Even colder today but still sunny.
I want to describe some young people from Interdependence Project in New York who have been brightening Shantigar's life and mine lately.

Josh Adler arrived last night. Josh, a kind, nimble-minded film-maker and director, directed my play Mother's Return at LaMama. We met a year and a half ago when Josh took a Shantigar workshop with me. Two months later Josh brought a troupe of actors to Shantigar to rehearse my play. Frequently Josh and I have visited Occupy in Zucotti Park together, once with his parents.

Marisa Viola, film-maker, actor, producer, came to Shantigar several times last summer. After the great storm Irene came, Marisa and I forded a swollen rushing stream to get raw milk from the farmer. Marisa is planning a film at Shantigar. She and I visited Washington Square for an Occupy general assembly.

Around Thanksgiving, Patrick Groneman, Interdependence Project's young able, cheerful, compassionate administrator did a retreat at Shantigar, creating a dance piece. Patrick spent a couple of nights in the meditation cottage in the woods, exorcising his fear of bears (none showed). When Patrick left, he scattered poems of gratitude around the farm house like fall leaves. In New York, I was happy to be at an inspiring quiet event Patrick created -- meditators walking to Zucotti Park at night, meditating with the general assembly.

The ebullient MV Sweeney, Interdependence's glorious fund raiser, is here now, writing, working a little with me on her play about the artistic nun, Sister Carita, and enlivening Shantigar's plans for the future. MV is inspiring. If I am writing more, blogging more re Shantigar doings, it's due to MV.