The Crestone Eagle - August '23 - B section

The Crestone Eagle • August, 2023 • Page B-1

New stupa a labor of love, community

By Matt Lit Photography by Matt Lit

Lama Zoe de Bray’s eyes light up as she watches the progress being made on the new stupa honoring Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche. continued on page 18

Lama Zoe de Bray with the new stupa.

Making traditional adobe, preserving cultural history

Bees: The original flower children

By Jose Villa Bees are the original flower children, at least for the insect world.

They descended from a wasp-like ancestor that switched from hunting prey to harvesting pollen in flowers more than 100 million years ago. This switch occurred at the time that the first flowering plants were becoming more common and starting to replace cone bearing plants.

The dramatic rise in number of bee species coincided with the dominance of vegetation by flowering plants. Many factors could have driven these parallel changes, but in the process, unique relationships of one using or needing the other developed.

Currently, there are over 20,000 species of bees described worldwide,

Colorado has close to 1,000, and the San Luis Valley (SLV) about 100. Bees come in many shapes and forms as colorful as their scientific genus and species Latin names. Some local SLV bee genera include Bombus, Halictus, Diadasia, and Lithurgopsis.

Many people think of bees as the colonial ones living in beekeepers’ boxes, but honey bees are not even native to the Americas, and large social colonies are not the most common way of life for native bees. Other than bumble bees which are seasonally social, most native bees are solitary. Adult males and female bees emerge from their nest after a winter in an arrested state of development.

This happens at different times in the growing season, depending on the bee species and the plants they use. continued on page 10

Adobe bricks lay in the sun.

By Michael Pacheco Photography by Michael Pacheco The Saguache Historic Preservation Commission, joined by Cornerstone Community Partners, recently brought an Adobe Workshop to Saguache.

This enriching initiative, funded by the State Historical Fund and a Saguache County Sales Tax Grant, took place from June 30 to July 2.

A second workshop is scheduled for August 2nd and 3rd. This

upcoming event will focus on constructing an Adobe wall and conducting repair work on the Community Building in Otto Mears Park. These workshops serve to engage the community in the preservation of Saguache’s rich cultural heritage.

Under the leadership of Isaac Logsdon from Cornerstones, the workshop provides community members an opportunity to learn traditional Adobe brickcontinued on page 6

A native SLV bee getting nectar from prickly pear cactus bloom.

photo by Lori Nagel

crestoneeagle.org

Page B-2 • The Crestone Eagle • August, 2023

Ty Benally: A wide range of landscapes led here

By Zaylah Pearson-Good Growing up among the soft, open plains, red mesas, towering plateaus, and deep canyons of northwestern New Mexico, Ty Benally found a curiosity and love for the natural world.

He recalls summers spent outdoors on his family’s ranch, planting cornfields, branding cattle, and horse-riding/racing. He was also tasked with herding the sheep and guarding them against predators like coyotes and bobcats. It was a typical upbringing for a Navajo kid like himself, Benally notes.

A fascination with biology and the natural world was further nurtured by stories from his father who worked with the tribal fish hatchery.

A particular interest in birds was spiked when his father was assisting with Mexican spotted owl surveys, and Benally got a first-hand glimpse into wildlife biology and conservation. “My love for birds just grew and grew,” he shared. A passion for the environment led Benally to New Mexico State, where he earned a degree in Wildlife Management, with a specialization in Waterfowl Management.

He then accepted an internship

with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), an agency that has employed him for the past 20 plus years.

Benally’s work with the USFWS has led him across the country to serve a wide range of landscapes and cultures. Early on, his work took him to Texas, where he focused on wetland management of waterfowl and shorebirds. Returning to New Mexico, he then took a job managing agricultural watering for migratory waterfowl.

This work resumed at another wildlife refuge in Arizona, where he also oversaw the administration of wildfowl hunting. In time, Benally found himself in Hawaii, an entirely new landscape, overseeing a refuge’s threatened seabird conservation and disease monitoring work. This is where he met “Wisdom,” the oldest living albatross in the world to still be laying eggs. It was a real honor to work around this “celebrity,” noted Benally, since this albatross has taught us a lot about seabirds.

Upon earning his MBA, Benally took a job in Alaska managing competitive, commercial big-game hunting. This work spanned all 16 of Alaska’s refuges, with Benally stationed

at the regional office. At Alaska’s Yukon Dela Refuge, Benally began working with the local community and schools. He collaborated with the USFWS and indigenous population to create the first Alaskan native language activity book for children, written in the Yupik language.

In September 2022, Benally brought his decades of experience in resource management to the San Luis Valley to serve as the new Baca National Wildlife Refuge Manager.

“It is good to be back in the southwest,” he said, as he reflects on the similarities between the Baca Refuge and his New Mexican homeland. He feels at home with the abundance of one of his favorite trees, the piñon pine, and favorite birds, the piñon jay. Benally also is grateful to former Refuge Manager Ron Garcia, who he said, “did a great job of setting the next manager up for success.”

Learning about the unique history and stories of the Baca Refuge are some of Benally’s favorite parts about being the new manager. Working alongside local archeologists and historians, Benally has become enchanted by the landscape’s rich ranching history, as well as ancient indigenous ties. “It is important to

Manager Ty Benally. photo courtesy Ty Benally

learn as much as we can,” Benally shared, “it is part of our heritage.”

The new Refuge Manager is also enjoying all the new people he has met in the area, and the diversity of spiritual and cultural resources the Baca has to offer. He said he looks forward to making new connections with the surrounding community, to work together to protect the wonderful landscapes and species of the San Luis Valley.

Protecting a treasured landscape: Updates from the Baca National Wildlife Refuge

By Zaylah Pearson-Good The vast, wild landscape and diverse array of species on the Baca National Wildlife Refuge make this corner of the San Luis Valley a unique gem. Wet meadows, playa wetlands, riparian areas, shrublands and grasslands combine to make the Refuge a haven for migratory birds and resident wildlife. The Refuge also plays a critical role in protecting surface and groundwater resources in the northern San Luis Valley.

Since becoming refuge manager last fall, Ty Benally has taken on the essential work of stewarding the 93,000 acres of land that comprise the Refuge. Benally is currently overseeing a handful of projects aimed at maintaining the health and longevity of this treasured landscape and its inhabitants.

Expanding upon and enhancing the Baca Nature and Heritage Trail is a top goal for Benally. In 2020, the initial segment of this trail was opened to the public with the objective of promoting wildlife photography and recreation. Prairie dogs, antelope, elk, deer, jackrabbits, and a variety of birds are just a few of the many species that can be seen from the trail. Starting at Colorado College’s Crestone Campus, the trail winds along the creek, into shrublands and grasslands, and then ends at the Baca National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center. With assistance from a state grant and San Luis Valley Great Outdoors (SLV GO!), the longterm vision for this non-motorized, multi-mile trail is to connect it to the Crestone Kiosk, where it can then feed hiking trails into the town of Crestone, Charter School, and the Baca Grande Subdivision. Expan-

sion of the trail is planned to begin August 2023.

Adding educational material along the trail is another area of focus. Benally plans to consult with the many indigenous tribes that have connections to the area and create signage along the trail that relays their histories. These signs will also include information about local ecology and wildlife. Accessible from the end of the hiking trail, new educational exhibits are on display at the Visitor Center, open Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m.–2 p.m. Visit fws.gov/refuge/baca for opening times and dates.

Benally is also tasked with continuing to improve the health of the Refuge’s riparian habitats, specifically Crestone Creek. These habitats have been in decline for years due to a history of ranching and overgrazing elk that have greatly decimated riparian trees, such as cottonwood and willow. By creating elk enclosures, managing elk hunting, and monitoring creek flow rates, Benally is seeing gradual improvement. Specifically, cottonwood trees are beginning to repopulate and stabilize the riparian zones that have been sectioned off from elk, allowing local fish greater shade, spawning area, and safety from predators, such as the Great Blue Heron.

One reason riparian zones are so important in the Refuge is because they support native fish species. Both endemic fish to the Rio Grande Watershed, the Rio Grande Chub and Rio Grande Sucker live in the Refuge. Close monitoring of these species is required as the Chub is listed as a state species of concern, and the Sucker is listed as a state endangered species. Benally is committed to im-

proving and monitoring the habitat for these rare fish by recovering the riparian areas, creating fish passages, and directing creek flow.

Improving habitat for shorebirds is another task that Benally is taking seriously. With funding from the Great American Outdoors Act, the Refuge has plans to replace outdated water control structures. This upgrade will ideally allow water to flow more naturally into shorebird habitats and creeks, while enhancing water gage readings and flow rate monitoring. Replacing these systems is a massive undertaking and is currently in the planning phase.

Benally’s intern, Valerie Tafoya, is also busy at work collecting data on the near 1,500 elk on the Refuge. She is then sharing it with San Luis Valley agencies and the U.S. National Parks Service (NPS). Tracking elk movement based on season and hunting

Clockwise: The Sangre de Cristo range rises from the Refuge. Fish in the Refuge are closely monitored for health and habitat. photos courtesy Baca Refuge periods will ideally lead to better herd management and conservation strategies. This data is also contributing to a four-year, ArcGIS study on elk herds overseen by the NPS. Learn more about the Refuge at the Visitor Center, or online: fws.gov/ refuge/baca. Receive information on Baca National Wildlife Refuge news, events, and updates, connect with San Luis Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex on Facebook: facebook.com/SanLuisValleyRefugeComplex.

The Crestone Eagle • August, 2023 • Page B-3

History, food, and renewable energy: Mosca’s Dune Valley Distillery

By Daniel Hart Not far from the Great Sand Dunes National Park, a small group of highly motivated people are working quickly and efficiently, wrapping up food aggregation as the setting sun casts its sangria hue on the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

This small group isn’t who you might think. It’s not a Paleolithic hunting party butchering a mammoth and gathering what plants they can carry for the uncertain road ahead like in times past. It’s a new generation of hunter-gatherers, known as the Valley Roots Food Hub and the Dune Valley Distillery.

While the Food Hub has been working to build and strengthen the Valley’s local food system for nearly a decade, its affiliate, the Dune Valley Distillery, just opened this spring.

The distillery also hosts the Root Cellar Market, a retail outlet for the Valley Roots Food Hub. These organizations, under the direction of Nicholas Chambers, carry on the cultural heritage of the Valley and Chambers’ own family history. Three simple ideas create a unique symbiosis and guide operations at the Food Hub and distillery: history, food/agriculture, and renewable energy.

Chambers’ family has a proud tradition of alcohol production in Colorado that inspired the Dune Valley Distillery. His family’s Carbone Wine label and alcohol distributing company in Denver were the first licensed wine label and alcohol distributor in Colorado after Prohibition and became the largest liquor distributor west of the Mississippi.

“I grew up with Carbone Wine, my great-grandfather’s wine label in Denver, established in 1903.

They went underground in Prohibition, and as soon as Prohibition ended, he got license number one,” explained Chambers. “It’s a label no one else can claim. We thought we should honor that and do it again,

The old Mosca Community Hall and Gym are home to the Dune Valley Distillery.

Photos by Daniel Hart

but I’m not in wine country. I’m in potato country. So, I thought we could do a mean potato product. I convinced people we should do it, and it became a passion project that just kind of snowballed.”

After four years of work, the Dune Valley Distillery has opened its doors

in a historic building that was once the Mosca Community Hall and Gymnasium. In the heart of Mosca, this building was first built in 1934 with New Deal funds as a school gymnasium and center for community events and functions. Now renovated, the new distillery is open for business Thursday to Monday from

10 a.m.-8 p.m.

