The Project
During my first strawbale workshop with the Canelo Project in Phoenix, Arizona, I befriended Karen & Danny who mentioned that they'd be building their home within the next year in Bisbee, AZ. As fellow dog lovers, wilderness guides, and roamin' hearts, the duo's story spoke to me - I knew I was going. The last two years had shown me many things, and I was committed to building dreams from beautiful visions - my own and in service of others' - via all the puertas abiertas (open doors) that surfaced on my path.
So, during the spring of 2023, in what turned out to be a fourth-month migratory infinity loop of cross-country travel, I arrived in Bisbee. I planted myself and my sweet pup Sumo at the job site - waking to the stunning Red Mountains, my days spent building and learning with friends, indulging in sunset showers after dusty, straw-filled days with only the desert sagebrush around me; learning the ways of the land (yucca, rattlesnake and javelina), lit with gratitude for this wild, beautiful life I have been (and continue to be) so fortunate to live.
The build turned into quite the community affair, and many folks from the surrounding area - as well as those on the natural building path - joined forces to learn and raise a beautiful home together. Old Pueblo Hemp Co. generously offered to teach the crew about mixing, casting hemp walls in place, and making bricks on-site (thanks Micaela & fam!), and Karen, through a happenstance social media sighting, had managed to land the build on Building Off the Grid (Discovery Channel - Season 13, Episode 3), so everyone involved found themselves on camera and learning more about that, too.
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It was quite the gift to play a small part in bringing such a big dream to life. From start to finish; the feeling of all things being possible.
I'm so proud of you, Karen and Danny. It was incredible to watch your vision come to life! ¡Salud!
The Location
Bisbee, Arizona. I'd be wrong not to mention such a charged, charming place. The town was a turquoise mining epicenter in days past, and one can't help but wonder what mysteries and unfinished business linger as a result of the manners in which we harvested (and still harvest) our minerals and metals. The mine is closed now, aside from guided tours, yet an electric current pervades the air... a visceral sense of the unseen in every interaction, every synchronous encounter a timeless re-meeting...espíritu en todos las cosas. The area also hosts a beautiful riperian zone where the pup & I enjoyed a few evenings exploring and playing in the water. Magic, everywhere, always.
