed potatoes and fried chicken.

I would love to learn from a historian about the ways is important to what’s happening in our democracy today.

Megan and Xavier
We are a mother-son team who are native to Portland, Oregon. Megan is a proud mother and advocate for autism awareness and a co-owner of a small business handcrafting elderberry products – roserootpdx.com. Xavier is an awesome, friendly, and intelligent young man who is incredibly knowledgeable and talented when it comes to music, audio engineering and music production. He enjoys his free time as a part time Youtuber, practicing voice acting, playing bass and video games.

     

Alicia (she/her), Gary (he/his), and Neva
Hi! I’m Alicia and this is my daughter, Neva. Originally from Iowa, I’ve been in Oregon since 1990 and in Portland almost that entire time. I love to ride my bicycle long distances, surround myself with beautiful things (art, music, or nature), and eat, drink, and be merry with friends. I am looking forward to more time to paint and I would love to have a mentor to teach me more about color, materials, and technique.

Neva is a Portland native whose interests are wide ranging from watching baseball, eating Fritos and listening to opera. She has a love for delicious food, the outdoors, excitement, and music and looks forward to hosting Friday night pizza and dance parties in the community room.

Gary is Neva’s dad, is a rare Portland native, and has an incredible memory for movies, music, and randomly interesting topics. You will have to catch him dancing, it’s an amazing treat to behold!

We all look forward to living in a community that learns and laughs together!

Brian (he/his/him)

Hello! I am Brian. I was born in Portland and raised across three continents as a military kid. I’ve been back in Portland, off and on for the past thirty or so years and consider this city to be my home. I enjoy traveling, cooking, writing fiction, making wood and linoleum block prints, and playing the drums. I have worked as a nonprofit consultant, specializing in grant writing, grants research, marketing and communications for the past several years, and am looking forward to living in community and collaborating on tremendous community meals

Colleen
Hi, I’m Colleen. I grew up in Illinois along the bluffs of the Mississippi River and in the rolling hills of central Iowa. There’s nothing better than spending a day hiking along a mountain lake with spring wildflowers all around. I’ve always wanted to learn to play the piano. I love baking rhubarb pies. I wish someone could teach me how to make a major difference for the environment.

David (he/his), Adara, Corwin, and Abby (she/her)
Abby: I grew up in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, the most rural corner of a rural state. After living a lot of other places in my late teens and twenties, I had moved back for good when I fell in love with someone on the wrong side of the country, and I’ve made Oregon and Southwest Washington home since 2004.

A perfect day begins with a crossword puzzle in a quiet house, and ends with a good novel in bed. In between, I would walk in a beautiful place, preferably treed, preferably with a great conversationalist or two. I would eat good food, play a board game or two, and not think once about laundry, dishes or dirty floors.
I have taken a few baby steps into making inks from plants (oak galls, lichen, beets, flower petals), and I would love to have more time to devote to this.
I love all food. But really, I’m a sucker for a good bowl of homemade soup with crusty buttered sourdough.

I love learning from anyone with a deep knowledge base in what they love. I love to be surprised when someone else’s passion lights me up for something I never thought I would be interested in. I am not a great student, but I like to think I’m still open to learning new things.

David: I grew up in SW and NW Portland.
My perfect day would be spent on the banks of the Deschutes River in central Oregon with a fly rod, with the steelhead biting. I would love to learn the art of chainsaw sculpture.

If you value your shortbread cookies, don’t leave them anywhere near me

I would love to spend more time in the woods with a skilled tree-faller, learning how to precisely land a tree.

     

Mako, Yoko, and Emi

I was born and grew up in Tokyo. I’ve lived in London, Boston, Phoenix then moved to Portland in 1978 when my twin daughters were 3 months old. I live with my daughter Emi, who loves watching old Hollywood movies and my sister Yoko, who came to Portland in 1979.

My perfect day would be a nice summer day, go on a hike, jump into water after, then have a shower followed by a relaxing dinner and a cold beer.

I love to be on the water, in the water, by the water. I love swimming, paddle boarding, kayaking – though I’m not really good at any of those!

I would like to learn to be a farmer to grow what we eat. I would also love to grow flowers to have them in the house. Having the community garden next door is perfect!

Mary and Lily

I grew up in Soldotna, Alaska, on a 100 acre homestead that my Chicago parents acquired in 1947, when WWII veterans were offered land out west. I now live in Forest Grove, Oregon, with my daughter Lily, who was born in Galway, Ireland, where I lived for 19 years.

My perfect day would start with a pot of Barry’s tea with milk and a good novel, in bed. I would read and doze as long as I wanted. Then I would swim in the sea, write for a few hours, make a pot of soup and a loaf of soda bread and invite friends over for a very late lunch. Then we’d play some cards, take a walk, and go to a concert, outside. Maybe have a fire on a beach after that.

I love poetry. I love writing. I love facilitating groups. I love being involved with the Blessing Box and Community Fridge program in Forest Grove’s UCC; we have fed many people. I love music. I would still like to learn more about everything, really. Ladybugs, calligraphy, alternative energy, emotional intelligence, how to stop wars from starting. Democracy, piano, comedy, patience.

New Member bios are on the way!

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