Although only potato spirits are on tap at the distillery currently, the distillery received a grant to develop quinoa spirits to complement their current offerings, which include Mosca Mule, Voodoo Vodka Tonic, Chupacabre Milk Vodka Tonic, Vodka Mojito, and Sangre de Cristo Sparkling Water. Conveniently, quinoa will be sourced from White Mountain Farm quinoa producers just a few hundred feet away from the distillery.

Valley Roots Food Hub operates next door to the distillery, the two tocontinued on page 21

Hooper Junction reopens

By Anya Kaats When Sarah Jones moved to Hooper, CO in 2017 with her husband Michael Jones to run his family’s fifth-generation potato farm, Jones Farms Organics, she never imagined that her life and career would look this diverse. In addition to being a full-time mom to three girls and helping to run day-to-day operations at the farm, Jones has become an inspiring leader in the community, spearheading projects in art, business, and infrastructure. “I never saw this coming,” she admitted, “but I can’t help but see the opportunity and beauty.”

Part of that vision led her to becoming new owner of Hooper Junction, the gas station and café on Rt. 17, which reopened to the public last month.

Jones and her family had frequented the café before it closed and were heartbroken when it shut down in 2019. “I feel like a lot of communities have lost that go-to spot where everyone knows everyone,” she explained.

As a child, Sarah’s favorite film was Fried Green Tomatoes. She was captivated by how the film’s Whistle Stop Café served as a cornerstone for the local community and a symbol of its uniqueness and resilience.

“Hooper Junction had been such a cool space, and it was such a blow to the community to have it sit empty,” recalled the new owner.

At first, she had no intention of buying Hooper Junction, and was reaching out to friends and business contacts hoping to find an interested buyer to carry out the vision. She recalled, “I tried my darndest. I pitched it to every friend who came to visit from out of state, had emails out, and talked to everyone I knew.” A few of her contacts came close to pulling the trigger, but nothing panned out.

Last fall, still unable to shake the loss, Jones decided to pitch the idea of co-ownership to a friend. “We went through the whole process, really dotted our Is and crossed our Ts. We met with contractors, builders, electricians and did as much research as we could to make an edcontinued on page 14

Page B-4 • The Crestone Eagle • August, 2023

crestoneeagle.org

GardenGuru The Garden as Art

By Matie Belle Lakish August is a beautiful month. The biting bugs are usually gone, and the days are balmy. I am reminded of an old George Gershwin song: “Summertime, and the livin’ is easy.

Fish are jumpin’ and the cotton is high.”

I guess we’d have to change the words to ‘taters’ instead of cotton in the San Luis Valley, but the thought is the same. August is the Golden Month, the month where we can look over what we have created and truly enjoy it.

To celebrate, we have the Art in the Garden tour on Sunday, August 6. Both the gardeners and artists who will be participating would love to have you visit. This tour is an excellent opportunity for new gardeners in the area to ask questions of seasoned Crestone gardeners, as well as a chance to experience various art forms in a lovely garden setting. Ron Dessain will be showing his photography in my garden.

Please enjoy his photos on this page, and look for more tour information on the next page (B5).

This month, instead of my usual garden advice, I want to share some ideas that have been rambling through my mind. I love our area artists, and I was married to a fineart painter for a couple of decades. I even took some art classes in school.

But I have never considered myself a visual artist, and goodness knows, I am not a musician! But I often think, as I am working in my garden, or just sitting on the porch in the morning and enjoying the interplay of plants with the sunshine, the air, the insects and birds, and when we are fortunate, a shower or a morning dew, that what I am doing is painting with plants.

It starts with a canvas, in this case a piece of ground. I can add texture with stones and shrubs and trees. I will probably have to prime the canvas by enriching my soil with compost and other essential ingredients. I may make specially shaped

or terraced beds to add depth and diversity to the landscape. Next, I will choose my plants -- different heights and textures and leaf shapes will add diversity.

Of course, the plants will need to grow to fill in the space. What is a tiny drop of paint, or a tiny plant, can be worked, or spread, or grown to creatively fill a blank spot on the canvas of my soil.

And the textures! I love the variety of textures and shapes of plant leaves and flowers. Even if I were color blind, I would be in love with the shapes and feel of leaves. The difference in texture between a mullein leaf and a pinon needle can hardly be expressed in words. And the diverse shapes of so many plant leaves are incredible! I find uniqueness in almost every plant.

And then there are flowers, with their amazing variety of colors and shapes. I cannot describe the difference between a yellow daisy and a multi-purple iris. Words fail me.

But come to my garden someday, especially in the early morning when the sun in angled just right to shine through the intensely variable purple of an iris petal, and experience it for yourself.

Other creatures come to visit. I rarely put out sugar-water for hummingbirds, but they swoop in to sip from the flowers. This morning I watched a female Broadtail Hummingbird visiting all the Rocky Mountain Bee Plant blossoms in the garden. It took a long time, for I have left this wildflower plenty of space to bloom in my yard. What a fine show! Much better than a TV version would have been.

And the bugs! Insects, spiders, ants, bees—friends and foes. Have you noticed how the early morning light catches the spider webs and reveals their presence to all the small flying creatures? It’s not an easy task catching breakfast with a web. Young grasshoppers have been hiding out while their bodies mature. Now they have their harder, iridescent wings, and their big appetites and will

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August brings full, lush gardens and the Art in the Garden Tour. Bottom Right: A Rocky Mountain Bee Flower. Bottom Left: Echinacea.

photos courtesy Matie Bell Lakish. Flower close ups by Ron Dessain

begin feasting this month. Even they are part of the painting.

And then there are the changes of the seasons. Few flowers bloom all summer, and most of my veggie garden starts out as tiny plants. I can truly appreciate the beauty of a purple cabbage.

It starts out as a slender thing with only one or two purplish-green leaves, but over the course of the summer it changes into a magnificent purple ball with layers of leaves forming circles around its own head and surrounded by more-prostrate frosted-greenish leaves with purple veins running like rivers through each one. It’s a magic all its own, watching something like that slowly change over the summer months.

I remember when I was younger, spending an afternoon admiring the velvety interior of a pea pod, and the perfect environment that the plant

built for its baby seeds to grow up in.

More magic!

The seasonal changes are even more obvious if we are looking at flowers. Very few flowers bloom all season. Most have their time of glory, then retire for the rest of the year. Take lilacs for example. I have a large bush that is breathtaking in its color and fragrance for about continued on page 10

The Crestone Eagle • August, 2023 • Page B-5

Garden Tour: Pairing photography and art with community floral creativity and know-how

By Shahna Lax Gardening in our high desert with its short season, high winds, minimal rainfall, intense sun, deer, rabbits, bears … is an ever-evolving art. Creativity, experimentation, a sense of humor, devotion and love are the basic prequisites.

The Art in the Garden Tour will provide the opportunity to see how others approach these challenges.

Come see how some gardeners in this community are evolving their

art of gardening. You’ll also be able to enjoy the works of visual artists and craftspeople who will be embellishing the gardens on the tour with their own creations.

The Tour is August 6, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pick up a list of included gardens the day of the Tour at: 725 Rendezvous Way in the Baca. For the full descriptions and directions to each garden send an email request to moresca.copper@gmail.com up to a day before the tour. Here is a brief list of the gardens and artists on the tour.

Gardeners Shahna Lax Al Sutherland Nora Vivian

Artists & mediums Shahna’s copperwork illuminations Jane Kwan, paintings Al’s creations

Kizzen Laki Janet Woodman

Janet’s graphics, illustration & architectural design

Paul Kemnitzer

Gergana Yordanova, paintings; Nanette Phillips, printmaking Nicteha Cohen, drawings & watercolors Paul’s fine art photography

Lyndsay Duebber

Lyndsay’s paintings

Matie Belle Lakish

Ron Dessain, photography; David and Alder Lakish, paintings Ivan Lakish, handmade knives Chelsea Braden, sculptures

Page B-6 • The Crestone Eagle • August, 2023

Land, Water & People Missing the Monsoon

By Gregg Goodland Public Affairs Officer Rio Grande National Forest It happens normally without fail.

We endure the late May/early June dryness as the Spring winds finally subside and begin to give us a break from their relentless quest to transport all the residents, and perhaps our belongings, out of the San Luis Valley to the Front Range. We endure the mid-June to early-July summer heat as that age old phenomenon begins its annual development into what we think only happens in exotic rain forests or the bonedry deserts of Africa. Thought to be only regional in scope for many years the once termed “Southwest Monsoon,” the midsummer weather pattern that brings daily thunderstorms to much of Colorado, has now been determined to be an “important component of the large-scale global circulation.”

Generally, a monsoon refers to the seasonal reversal in atmospheric low-level circulations, particularly the surface winds and associated precipi-

tation. What we experience here is now named the North American Monsoon System (NAMS). So, what is NAMS and what does that mean for our little corner of southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico?

With the typical large High-Pressure System over New Mexico, the circulation of the upper-level winds draws moisture from the large plume in the Gulf that has been developing for months. The result is commonly a strong and consistent southwest flow that passes over our area for a couple of months. Each day typically starts calm, dry and often stunningly clear.

But as the midday heat increases, it takes its inevitable journey into the sky, bringing with it the abundant moisture thus developing thunderstorms. Some of which can become severe and extremely violent.

The Colorado front range acts like a thunderstorm factory by drawing the heat from the plains and moisture from the mountains. My brother in Oklahoma used to call me regularly to thank me for the “gifts” of golf ball sized hail,

crestoneeagle.org 60 mph winds, and tornadoes, all packaged up in a severe thunderstorm developed right here in Colorado. He quit calling years ago when I’d merely say, “you’re welcome.”

Many, if not most, wildland firefighters become some form of self-proclaimed amateur weather forecaster.

I’m no different. It is prudent to learn the weather patterns of your area so you can make educated decisions on how to engage a wildfire. Knowing daily limitations of available prime firefighting conditions will serve crews well and keep them safe. It may not be prudent to hike up a high ridge just to get run off by lightning or torrential rain.

So where IS that monsoon we speak of? We should already be in that daily pattern of beautiful mornings and rainy afternoons that give way to clear evenings, just to repeat the process again in a few hours. The Predictive Services branch of the National Interagency Fire Center issues a monthly outlook for the significant wildland fire potential across the nation. In the Rocky Mountain geographical area July report, they predict a “normal” condition for the four-month outlook period.

That means they think we could have large wildfires, but it won’t be at a level out of the ordinary.

The outlook is developed based

on information ranging from on the ground observations to national drought monitors and climatological predictions. Obviously, there is much attention paid to current weather forecasts and expected trends. The unusual thing about this July’s outlook is that there is little discussion of the monsoon developing. A “late or limited monsoon” is expected to keep southwestern Colorado dry into the fall.

What that means to me is that our mid to late summer weather patterns are uncertain. We could dry out rapidly with the help of these unusual strong summer winds. Or we could see that limited monsoon bring us copious amounts of moisture in an unforeseen weather anomaly. Just as folks have asked me about my predictions of how fire season will be for decades, I’ll say this about our monsoon, “ask me in November, and I’ll tell you how it went.”

A great introduction to the monsoon can be found on a National Weather Service webpage: https://www. weather.gov/abq/northamericanmonsoon-intro Gregg Goodland is the Public Affairs Officer for the Rio Grande National Forest. An avid outdoor enthusiast, he promotes the responsible and safe use of our public lands.

Adobe continued from page 1 making, repair, mud plastering, and wall building. Two distinct sites served as practical examples for hands-on restoration.

Cornerstones, hailing from Santa Fe, is dedicated to restoring historic structures, preserving cultural landscapes, and endorsing traditional building practices. Their collaboration with Saguache underscores their shared commitment to preserving cultural heritage.

The Preservation Commission, tasked with safeguarding Saguache’s historic integrity, works diligently to stabilize neighborhoods, attract tourists, and promote business growth that aligns with Saguache’s unique history.

All ages can be part of the adobe brick making process.

photos by Michael Pacheco

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The Crestone Eagle • August, 2023 • Page B-7

Into the Wild Land of no trees

By Bruce Becker

alarmed elk toward the saddle from down below.

Anyone can do the things I’ve done if they’re willing to live the life I’ve led.

~ Fool’s Crow

I crouched in one pit to feel how they hunted. And carved into a stone in it was a petroglyph of the sun, a wonderful find. I’ve also seen travois tracks Timberline. across the tundra, left centuries ago by I’ve always loved that word, or travois dragged by dogs. Travois were rather, what it implies: being up high. poles onto which the people strapped Above the chaos I left behind down their belongings for traveling. The below. The home of bighorns, ptarmidogs were apparently domesticated gan, mountain goats, and marmots. wolves.

I also found a kill pit in New And summertime elk, escaping the flies on the treeless tundra. Tundra. A Mexico in a saddle between two hills. cool word. RusIt was chipped sian for “land of into solid sandno trees.” Up here stone, about 30 there’s usually a inches deep and “The tundra has breeze, and I’m three feet in diamalways been a place used to crawling eter. Just amazing! to seek a vision.” into the krummConsidering the holz, where there only tools they ~ Bruce Becker is shelter and had were other enough wood rocks. And nearby to build my tiny is a cave with pictwig fire to boil tographs painted snow for a cup of in rather unusual tea. colors, such as blue and white pigKrummholz. Another cool word. ment. Paintings of four-foot-tall turGerman for “crooked wood.” A perfect keys, Kokopelli, and llamas, indicating description of these gnarled conifer a pre-Colombian connection to South thickets, no more than six to eight feet America. Also nearby is a petroglyph high, that offer life-saving shelter and of a canoe with a man standing in the resources for the savvy woodsman. bow wearing a single feather in his Being up here for an extendhair and a box in the middle of the caed time takes some knowledge to be noe, with Kokopelli sitting in it, playcomfortable, and vigilant awareness of ing his flute.

The tundra is a wonderland. the ever-changing weather. To be safe All in miniature. I’ve spent hours, for from the biggest summertime threat in the high country, lightning. Little things, like knowing rydbergii, the “old man of the mountains.”

It is a short sunflower, no more than one foot tall, with a big blossom that takes seven years to gain enough power to bloom and only blooms for two short weeks, hoping to be pollinated before it dies. It always faces east. In the frequent fog and clouds way up on top, this can be life-saving knowledge, and has been for me more than once while sauntering for days above timberline.

Even up here, there is evidence of early man. I found kill pits, which are small stone blinds that a person could crouch down in and wait for elk to come close enough to spear.

I believe these pits were used before the bow and arrow were known. The ancient ones also built low stone walls, two to Mountain goats gaze at alpine tundra visitors. three feet high, to funnel the grazing animals days, lying on my belly, observing the toward the pits, which were located in life and industry going on inches from a saddle between two hills at 11,500 feet. They would slowly drive the unmy face. Alpine forget-me-nots, moss

Bruce and Tatezi

photo by Lori Nagel

campion, and early blooming alpine wallflowers whose lovely fragrance drifts across the tundra in June and

have ever seen.

Lying on your back watching clouds scudding across the very blue sky and feeling the breeze and sun on your face has to be experienced to truly begin to understand life way up high. And to stay up there for a time, where the days begin to run together and the exquisite joy of timelessness and the peace of tundra solitude becomes the routine. No chance of seeing another human.

No thought of home or what I left down below.

Just the quiet peace of being up here now.

The tundra has always been a place to seek a vision, have a conversation with God, to wait for and feel a simple but profound answer, an interaction with spirit. A place to confront yourself and come away knowing who and what you are.

When I come down from the high country, a sense of contentment and fulfillment stays with me, and I remember that peace is always there inside me. photo by Bruce Becker The gift of the tundra.

July. These are just some of the plants that provide shelter and are home to minute spiders and insects that few

Bruce Becker is a flute maker, retired masonry contractor, and horse trainer who has lived in Crestone since 2005.

Page B-8 • The Crestone Eagle • August, 2023

crestoneeagle.org

C restone A rtisans’ G allery

Featured artists Dr. Paula Hudson and Sasha Lovelace showcase work

By Crestone Artisans’ Gallery The Crestone Artisans’ Gallery is pleased to highlight two of our longtime members this month.

They are Dr. Paula Hudson and Sasha Lovelace. Both have been members of the gallery for approximately 10 years.

Paula moved here after retirement from the University of Denver Speech and Language Department, where she worked with disabled students and gifted students with deafness, physical or learning disabilities. Paula tells me that she appreciates the slower pace and quietude of living here in Crestone.

She also relates that her mother was an artist, and Paula began dabbling in art at the young age of three.

Paula, a mostly self-trained artist, worked in water color initially, then branched out into creating acrylics, oils, and collage. Most recently, she is creating three-dimensional soft sculptures of various animals and birds.

In addition to being represented here in our local gallery, she also has art in galleries in Denver, Albuquerque and Taos.

Sasha Lovelace tells me that she went to a gem show on the West Coast decades ago and became fascinated with gemstones. This led to her taking some lapidary classes.

After becoming employed at the Rocky Mountain Dharma Center, now called the Shambhala Center near Red Feather Lake, she was encouraged to make malas for many meditators.

This evolved into making necklaces and other jewelry. When Sasha moved to Crestone approximately 26 years ago, she met an inspiring jeweler and got back into making jewelry.

She also has become fascinated with Japanese washi paper and

makes greeting cards and wall art from this lovely medium.

Sasha says that her jewelry is mostly ‘one-of-a-kind’ pieces, and although she uses some glass and crystal, she mostly incorporates semi-precious stones into her work. Her latest efforts are quite ‘sparkly’ and she refers to these most recent pieces as “bling”. Come in and check them out.

Lynn Drake reports that the community tile project is moving right along. The bench, table and other parts should be up by early August, and folks are setting the tiles for the project. Stop and see the progress. A big thanks to the community for your support!

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Sasha Lovelace poses with her collection of jewelry art. Left: Dr. Paula Hudson’s work includes both 2- and 3-dimensional work. Above: The benches arrived and are ready for tile.

photos courtesy CAG

August Hours 7 days a week, 10am-6pm

The Crestone Eagle • August, 2023 • Page B-9

CEX partners with local organizations to streamline social services

By Amelia Stern Longtime residents Lisa Bodey, Donovan Spitzman, and Nick Nevares founded the Crestone Energy Exchange (CEX) to better manage local resources and social services while creating jobs and improving the overall health of the community. Over the past four years, they’ve stayed busy managing programs like the Community Firewood Program, the Crestone Freebox, and the Saguache County Mindful Land Use Solutions group.

Having first worked at the Crestone Energy Fair together, Bodey, Spitzman, and Nevares felt called to expand their vision for community services: “The three of us in our collaboration on that project realized that we needed another avenue to do work in the community,” said Bodey. “We set up the CEX with the intention to not only provide programs that are of social benefits to the whole community, but to also create jobs,” she said.

The trio started with the Community Firewood Program in 2019, partnering with Neighbors Helping Neighbors (NHN) to provide free and affordable firewood to those who can’t afford it. “The project was started to offset the annual expense NHN was putting into providing free firewood for both immediate emergency and those in-need,” said Spitzman. “We were able to take a single year’s normal invest from NHN and purchase bulk wood to process locally,” he added. “This allowed us to provide employment to process fire-

wood that we sell.”

As long as there is wood to process, there is work available. “If you need firewood and you’re physically capable, but don’t have the finances, you can come and start work trading.

We have people cut and split wood, deliver it, stack it, and clean up the grounds where we do it,” said Bodey.

NHN and the Firewood Project are also teaming up with the Hearth of the Baca, a non-profit group headed

by Christina Lakish and Corez Hines that brings free firewood to at-risk people in Crestone and the Baca Grande.

To keep things both cost effective and environmentally friendly, the CEX also partners with local logging companies, arborists, and a mitigation crew. “The wood being collected from the mitigation crews is the foundation of the free wood and that foundation is added to by the purchased wood and the arborist donations,” said Spitzman.

As the program enters into their fourth season, they’ve already received several truck-loads of logs.

“We are looking into ways to increase our incoming supply, as we have sold out each year,” said Spitzman.

The Community Firewood Project isn’t the only program that CEX hopes to grow. After the Crestone Free Box closed in 2020 due to the Covid-19 crisis, the CEX formed a partnership with NHN, Crestone Creative Trade, and the Crestone Energy Fair to raise money for and provide continued maintenance of the space, eventually reopening the community resource in April of 2022.

“We came up with a plan for just rehabbing it because initially, it just needed to be cleaned. But we took it a step further and did a whole roof extension and remodel with new shelves and bins,” said Bodey. “And last summer we did the full mural wrap.”

Volunteer Brett Buchanan discussing the Freebox re“Despite the new wall model. photo by Matt Lit and roof extension to exforts, we really look at how to utilize pand the space, the clothour resources more efficiently and ing bins are overflowing, people just environmentally friendly,” she said. dump boxes and bags, and there is Their latest project, the Saguache a lack of respect for the space,” CEX Mindful Land Use group, aims to wrote on its website last summer. support residents by looking at Bodey is currently looking for volhousing, sanitation, building codes, unteers who would be interested in and ordinances. “Our county is bekeeping an eye on the space. ing pushed by the state to adopt The team has also had to get and enforce the International Enercreative, hosting a Freebox Fashion gy Conservation Code (IECC),” said Show at the Crestone Energy Fair Bodey. “But it was very misleading last year, encouraging artists to use that if you were going to adopt these unwanted items for art installations. energy conservation codes, then you “We have a team of artists trying to automatically had to start putting in get a little more creative with viewother layers of building codes. With ing things not as trash and waste,” us being so frontier and very spaced said Bodey. Another fashion show out and a lot of people off grid, we is set for this year’s Crestone Energy said, this isn’t going to accommoFair, in September. date our whole county.”

“It’s just another example of how As the trio continues to expand you can use multiple organizations their reach, they ask themselves one and people within a community to question: How do we decide how to streamline services without duplimanage and govern ourselves a litcating efforts,” said Bodey. “I feel like tle bit better? “This is the beauty of that’s another really big reason why having this partnership,” said Bodey. we have this group in a small town.

“The three of us get together and say, Each organization doesn’t have yeah, let’s go for it.” enough skills and professional peoVisit crestoneenergyexchange.org ple to really follow through and get to learn more and get involved. every project done. By combining ef-

Let’s keep bears WILD! Take simple steps to avoid conflicts with bears Keep garbage in a well-secured location.

Only put out garbage on the morning of pickup.

Clean garbage cans regularly to keep them odor free.

Use a bear-resistant trash can or dumpster. Make sure dumpsters are closed and the tops secured; don’t allow trash to overflow.

If you don’t have secure storage, put items that might become smelly into the freezer until trash day.

Bird feeders are a major source of bear/human conflicts. Attract birds naturally with flowers and water baths. Do not hang bird feeders from April 15 to Nov. 15.

Do not feed wildlife, such as deer, turkeys or small mammals.

Don’t allow bears to become comfortable around your house. Yell at them, throw things at them, make noise to scare them off.

Secure compost piles. Bears are attracted to the scent of rotting food and they’ll eat anything.

Keep garage doors closed. Lock your doors when you’re away from home and at night. Keep the bottom floor windows of your house closed when you’re not at home.

Do not keep food in your vehicle; roll up windows and lock the doors of your vehicles.

When camping, keep a clean camp; secure all food and coolers in a locked vehicle after you’ve eaten.

Talk to your neighbors and kids about being bear aware.

If you keep small livestock or pets, keep animals in a fully covered enclosure, don’t store food outside, keep enclosures clean to minimize odors, hang rags soaked in ammonia around the enclosure.

If you have bee hives, install electric fencing where allowed.

For more information please call the Monte Vista wildlife office at 1-719-587-6900

Page B-10 • The Crestone Eagle • August, 2023

crestoneeagle.org

Notes from the Pyre Care of the body: Sacred, not scary

By Gussie Fauntleroy The idea of death can be scary for most people. This is natural. In the past century or so, our culture has become removed from what for millennia was a normal part of human life: When someone died, the family cared for the body, allowing it to lie in repose in the home prior to burial. Although we’ve largely lost touch with this process, it can be a ceremonial, gentle, and sacred way of saying goodbye. And for families whose loved one was registered with the Crestone End of Life Project (CEOLP) prior to death, CEOLP volunteers are there to guide the family through the care of the body process.

CEOLP is a local nonprofit, all-volunteer organization that facilitates open-air cremations and natural burial at its pyre site and natural burial ground just west of Crestone. CEOLP’s team of trained Care Of The Body (COB) volunteers are among the first to be called after a registrant dies.

COB volunteers bring the family all the materials needed to prepare the body for up to three days of repose in the home, including gel packs for keeping it cool. They answer questions and guide the family in washing, anointing, and dressing the body, and provide information on changing the gel packs. The volunteers may also help the family make the space where the deceased

CEOLP volunteers in a caring for the body training, with a volunteer as the “deceased.”

lies as peaceful and aesthetically beautiful as possible.

Medical equipment may be moved out of the way and things like candles, flowers, or the deceased’s favorite incense placed in the room.

Anna Louise (Stewart) Christensen first joined CEOLP’s care of the body team when the organization began, about 16 years ago.

Because the family may be in shock and confusion, especially after an unexpected death, one of the most important qualities in a COB volunteer is the ability to remain

centered and emotionally calm, regardless of what is happening, Christensen said. “The main thing is just to be there for whatever the family needs.”

Although contemporary Americans have been culturally removed from caring for loved ones after they die, she believes “it is innately in all of us. Anybody can do it.”

Being invited into “such an intimate situation in people’s life is an amazing gift,” both to the deceased and family and to herself. “It can be joyful or very somber,” she said.

photo by Peter Taylor

“There is no right way.”

A care of the body workshop for current CEOLP volunteers and the public is set for August 12, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Crestone Charter School. A detailed implementation manual also exists for all CEOLP volunteer roles.

For more information on CEOLP and to register for its services, visit crestoneendoflifeproject.org.

Register for the workshop and inquire about volunteering with CEOLP in any role, contact Lisa at ceolp.info@gmail.com.

Garden Guru

Busy Bees continued from page 1 Some bees have nests in the ground, others use hollow twigs, others build tunnels out of collected mud or vegetation, but each species has unique preferences and nest characteristics.

Once females and males mate, the working female follows a sequence of building and laying eggs in a new nest, provisioning them with stores of collected pollen enough for each developing young bee to use to grow to an adult form, partitioning each egg and its provisions into separate cells.

Depending on the species, this spring or summer activity can last weeks or months.

The end result is a sequence of provisioned cells that will get to a state of development and then go into the static phase for the winter starting the yearly cycle again.

In the process of collecting food for nest provisioning, and for their

own sustenance, female bees visit flowers and provide the service of pollination. Males will visit flowers but do not participate in any nest building or provisioning. Some bees specialize in one flower species, or groups of related flowers. Other bees are more general in what flowers they visit.

In our area, there are bees of various types visiting flowers all through the active season. Some are easy to spot, like honey bees and bumble bees, some are much smaller or faster, and harder to notice.

Some nest in surprising places, like ones in the genus Diadasia (specialists in either cactus, sunflower, or mallow plants).

Dozens to hundreds of females from this genus can be seen building and provisioning tunnels in aggregations on packed dirt roads. One can watch females return to their own nest avoiding those of dozens of oth-

Crestone End of Life Project

Promoting informed end-of-life choices and supporting their fulfillment

PO Box 1238, Cre stone, CO 81131 www.informedfinalchoices.org • 719.588.7415 • ceolp.info@gmail.com

“The day which we fear as our last is but the birthday of eternity.” - Lucius Annaeus Seneca Hybrid In-Person/Zoom Meeting, Little Shepherd Church, Wednesday, August 9 at 7 p.m.

(informedfinalchoices@gmail.com)

er females nearby. Another specialist of cacti flowers, genus Lithurgopsis, nests in their carved tunnels in soft logs. Numerous males and females can be seen cavorting near those logs at the beginning of the cacti bloom.

Given the above diets, nests and habits, native bees are essential to the reproduction of many flowering plants in natural areas. In contrast, their value in extensive agriculture has been very limited.

Other than a handful of species used for alfalfa seed production and in some large fruit and nut orchards, their role fits better for small plantings surrounded by places with their nesting areas.

In terms of conservation, it is obvious that many types of human activities can disrupt these native pollinators: removal of nesting grounds or vegetation, toxic compounds, and parasite spillover from non-native bees. Despite obvious local impacts, so far there is no clear evidence of loss of species.

Millions of years of evolution in harsh environments may give native bees an edge and a continued role.

Can humans assist in this? Providing bee houses or condos of bored wood or hollow twigs of various sizes may provide harbor to a few species.

Overall, the best approach is to let things be in natural areas, guaranteeing an array of possible nesting sites and a diversity of flowering plants.

continued from page 4 two or three weeks. After that, it becomes another ordinary bush. Thankfully, its neighbors, the iris, then the daylilies, come along to show off.

It is the gardener’s place in the picture to plan all of this, plant the seeds and seedlings, then tend and water them until they old enough to accomplish their purpose.

Of course, from the plant’s perspective, that is to reproduce.

In the grand scheme of things, the plants hope to entice an animal to eat them and then carry the seed to another location and drop it, along with a tidy fertilizer package.

The Robin family eats every Serviceberry that they can see, even before the berries are really ripe, leaving me, the human, only a few that are too hidden from their eyes. Birds do a wonderful job of fostering plant life by eating and dropping seeds.

The wind is a helper too. Salsify makes silvery air-borne seeds, as do the Cottonwood trees.

A major difference between a painting and my garden is the impermanence of it all. It’s constantly changing and will all disappear with the frosts. C’est la vie. Next year is another canvas.

The Crestone Eagle • August, 2023 • Page B-11

Mushroom foraging enjoyed around the world and in the SLV

By Ameille Warner People around the world enjoy foraging for wild, edible mushrooms. It is a wonderful way to get out into nature and attune your senses to observe the smallest details in your surroundings.

Colorado has a wide variety of edible, wild mushrooms that appear as the ground begins to warm up, starting first at lower elevations in mid-spring and working up to higher elevations as the summer progresses.

Mid-June through early September is generally considered the best time for mushroom hunting in the San Luis Valley, but variables like temperature and rainfall can make the season shorter or longer.

If you are interested in foraging for wild mushrooms, it is extremely important that you find an experienced forager to guide you. Misidentifying mushrooms can lead to serious health consequences or even be fatal. Invest time in learning from reliable sources such as field guides, local experts, or mycological societies.

Your first goal should be to learn about mushrooms, not find one to eat.

Start with easily identifiable species and gradually expand your knowledge.

Ideally, target one or two per season, and really get to know that variety.

Never eat a wild mushroom that hasn’t been verified by an expert. And even then, start with a small amount to make certain you don’t have any reaction.

As for equipment, mushroom hunting requires little more than what you would take on a day hike, such as good hiking boots, a compass, water, weather-appropriate clothing, and rain gear.

Additionally, you will want to take a basket for carrying your finds, a sharp knife, your identification field guides, a notebook, and perhaps a whistle. Many mushroom hunters get so absorbed in looking at the ground they find themselves lost in the forest!

When trying to identify a mushroom, there are many things to consider. Looking at the mushroom, you can observe the characteristics of the cap, underside, and stalk. But that is just the beginning.

If you cut the mushroom, what happens? Some change colors. Some ooze a milky substance. Sometimes

the interior structure is vital in identification. Place the cap on a piece of white paper and cover with a bowl to learn about the spores that make a beautiful pattern underneath, called a spore print. What is the habitat where it was found? What time of year? As you begin to learn your mushrooms, you will find that there are many that appear similar, but in fact are very different species.

Check the local regulations and laws regarding mushroom foraging before heading out.

Some places have restrictions on the quantity you can collect, and some areas may require permits. Always respect private property and obtain permission before foraging on someone else’s land.

Be cautious when foraging near high traffic areas or polluted areas where chemical treatments have been used, such as parks and golf courses. Mushrooms can absorb toxins and heavy metals from the soil, which can make them unsafe for consumption.

Adopt responsible foraging practices. Be mindful of the environment and only collect mushrooms you intend to study or consume. Avoid damaging the mycelium (the underground network of fungal threads) by gently pulling the mushroom from the ground, or by using a knife to cut the mushrooms at the base, leaving the root system intact.

If you are new to foraging and would

Clockwise: A basket of mushrooms from a successful forage; a variety of mushrooms are available in the Valley. The author shows off one of her finds. photos by Ameille Warner

like assistance from a local expert, consider joining a local mycological society or mushroom foraging group, or one of the many social media groups. These communities often organize forays, where experienced members guide newcomers and share their knowledge and tips for safety and success.

Continually expand your knowledge and cross-reference multiple sources.

Attend workshops, lectures, or forays whenever possible to enhance your skills. Mushroom foraging is a lifelong learning process, but a very satisfying

one as you learn to appreciate how vital fungi are to the health of the planet.

Any you will hopefully be able to enjoy the delicious and unique flavors and textures that edible wild mushrooms have to offer.

Remember, it’s always better to err on the side of caution and avoid consuming a mushroom if you’re the least bit unsure of its identification. There is a saying, “There are old mushroom eaters, and there are adventurous mushroom eaters. There are no old, adventurous mushroom eaters.”

Owner-Builder Conversations: Where are they now?

By John Rowe Part One of a series I wrote a series of articles about five years ago about a group of people who were engaged in building their own homes. My purpose was to introduce many of them to the community as they are involved in the commendable and sadly disappearing American tradition of homesteading.

Folks building their own homes in Crestone has been a rich and consistent theme of just who we are and why many of us come here. Land has been historically cheap and building covenants are loose. The community has a long history of encouraging the amateur building of earth-friendly, simple homes; homes that are within the realm of possibility for the brave and industrious few that dare come to this sometimes harsh and inhospitable

place and begin the long and arduous built an Earthship house out along Wiltask of building a life here—from the low Creek in the Grants. For those who ground up. don’t know, Earthships are homes that are built of old tires stacked in walls on Most arrive with limited funds and the north side and a lot of windows on work, scrimping and saving to bring the south facing side. They are warm their dream into reality. They build in the winter and cool in the summer, as time, money, and energy allow requiring little and often take energy to keep longer than the “We have a home that we love in a them so. Vegeeighteen months community we feel a real part of, and tables and even the Baca Grande are you ready? We are mortgage free!”

Property Owntrees are often ers Association grown in the ~ Goldie Mariola s u n - d re n c h e d (POA) would like to see. But south side, makmany persevere ing them even and almost miraculously end up with more practical and green. good solid homes. I am interviewing a EAGLE: Wow! Your place is so roomy prime success story here with perhaps and welcoming. So how long did your more in the offing. There are a number house take to build? who fit in this category.

MATT: It took three years to get our My first interview is with Goldie Macertificate of external completion and riola and her partner, Matt Evers, who about two more to finish the interior.

EAGLE: That is a lot of work. I know you both left for California every fall to work all winter, save your money, and came back and built all spring and summer in addition to working for money to live on. Was it worth it?

GOLDIE: Absolutely! We have a home that we love in a community we feel a real part of, and are you ready? We are mortgage free! I don’t think many people our age are so fortunate. [Matt and Goldie are both 35] EAGLE: What do you like best about your house?

GOLDIE: In addition to being mortgage-free, I love that so many in our owner-builder circle of friends helped us out just as we have helped them out when we could. I can look around and see all the work so many friends did. I am surrounded by good memories.

MATT: I love that we are completely continued on page 13

crestoneeagle.org

Page B-12 • The Crestone Eagle • August, 2023

Native Plant Talk Life in the alpine tundra

While Rocky Mountain Columbine comes to mind when thinking of mountain flora the mountains are home to many other species including, inset top, the Cirsium funkiae—Funky Thistle; inset bottom, the Old Man of the Mountain—Hymenoxys grandiflora; and inset top right, Pedicularis scopulorum- Rocky Mountain Lousewort photos by Carol English

By Carol T. English Colorado Native Plant Society-San Luis Valley Chapter Look east from the floor of the San Luis Valley and the stunning Sangre de Cristo Mountain range towers above us with incredible majesty. From a distance you can see where the trees end, and the alpine tundra begins. From afar it may look barren—yet living organisms of all kinds have found a way to flourish.

It is early August and the perfect time to head up into these mountains to explore, so let’s journey up high. As we move through the forest the atmospheric pressure drops with less O2 available to breathe, so we

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slow down and breathe faster.

Before we go, make sure you have extra jackets keep the shivers at bay as the temperatures drop, and the wind picks up. Sunglasses and hats reduce the increased light radiation. Make sure you bring plenty of water and food to sustain your body through the journey.

Just as humans reach for jackets, hats, and sunglasses for protection, the living wild organisms also adapt to the change. Plants become tiny and hug the ground to avoid the wind, leaves become waxy succulent avoiding light radiation, and others grow hair for insulation. Roots become more robust to store nutrients, trees become gnarled and small from

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the extreme cold and wind, insects fly more slowly, many mammals hibernate for most of the year, and fur colors change for camouflage.

And as we climb, the forest trees begin to change. The mighty ponderosa pine and stately blue sprue give way to better adapted tree species living in even harsher conditions at higher elevations. Towering dense forests of Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir trees create a feeling of mystery and hidden secrets.

Gnarled old, twisted bristlecone and limber pines appear. These pines can grow to nearly 1,500 years old here in Colorado, and even twice that age in the high mountains of California.

As we continue to walk higher, the temperature change and unavailable oxygen is noticeable; deep satisfying breaths are more difficult to acquire.

Winter here is long and cold, and the snow can linger into the summer months.

The chance of snow and frost is constant, and poses a continual challenge for plants, birds, mammals, and insects. Ocean spray, raspberry, wild rose, golden-banner, lupine, skunk cabbage, sugar-bowls, and tiny monkey flowers flourish within the forest and out among the grassy openings. Now we step above the treeline and observe life exploding into a million tiny details of incredible adaptations within one of the harshest ecosystems on the planet—the alpine tundra.

This is a place with even more intense wind, cold, ultraviolet radiation, and a growing season of only six-10 weeks. That means nothing grows here for 80 percent of the

entire year. Plants hug tight to the ground and grow only inches high to avoid the harsh conditions. Leaves are thick, waxy, and hairy with red or blue pigments called anthocyanins which convert light to heat. The robust roots are often the largest portion of alpine plants and can extend into the soil for several feet.

Relative to lower elevations, life cycles and soil formation are extremely slow. Patience is truly a virtue here, as it takes 1,000 years for a single inch of soil to form, and up to 10 years for certain plants to form flowers. Pick a flower and you have just destroyed years and years of seed development, destroy soil and in an instant 1000s of years of decomposition is gone. Move deliberately with slow defined steps, bend in close and observe all the tiny cushion plants hugging the ground. You will find Moss Campion- Silene acaulis, Cushion phlox- Phlox pulvinata, Alpine Spring Beauty- Claytonia megarhiza, Stonecrop- Sedum lanceolatum, Old-Man-of-the-Mountains- Hymenoxis grandiflora, Rocky Mountain Lousewort- Pedicularis scopulorum, Rocky Mountain Sky PilotPolemonium confertum, Rocky Mountain Columbine- Aquilegia coerulea, and many more.

And now when you stand and focus your view to the distance in the west toward the San Luis Valley, you can breathe in and appreciate the alpine tundra in all its glory. Spread your arms to the sky and experience the vastness of this place and the amazing adaptations that allow life here to survive.

The Crestone Eagle • August, 2023 • Page B-13

Owner-Builder continued from page 11 off-grid. We are on a well and septic system and everything is powered by a solar array outside. We have next to no monthly utility bills and of course, no mortgage.

This has given Goldie and I lots of room to explore just how we want to spend our time living. The owner-builder community is a very close, tight-knit one and I love having the time and hard-earned wisdom to give to other builders just as many of them have given to us. I may not be able to do that with a hefty month nut to crack

like most people have. This self-sufficiency has also helped me develop my own business.

It is called Everstone Excavation and Septic LLC and I have been able to buy a dump truck and some earth moving equipment. Soon I will be able to put in septic systems and hook up water and sewer lines in addition to dirt work and driveways I do now.

None of this could have ever happened with a large rent or mortgage payment to take care of every month.

GOLDIE: I have started being a “death

Owner / Broker Nick@mountainsiderealty.com

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Matt and Goldie are a joy to be around and an inspiration to me to help people more and further explore some of life’s options.

I thank everyone-Matt and Goldie, the Baca Grande Property Owners Association (POA), the owner-builder community, and all of us supportive residents that helped to make their dream come true.

We all benefit from their presence here. This success story is truly one of the reasons we are blessed to live in Crestone.

Building community one home at a time.

Nick Nevares

Rare opportunity to own a spacious 3 bed, 2.5 bath in the Baca Townhomes! Newly renovated from floor to ceiling, with soundproofed walls, open floorplan, and balconies.

doula”, someone who helps dying people and their families through the death process. I have several clients now and am looking forward to being able to help Crestone and the Baca in this way in the future.

I also am very active with the Crestone Energy Fair as is Matt, and fully believe in what we are trying to do there. It is such a gift to be able to serve the community and I am grateful that I don’t have to work all the time paying bills and that I can do things I truly believe in and help others.

$250,000 57649 eva K dr, MoFFat

Incredible home/grow designed homestead with two large warehouses and a beautiful quaint 1 bed/1 bath home. Great deal for the amount of infrastructure!

000 Golden Ave 000 Alder Street Unique opportunity to own one or two contiguous 50’ x 142’ commercial lots in the $350,000 Town of Crestone.

34093 hWy 285, villa grove Each is separately build-able $99,000 1,525 sq ft remodeled commercial building with hwY 285 frontage.

000 Silver Ave front room for retail store as well as warehouse/office space. 50’ x 142’ commercial property in the Town of Crestone extensive securitY and heating $70,000 sYstems. don’t miss this opportunitY to get in on the ground floor.

0 CO RD 59 $140,000 283 N Chaparral $89,995 412 Camino Del Rey $84,500 55417 CO RD CC $80,000 1560 Antelope Way $52,000 753 and 754 Camino Del Rey $44,000 000 CO RD AA $40,000 0 CO RD Z $39,500 CO RD Z- 40 acre $39,500 1820/1821 Rockyview $30,000 56 Baca Grant Way $30,000 407 N Chaparral Way $30,000 1660 Willow Creek Way $29,500 4234 Tranquil Way $25,000 4233 Tranquil Way $25,000 2731 Holiday Place $25,000 950 and 949 Camino Real $25,000 72 Dragoon $25,000 2803 Brook Ol $25,000 1214 Chaparral $24,000 611 Cinnabar $18,000 4425 E Celestial Ol $16,500 1838 Rockyview $15,000 1331 Badger $13,000 1193 Beaver $13,000 308 Rainbow Trout OL $12,000 539 Camino Del Rey $12,000 292 Fresno $11,000 2649 Leisure Way $7,900

Page B-14 • The Crestone Eagle • August, 2023

crestoneeagle.org

E3 Ecologic: A Holistic approach to conservation and regeneration

By Anya Kaats Peter May grew up on Lake St. Clair, in the suburbs of Detroit, where he spent most of his days hanging out near the lake and playing sports. When he was seven, Peter sprained his ankle playing baseball, and his mom prepared him a foot soak using comfrey from their backyard garden. Peter’s coach told him he wouldn’t be able to play for at least three days, but when he woke up the next morning, the pain was totally gone. He could play again.

“I never forgot that” May said.

Years later, when he came down with mono only a few days before he was supposed to give a speech at his high school graduation, his mother told him to put a garlic clove in his mouth and slowly bite down on it, allowing the oil from the garlic to seep into his gums. By morning, he could talk without pain. “That’s where the seed started,” May explained, “If you can get that when you’re young, it grows with you.”

He went to the University of Michigan to study architecture but had a strong reaction to the chemicals used in conventional construction, which led him to the field of Bau Biologie— German for “Building Biology.”

Bau Biologie was instrumental in initiating the green building movement by conducting extensive research into how the “built environment” affects human health and wellbeing on a physical, emotional, and psychological level. “What I learned is that the best building is no building at all,” he explained. “Humans are supposed to live in nature.”

By this point, May’s interest in ecology was starting to merge with his professional career. The merging of these two worlds brought him to Crestone in the early 1990s, where he

prescribed fire. He recalled a memory about Walpole Island, an island off the coast of Canada which sat across the lake from where he grew up. A professor once told him that the inhabitants of the island had been burning the vegetation for hundreds of years. “‘Because of the fire,’” the professor explained, “‘the island is home to every endangered plant and animal species of southern Michigan and Ontario in abundance.’”

Using the knowledge May had accumulated over the years, he began to experiment. After intentionally burning his sister’s land, he was able to successfully bring back milkweed. He also led a successful prescribed fire along Willow Creek near the stables, which brought back the thick grasses you see today.

In 2003, he founded Kundalini Fire Management. It began as a joke, but ultimately grew into a pillar of his non-profit, E3 Ecologic, which is devoted to repairing and restoring local habitat in the San Luis Valley. E3 Ecologic is based on the theory of holism —the idea that individual parts cannot exist or be addressed apart from the whole.

In Crestone, water preservation and protection against fire are two of the biggest environmental issues we deal with on a regular basis, and E3 Ecologic believes both are intricately connected. “A healthy forest is less likely to burn down than an unhealthy forest,” he explained, emphasizing that water retention is integral to a forest’s health and resilience.

Until the 1800s, beavers were prolific in this area, but have since disappeared completely, mostly due to trapping. Beavers play an important role in a forest’s ability to retain water, as does the health of the mycelium and mycorrhizal networks in the soil. In addition to fire, beavers, and mycelium, E3 Ecologic is also focused on restoring the health of Mother (or Father) trees, which are connected to other, younger trees, in addition to other plant species, such as milkweed.

Milkweed is imperative to the survival of pollinators like the Monarch butterfly, whose population has declined 85% in the last two decades.

From beavers to butterflies to fire and beyond, May’s eclectic life experiences and interests have undoubtedly informed the holistic nature of his organization. The complexity within humans mimics the complexity of nature, and the more we know and understand ourselves, the more we know and understand ecology. “As we learn to take care of the forest,” he explained, “It’s taking care of us, too.”

To learn more about E3 Ecologic, go to e3ecologic.org. To listen to the entire interview with May, tune in to Kaats’ podcast, A Millennial’s Guide to Saving the World, available wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also check out May’s other websites: WindhorseAlchemy.com and TheSonicApothecary.com.

“What about Angelica?” he asked.

The next morning, Sarah called Angelica to pitch the idea, and the rest, as they say, is history.

In addition to pre-made, locally sourced, whole food meals prepared by Angelica, Hooper Junction will also sell traditional grab-and-go gas station fare, plus locally crafted goods. “From Gatorade, to kombucha, to candy bars and local grassfed beef, we’ll have something for everyone,” she said. Quintana, who Jones calls “One of the most amazing and versatile chefs” she’s ever met, will run both the retail space and the café, sourcing ingredients locally whenever possible from places like Valley Roots Food Hub, White Mountain Farm, Blue Range Ranch, Yoder Family Farm, and their own Jones Farms Organics.

Jones has also been dabbling in the realm of internationally renowned art.

Orisons, one of the largest earth-based works of art created by an individual woman, Marguerite Humeau, opened to the public July 29th on an unused 160-acre farm circle that was donated by her in-laws.

Jones, who has degrees in sales and marketing, joked that convincing her in-laws to donate their land to the project was one of the hardest

sales jobs she’s ever had. Over the past several years, she has worked directly with Humeau and Black Cube of Denver, a non-profit nomadic art museum that’s producing Orisons. Humeau is known for creating artwork that evokes semi-mythical ecosystems, and Orisons, which means “prayers,” pays homage to the San Luis Valley through interactive and kinetic sculptures that honor the Valley’s past, present, and future. “I feel so grateful that my in-laws were open to this project, and feel blessed to be a part of it,” she shared.

Despite her lack of experience owning a restaurant or spearheading world-renowned art pieces, Jones is determined to support the local community however she can, and has embraced this dance with the unknown. “It’s crazy and exhilarating and exciting and fun and stressful and all the things that make life worth living,” she commented and added, “If you can’t quit, and your heart is being pulled toward the path of least resistance, at some point you just need to have faith and keep on truckin’.”

To listen to a full interview with Sarah Jones, tune into Kaats’ podcast, A Millennial’s Guide to Saving the World, available wherever you listen to podcasts.

Peter May speaks at an event this year. Below: The new E3 logo. Photos courtesy E3 Ecologic

pursued natural building, specifically straw bale construction, native permaculture, sustainable landscape design, and land management.

Soon after arriving in Crestone, May looked out the window and saw a wildfire approaching his house. He didn’t have any experience fighting fires, but on his neighbor’s insistence, went out to try and fight it anyway. “I had no idea what I was doing but had spent a lot of time playing ultimate Frisbee, so I just channeled that, and went out there and started running and jumping through flames.” May was blown away by the experience.

Years later, he became the Baca Fire Chief, a position he held for nine years.

His interest in fire began to expand beyond fighting fires into the realm of

Hooper continued from page 3 ucated decision,” she explained.

Ultimately, she learned that the gas station wasn’t in compliance, and she and her friend decided to walk away. “I told the owner to call me if anything changed, but in the meantime, we put it back into the universe.”

A few months ago, Sarah got a call that the gas station was back in

compliance and available for sale if she was still interested. “I practically screamed with excitement, but knew I had to sit with it, because a lot had changed since last fall,” she recalled.

One night, she and her husband, Michael, were eating some pre-made meals prepared by Angelica Quintana of SLV Prep Fuel and Ruby Rose Bakery when the lightbulb went off.

The Crestone Eagle • August, 2023 • Page B-15

Page B-16 • The Crestone Eagle • August, 2023

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SUMMER FUN IN CRESTONE Crestone Historical Museum & Welcome Center

by Jim McCalpin

Since the Crestone Historical Museum & Welcome Center has been serving up local history to visitors and locals alike in its 13th year. Over the winter we have acquired various historic publications, most mailed to Crestone subscribers in decades past.

1930s- Reader’s Digest 1930s through 50s-Life Magazines, 1938, ‘42, ‘46, ‘50, ‘52 1940s- Yank Magazine, British ed., 1944, ’45 (published for our overseas soldiers) 1960s- Stars & Stripes, 1963, JFK memorial 1960s through 1980s- underground Comix (Boomers will remember these) 1970s to present- National Geographics (82 new issues) 2000s- Sacred Earth Journals, 2008, 2011, 2020 2020s- Emmy Savage book, Walking the Stations in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

Then as now, local residents wanted to know what was going on in the world outside the Valley. These add to our local history archives, the Baca Grande Newsletters beginning in 1971, and The Crestone Eagle back to 1990.

We have the Crestone trivia game “The End of the Road,” created by the LINK class of 2005, maybe the last surviving copy. Summer 2023 is predicted to be a big season for visitors, so if you want to be a Museum volunteer, email Jim McCalpin at mccalpin@geohaz.com, or text 719-588-4279.

Come to the Crestone Thursday & Saturday Markets Downtown Saturday Market off of W. Galena Ave is your Saturday morning destination location for music, food, plant starts, veggies, mouthwatering bread, lemonade, cookies, herbs, jewelry, cosmetics, massages, clothing, crystals, hair cuts and much more.

There’s something for everyone, and a big part of the fun of the Market is that beside your favorite regulars, there’s often one-time venders with vintage items or travellers from afar passing through with exotic wares.

Free to all vendors!

First come, first served on all spaces.

Usually runs from around 10 a.m. til 4 p.m. You never know what will be there, so come see us on Saturdays.

As always, family friendly.

The Town of Crestone requires all dogs to be on a leash.

We will see you there!

New Vendors and Vibe! Food, Plants, Art, Gifts, Gems & More!

* Two Outdoor Markets, New Location in Crestone and the Baca! *

Shop Local!

(Please be mindful, not blocking fire station.)

For information contact Desi: crestonevendors@mail.com or call: 719/480-5121

the Crestone Eagle’s

special

Summer Fun section is here!

FEATURE YOUR FESTIVAL, EVENT, BUSINESS, ETC.

WITH THE AD+ARTICLE+PHOTO

PACKAGE

CALL US AT 719-256-4956 OR EMAIL ADS@CRESTONEEAGLE.COM

The Crestone Eagle • August, 2023 • Page B-17

Valley Roots Food Hub The Colorado local food system is thriving with strong regenerative agriculture and a league of stellar interdependent stakeholders. Together with other food hubs around the state, the Valley Roots Food Hub represents over 100 producers across produce, meat, dairy, and valueadded products. Our home here in the bread basket of the San Luis Valley hosts the lion’s share of our valued producers, and adding in the fruit production from the Western Slope, the beans and cornmeal from the Four Corners area, and the chiles and melons from the lower Arkansas River Valley, we have a complimentary cornucopia of quality foods for your yearround sustenance.

We highlight producers who are actively growing their soil and who are producing food from living soils. We like to say your food choices are your Three Votes a Day for the world you want to live in. And yet local foods can do even more than preserve the soil and nourish your body and mind with freshness, nutrition, and story. They are the cornerstone of healthy local economies where money stays and grows within the communities in which it is spent. Known as the multiplier effect, for every dollar spent locally it grows to be 2-3 times the original dollar.

Investing in your community has never been so important or accessible.

You can access these foods through our online Community S u p p o r t e d Agriculture (CSA) market, or by visiting your quality hometown businesses of the Crestone Mercantile, Elephant Cloud Market, and OFIA. You can find us at valleyrootsfoodhub. com, 719-206-2839, sales@valleyrootsfoodhub com.

Horseback riding at the Baca Grande Stables Come visit the Baca Grande Stables. See the area on horseback or ride in our arena—Western and English riders of all ability levels are welcome. Our Summer Children’s Riding Program for kids aged 6-15 is comprised of a week of fun lessons.

Call or email us to schedule a trail ride or lesson, or to arrange an overnight stay for your horse: 719-256-6200, info@ bacagrandestables.com, bacagrandestables.com.

BOARDING ~ LESSONS ~ TRAIL RIDES ~ LEASING

(719) 256-6200

Page B-18 • The Crestone Eagle • August, 2023

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Stupa continued from page 1 She is the Project Manager under the umbrella of Karma Thegsum Sashi Gomang (KTTG).

The stupa will be an “attendant” stupa to the 42-foot-tall Tashi Gomang stupa, high above the San Luis Valley, south of Crestone.

Ceremonies to celebrate the new stupa will begin on August 4 and continue through August 8 with two sessions per day at 9 a.m.-noon and 2-5 p.m. Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche was a senior lama of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. He passed away in October 2019 at 95 years old.

Twelve Lamas will be coming from Woodstock, New York and one from Tibet who will preside over the ceremonies. The Woodstock lamas include a mix of Chinese Tibetan and American Lamas, said de Bray. The one from Tibet holds a very high position in the monastery system there. “We are really honored to have him come preside,” she added.

Construction began on the stupa— known as the KKR Stupa Project—began in 2020. Dorje (Sean Acton) is the stupa builder. Barbara Falconer the artistic director.

Her love of Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche goes back 40 years. In 1996, she attended the traditional Tibetan threeyear retreat under his guidance. Rinpoche was very active in the building of the Tashi Gomang Stupa and on one visit during the 90s determined the exact location for this stupa.

Stupas are reliquaries for the relics of saints. In time they become sacred pilgrimage sites.

There are 8 different types of stupas and Rinpoche’s is called an “Enlightenment Stupa.” Another type, The Tashi Gomang Stupa, represents the many doors to enlightenment the Buddha gave. They are all related to the life of the Buddha and the process of Enlightenment.

Fundraising for the stupa continues and donations can be made to the KKR Stupa Fund online at: karmapastupa.org/donate.

For other donation methods contact de Bray at: zoedebray@gmail.com.

Top: Dorje updates Zoe de Bray on the new stupa. Bottom: Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche in his 50s, left, and 90s, right.

bottom photos courtesy KKR Stupa Project

Haidakhandi Universal Ashram news: Guru Purnima

By Ramloti July has been a lovely month with the auspicious observance of Guru Purnima celebrated at both the lovely Ashram to Shri Babaji in Rieferath, Germany and here at His Ashram in Crestone.

Guru Purnima is the full moon in July and it is the day that you honor your Guru or Teacher.

I traveled to Germany for the occasion for an international gathering and was overjoyed to see many friends that I had not seen since our Ashram days together with Babaji in 1981 and 1982.

The Bhole Baba Ashram in Germany is beautiful, and the ceremonies were very strong. Here in Crestone, the fire ceremony, chanting, and feast were also very well attended and powerful.

We fortunately had several visiting devotees that helped with the ceremonies and food, as we had nearly 100 people come that day.

The Full-Moon Fire Ceremonies this month are on Tuesday, August 1 and Wednesday, August 30. The New-Moon Fire Ceremony is on Wednesday, August 16. They will begin at 10 a.m. and will be followed by chanting and a meal.

If you cannot attend in person you may want to tune in to the live

stream at the Haidakhandi Universal Ashram Facebook page at faceb o o k . c o m / Hai d a k h a n d i Un i v e rsalAshram. It will be posted on the Ramloti Wood YouTube Channel that evening.

You are invited to attend our daily fire ceremonies that happen whenever we do not have the large fire. They usually begin sometime between 9-10 a.m. Call for info on that day’s fire ceremony.

For the latest Ashram updates refer to our newsletter on our website at Babajiashram.org. or go to the Haidakhandi Universal Ashram Facebook page.

There are also many excellent (and several new ones from Germany) “Satsangs with Devotees” (people telling stories of Babaji), aaratis, readings, and chanting on the Ramloti Wood YouTube channel.

The Maha Lakshmi Shop is open daily from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. You can access many of our products online at mahalakshmishop.wazala.com.

We are also happy to take photos of items and send them to you, as many of our items are one-of-akind and are not on the website.

We appreciate your patronage of the Shop, as it is a major support of the Ashram.

The Bhole Baba Ashram in Germany celebrated the Guru Purnima moon in July.

photo courtesy Haidakhandi Universal Ashram

Ashram Open Daily 7am-7pm

P.O. Box 88 83 North Baca Grant Way Crestone, CO 81131 719-256-4917 sriaurobindolearningcenter.org

Maha Lakshmi Shop Open Daily 10am - 4pm

Maha Lakshmi Shop Incense, scarves, shawls, saris, candles, jewelry, oils, diffusers, prayer flags, singing bowls, CDs, malas, books, purses, statues, clothes, punjabi suits, & more.

Call: (719) 256-4108 email: at shop@Babajiashram.org www.BabajiAshram.org

The Crestone Eagle • August, 2023 • Page B-19

Messages from the heart of God Free Spirit Christian Church

The joy of being led by the Holy Spirit As received by Earl LeRoy “Walking in the Spirit is not about thinking. It is about listening and following Me. Thinking is an act of your mind and following the Holy Spirit is an act of your spirit. The mind of a human is part of the soul that includes your will and emotions. Your freewill is determined through your soul and to walk in My Spirit requires a choice that you make.

The human mind has been called the battlefield. It is connected both to lives’ experiences and to the human spirit. A person chooses what path to take and determines his destiny. If the flesh does not operate in faith led by the spirit, without faith it is impossible to please God. We created humanity to have dominion over the earth and enjoy walking in fellowship with Us in paradise.

Human sin broke our relationship because sin killed the human spirit. So, while you were yet sinners, My Son Jesus became a man, the perfect sacrifice for all sin so that by accepting His righteousness, your spirit could be born

again and live again in fellowship with Us. When this happens, your spiritual ears are opened so that you can listen to us, and you can choose to be led by My Spirit. This will help you tackle the daily trials and temptations. As you see how the supernatural miracles happen, you can be filled with the joy that passes all understanding! The more you listen and follow, the more miracles you experience with Us, the more joy you will experience in your life! Because the evil one has so deceived man to live by the flesh and its limitations; the vast majority of people are born and live and die never knowing the power and authority that could be at their disposal to create good and be the Light of the world. Jesus walked the earth in power and authority led by the Holy Spirit.

The works that He did are only an example of what every believer can do by following My Holy Spirit.

Most of mankind does not want to hear Us even though We are calling

out every day,’ Here I Am.” As a believer you can be Our voice, Our heart and Our hands by being led by My Spirit.

It is not a hard thing to do but only a choice that you can make.

When a person wants to be a fighter pilot he must join the Air Force to fly combat aircraft. That individual must have the desire and heart to accomplish his aspirations. The military service supplies the equipment and training to fulfill his purpose. To walk in the Spirit and Our Glory, you must have the desire and the heart to do so and rely on Us to provide the power and direction to do good and destroy the works of darkness.

Don’t be led by your flesh. Take up your cross and follow Me. Delight yourself in Me and I will give you the desires of your heart. Fulfill your purpose by walking in My Spirit, mercy and love, and you will walk in My abundant joy!

Love, God

Crestone Baptist Youth Group seeks cleaner landscape views Crestone Baptist Church Youth Group update Have you ever driven up a road and noticed that there are things just lying there? We refer to the stuff lying there as litter or trash. However, did you know there could be treasure?

The treasure comes in the lessons taught and conversations held in the Crestone Baptist Church Youth Group—a group of young people dedicated to making a difference in the neighborhood.

Compassion and service are a large part of what is learned in their studies. To bring those lessons to life goals are put forth to the Youth group.

In June and July the group walk T Road for at least a mile picking up trash. Adults joined, too. In June, more than three large bags of trash and debris were gathered. In July, a few more youth and adults joined and gathered approximately six large bags of trash and debris.

Maybe you saw them in their bright green shirts.

In an age of Facebook and instant gratification, it was refreshing to walk and talk with these young people with no cellphones to distract us, said Juli Close of the Church.

The Youth group was not looking for recognition or rewards. Rather, they were looking to leave a cleaner view of our landscape.

There is one more day in August to complete the Youth Group’s goal.

Interested community members can help out and join the Crestone Baptist Church Prayer Breakfast on Au-

gust 12 at 8 a.m. After that, donning green shirts, the group will, talk and clean things up.

On September 28 the youth group, Approved Workmen are Not Ashamed (AWANA) to the Crestone Baptist Church. This is a Youth Group for grades 3–6, exploring Grace in Action.

There will be lessons, games and snacks. Later that day, from 5:307:00 p.m. to enjoy a BBQ dinner and learn more about AWANA. Learn more by emailing crestonebaptistchurch@gmail.com.

“Messages from the heart of God” is sponsored by the

The Crestone Baptist Churth Youth Group helps keep T Road clean with its efforts.

photo courtesy Crestone Baptist Church

Building our community one project at a time since 1993

Free Spirit Christian Church

Corner of Hwy 17 and Moffat Way, Moffat, CO Sunday Services Friday Prayer Service Food Bank Tuesdays

3:00pm 3:00-4:00pm 2:00-4:00pm

*Please feel free to call Earl LeRoy at 719-650-9737 or Angie LeRoy at 719-650-5066 if you have any questions.

Potter Excavation, Inc.

PO Box 523

719-256-4063

Page B-20 • The Crestone Eagle • August, 2023

crestoneeagle.org

LOCAL SERVICES DIRECTORY YOGA Radiant Flow Yoga

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Building our community one project at a time since 1993.

PO Box 523 Mark Potter 719-256-4063

growfoodnow@yahoo.com

Nurturing yoga and massage.

Celebrating 12 years in Crestone.

Visit my website for classes and workshops. Cynn Nielsen, LMT 719-298-0360 www.RadiantFlow.co

20 yrs exp in all realms of the built environment. Offering plan review— ensure that your home harmonizes with our natural environment. carriecaverly@gmail.com https:// carriecaverly.wordpress.com

WINDOWS PC SERVICES Sales-Service-Repair-Networking

Since 1985. Virus cleanup, speed upgrades, data recovery. Migration of data to new computer. I build custom desktops and will assist you in buying a new laptop.

Call Dennis Neuhaus 719-256-4110 or 719-588-1200 (text if no answer)

BED / BAT BUG REMEDIATION

WINDOW CLEANING & PILGRIMS PAINTING

EXCAVATION Everstone Excavation & Septic

Chemical and poison free! Keep your clothes and furniture!

We have the knowledge and equipment to end your problem. Locally owned and operated Give us a call 928-830-5470

Professional Window Cleaning in Crestone. Interior and Exterior painting. Insured.

Call Ryan 303-815-9955

MASSAGE Maitri Massage Awareness-based massage therapy, incorporating deep tissue, energy work, and Swedish techniques.

21 years in Crestone. Anne Ross, LMT 719-588-8727, anneross1@icloud.com

CASH FOR JUNK CARS & TRUCKS

LOCAL SPRAY FOAM Crestone Construction

We buy all junk cars and trucks.

Any condition. Free pickup. No title needed.

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If no answer text 719-849-8491

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CHIMNEY SWEEP Alpine Chimney Sweep

MASSAGE SERVICES Calm Abiding Wellness

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Post Construction Hardscape Greenhouse & food garden design.

Foodscape & hugelkultur installation. 30 yrs experience. bob pedersen, Beyond Organic PBC text 719-239-1172

A local business. Trusted, reliable & affordable. Serving the Crestone area for 6 years and running.

Calls & Text Alexander: 970-306-5100 Email: asosnowski333@gmail.com

32 years experience. Affordable therapeutic massage. Circulatory, relaxation, deep tissue, injuries, lymphatic drainage, craniosacral.

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Digging, hauling, and more!

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Matt Evers: 719-298-8505

CORNERSTONE HOME MAINTENANCE

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Dry wall, plumbing, electrical, windows/doors, flooring/tile, painting, roofing. Top quality work. Bryan Locker: 720-467-5192, bryan@cornerstonehomemaintenance.com, www. cornerstonemaintenance.com

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1 Timothy 2:1-2

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The Crestone Eagle • August, 2023 • Page B-21

Distillery continued from page 3 gether giving a food campus vibe.

The campus vibe is intentional in hopes of creating a community space where locals and visitors can feel at home. There is also something more about this campus than meets the eye. Renewable energy, including solar power, wood chip gasification, and anaerobic food waste digestion partially power the campus which can recycle food waste from the operations on campus, leaving very little waste going back into the environment. The Food Hub offers wholesale sales, a community supported agriculture (CSA) program, and an online buying program. Their foods are exclusively sourced from around Colorado and northern New Mexico. The CSA program is focused on making sustainable, healthy food available to individuals and families by offering curated weekly food boxes for 13 to 14 weeks of the summer.

The online a la carte buying option provides more individualized choices. Most of these carefully curated regional foods can now be purchased at the Roots Cellar Market retail store at the distillery.

The symbiosis of these two organizations is evident. The Food Hub is able to gain wider retail exposure by showcasing and selling their products at the distillery, and the distillery is able to source ingredients for its products from the Food Hub. Their collaboration pays big dividends to the community and economy by offering regular events and culinary delights.

A five-course dinner featuring all local food and drink can be experienced the first weekends of July, August, and September at the distillery.

In addition, North, South, and West Valley farm tours of Valley Roots food sources and vendors are also offered in late July, August and September, showcasing more than a dozen San

Above: Dune Valley Distillery stills are at the ready for spirit making.

Right: Taps feature an array of spirits.

photos by Daniel Hart

Luis Valley producers. Check the Valley Roots Food Hub website valleyrootsfoodhub.com for event and shopping details.

Reach a wider CALL FOR CANDIDATES For the 7 p.m. October 13th, 2023 Annual General Meeting, Board of Directors Election There will be two (2) vacancies on the Board of Directors this fall, a three (3) year term and a two (2) year term.

Any Member in Good Standing is eligible to become a candidate. There are two ways that a candidate may be qualified to run for a Director position: 1. Submit an application through the Nominating Committee; or 2. Obtain a petition with twenty-five (25) signatures of Members in Good Standing.

Interested candidates, please contact the Baca Grande Association to obtain an application. Applications and Petitions must be received no later than 4:00 pm on Wednesday, August 16th, 2023.

P.O. Box 237 • Crestone, CO 81131 • Phone: 719-256-4171 • Fax: 719-256-4173 www.bacapoa.org • info@bacapoa.org

ADVERTISE

Audience ON OUR WEBSITE

719-256-4956 ADS@CRESTONEEAGLE.COM

CALL FOR TELLERS For the 7 p.m. October 13th, 2023 Annual General Meeting, Board of Directors Election Any Member in Good Standing may apply. The Tellers process the election material which requires careful attention to the election process and detail.

Application must be received by Sept 6th , 2023. To apply please call or email the office at 719-256-4171 & info@bacapoa.org.

P.O. Box 237 • Crestone, CO 81131

Shop Locally!

Money spent in Saguache County stays in Saguache County!

Our Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30-5:30 Sat 9:00 -5:00 Sun 11:00-4:00 (June) Solution to puzzle on p.23

Page B-22 • The Crestone Eagle • August, 2023

New Classifieds online daily. Check www.crestoneeagle.org!

Classifieds Buy - Sell - Rent Promote your services & more!

Print classifieds: • Appear in the paper and on our website • Run the entire calendar month, • Must be submitted and paid for by the 20th of the month prior to print Online classifieds: • Appear on our website until the end of the month of submission • Are generally posted on Mondays & Tuesdays (except Holidays).

Advance payment is required for all classifieds.

To submit your classified: Include a unique title & description, and email: Classifieds@CrestoneEagle.com

crestoneeagle.org

TOWN OF CRESTONE NOTICE OF BUDGET AND PUBLIC HEARING Notice is hereby given that a proposed supplemental budget has been submitted to the Board of Trustees of the Town of Crestone for the year 2023, and will be reviewed and considered for final adoption at a Public Hearing to be held both in person at the Alder Meeting room (located at 111 S. Alder St. in Crestone, Colorado) and virtually via Zoom on Monday, August 21, 2021, at 2:00 p.m.

A copy of said proposed budget will be available for public inspection in the Town Hall (located at 108 W. Galena Ave. in Crestone, Colorado) beginning Monday, July 7, 2023. Any interested elector of the Town of Crestone may file with the Town Clerk any objections or other comments regarding the proposed budget, in writing, at any time prior to the final adoption of the budget.

Houses and Property for Sale Public Notices NOTICE OF BOARD VACANCY It is with sadness that we announce that Trustee Daya Scheide has resigned from the Town Board effective August 1st, 2023. In accordance with CRS 1-12-207, the board must appoint a replacement

by September 29, 2023. This individual will serve as a trustee until the next regular election in April 2023. To be considered as a candidate you must be eighteen years or older, a registered voter in the Town of Crestone, and have maintained residency for at least one year. If you are interested in serving the community on the Town Board please submit a letter of intent explaining why you feel you would be a good fit. Letters of intent can be submitted in person at Crestone Town Hall or by emailing crestonetownoffice@gmail.com. For more information contact Interim Town Administrator Scott Ehresman at 719-256-4313.

.6 Acres For Sale Lot 3213 Enchanted Ct. Crestone, CO. 81131 / Chalet# 2. Just off the paved road. Temple view, sits on the largest greenbelt in the Baca, 13 min.

(6.6 miles) drive to town, beautiful mountain views, beautiful San Luis valley views, just west of Vidya temple (walking distance). 0.6 acres. Tap fee’s already paid. $25,500. Contact me at 928-536-5413.

Ready to build on private lots in Chalet 1 Two private lots in Chalet one. One has a 1/2 house on it ready to be finished.

Plans approved for a stick built yurt.

Utilities, foundation, driveway, are in and the tap fee is paid on the second lot. 212 and 213(house)Baca Grant Way. Owner will carry with 25% down.

520-297-1438.

Houses for Rent Charming, Furn. 1BR/BA Vaca Apt 1BR/BA, lovely vaca apt., Lower unit, Dedicated Office, pet friendly, Meadow-like landscaping, water

feature, Madamebwolfe.wixsite.com/ rentals for pics and pricing 505-7280244. Nightly, weekly or monthly.

Secluded and Lovely.

Stunning Un-furnished 4BR/3BA Home 2300 sf Tri-level home features fenced grounds, oversized 1 car attached garage, 900 sf basement, 4 porches (w/one screened in), set off paved road near town, 3 min. walk to yearround creek, gas fireplace, W/D. The 3rd level has living room, porch with views, full bath and 2 large bedrooms.

The 2nd level is exclusive for HUGE master BR (w/ensuite bath, 3 closets, bamboo flooring).

Pet friendly.

Year lease, see pricing details/pics: madamebwolfe.wixsite.com/rentals 505-728-0244 1 BR Walk to Town / Baca Park $1600 1 BR new flooring, new kitchen, cathedral ceilings, skylights, deck, walk to town, W/D, Full bath. 1st/ last/ security. Text 808-283-3788.

Long & Short Term Rentals Houses, Rooms, Yurts available. Monthly starting at $500. Call Electrum 719-5882114 www.shambalaecovillage.com

Apartments/Rooms for Rent Apartment in Home for Rent Rent for $900, utilities included.

Quiet, peaceful home in Baca on wooded land, close to town. Private entrance, kitchenette, large space.

Pets negotiable. Available August 1st on a monthly lease. Please respond to 719-504-2723 Day Space Rental Available (719) 800-0952

Services Bookkeeping I offer monthly bookkeeping services, payroll, and consulting.

Crestone Accounting. Call or email Emily Donaldson 202-577-8462 emilyofthebooks@gmail.com

Computer Services/Repairs Computer Services/Repairs-PC consultant/technician since 1985 with a full shop in the Baca. VIRUS fixes and prevention, hard drive data recovery, networking. Call Dennis 719-256-4110

Help Wanted CCS Positions for Fall The Crestone Charter School has openings, part- to fulltime, for licensed school counselor or social worker, classroom aides, HS mentors, Special Ed Paraprofessionals/ interventionists (no license needed, OJT, experience with school-age children valued), substitutes, and food service.

Please explore crestone-charterschool.org/employment. Hourly: starting at $16-18 with flexible hours, great environment, and growth opportunities. Explore your future with us! Volunteer opportunities abound, too; come make a difference!

Yard Sale Storage Unit Sale Saturday August 19th. Storage unit #9, behind the liquor store.Home decor, clothing, etc. Many nice items!

Misc. for Sale Insulated Concrete Forms for sale Large truck and trailer load of ICF’s, and wooden forms, for sale. $2500. In the Baca. Call or text to see in person. 719-480-3257 Used Appliances Used refrigerators / Washers / Dryers. Call 719-298-1026

Free Free Manure Free horse manure. Call the Baca Grande Stables to arrange pick up.

719-256-6200

Moffat Consolidated School District #2 open positions for the 2023-2024 school year: MS/High School Science Teacher High School Math 6th/7th Grade MS Teacher For complete job descriptions and requirements or, to complete an application for one of these positions, please visit www.moffatschools.org or call the school at 719-745-0500.

November 30, 2023

MCSD #2 is an equal opportunity employer.

SAGUACHE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION HELP WANTED MAINTENANCE TECH

Moffat Consolidated School District Hiring Moffat Consolidated School District #2 is currently looking to hire a full time employee as a Paraprofessional in our Pre School Classroom. This would be a full time position with the hours of 7:45am to 4:15pm Monday through Thursday.

Please go to moffatschools.org and select employment opportunities and complete a non-certified application. You may call 719-745-0500 Ext. 102 to request an application or come by the school at 501 Garfield Avenue, Moffat, Colorado 81143 and pick one up.

MCSD #2 is an equal opportunity employer.

Experienced individual needed for maintenance services with responsibility for maintenance or Saguache County facilities. This is a Full-time position working 32 to 40 hours a week, with variable hours which include evening and/or early morning work times. Starting salary will be $16.05/hr. In addition to the increased hourly rate, the County Employee benefit package includes: vision, dental and health insurance coverage, paid time off, and a generous 401k retirement plan.

To view the job description and an application they are available at Saguache County Administration office 505 3rd Street, Saguache or printable at www.saguachecounty.colorado.gov. Call 719-655-2231 for more information.

Position opened until filled.

Saguache County is an EEO employer. Valid Driver’s License, Drug testing which includes marijuana, and a background check will be required also a physical exam may be required for final applicants.

The Crestone Eagle • August, 2023 • Page B-23

THEME: On the Road

Answers to crossword puzzle are on page B-21.

ACROSS 1. More down in the dumps 6. Will Ferrell’s 2003 Christmas character 9. Century Gothic, e.g.

13. Twisted cotton thread 14. Greek “t” 15. Biblical mount 16. Dessert sandwiches 17. Barley bristle 18. Pungent edible bulb 19. *Shared ride 21. *Yellow Brick Road traveller 23. Member of the Benevolent Order 24. Sword handle 25. The little one “stops to tie his shoe” 28. AI “fodder” 30. *Gas station option 35. Thailand money 37. Phone cam images 39. Fill with happy spirit 40. Bora ____ 41. Vexed 43. Uncontrolled swerve 44. Middle Eastern V.I.P.s 46. Genesis twin 47. “The Odyssey,” e.g.

48. Hooray!

50. Speaking platform 52. Campfire residue 53. What sailors are to captain 55. Lawyers’ org.

57. *Jack of “On the Road” fame 61. *Refreshment break 65. Live sign for radio, 2 words 66. Shakespearean “fuss” 68. Bar order, with “the” 69. Ownership document 70. Mitt Romney’s title, abbr.

71. Christmas Eve visitor 72. Keats’ works, e.g.

73. *Major road, abbr.

74. *Certain number of cylinders

DOWN 1. Cold War’s Warsaw Pact, e.g.

2. Turkish money 3. One on drugs 4. Run off to Vegas?

5. Sold on eBay, usually 6. Short for “and elsewhere” 7. Hammurabi’s code, e.g.

8. Plural of fundus 9. Porto____, Italy 10. Got this!

11. Sodium hydroxide 12. Like Tim of “A Christmas Carol” 15. Foray 20. Giraffe’s striped-legged cousin 22. Like one of the Testaments 24. Fine-toothed metal cutter 25. *Famous road from Beatles crossing 26. Actress Watts 27. Minute parasite 29. *Spare one 31. “If all ____ fails” 32. Sarpa ____, coral reef fish 33. Tiny purses 34. Olden day phlebotomy instrument 36. Waterproof canvas 38. Clothing line 42. UAE’s most populous city 45. Close the fastener, e.g.

49. Epoch 51. Between 90 and 180 degrees 54. E-wallet’s content 56. Very, in music 57. Japanese zither 58. Author Bagnold 59. Goes with interest 60. Great masters’ medium, pl.

61. *Hoofed “express” traveler 62. “The Summer I Turned Pretty” actress Lola ____ 63. Solemn promise 64. Surveyor’s map 67. Morning drops

Page B-24 • The Crestone Eagle • August, 2023

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