At last, just before 2010 comes to a close, some reflections, aspirations and foremost many heartfelt Thank You’s to the amazing interns and wwoofers (“willing workers on organic farms”) who generously gave of themselves and of their energy to Cabot Shores over the past eight months.
Interns, Wwoofers, an Artist- and a Healing Artist-in-Residence worked and lived with us from 2 days to 2 months and more. Some of the highlight projects they participated in include:
* Assisting in setting up and managing the first Internship program at Cabot Shores
* Bringing an artist’s eye (and touch) to the interior of Cabot Shores and nourishing us with her colors as well as teaching us how to properly shell and eat a lobster
* Preparing Dolly’s House (our staff house) for other interns to come (carpentry, painting, cleaning)
* Setting up our yurt and tipi for the season
* Building a raised bed that was home to 75 tomato plants
* Transplanting the tomato and basil seedlings and protecting them from winds, downpours, and cold
* Harvesting seaweed to mulch the new tomato bed as well as the other vegetable garden
* Building a platform that held Paul and Barbara’s tent – their home for the summer
* Creating a new rock garden and building a set of stone stairs
* Helping to install our first solar hot water system
* Participating in a sweat lodge on one of the Mi Kmaq reserves and at the Wabanaki Festival at Cabot Shores
* Documenting guest and staff adventures, creating videos and slide shows for the Cabot Shores website/blog
* Managing the kitchen and cooking for staff
* Getting up early to participate in regular morning staff meetings
* Baking some amazing breads, including sourdough bread with a starter brought here from Italy
* Keeping the home-made granola coming and transmitting its recipe, as well as other recipes to future wwoofers and interns
* Watering and weeding the gardens amid black flies that just wouldn’t let up
* Jumping in to do housekeeping on the housekeeper’s day off
* Serving and caring for guests who were delighted by the high level helpfulness and good cheer of our staff
* Setting up and providing services for the first Healing Arts Intensive at Cabot Shores
* Helping us get through Hurricane Earl and its aftermath
* Cleaning and staining the four chalets and painting the Breton Cove farmhouse
* Researching other possible renewable energy projects for Cabot Shores and finding out about solar hot air heaters that are now being installed
* Participating in Qi Gong, acupuncture and in meditation sessions
* Helping us to lighten up and regard what we do here as some type of theater
* Harvesting, sorting, and processing the enormous tomato harvest, including making and freezing tomatosauce, green tomato chili and green tomato chutney
* Participating in mushroom hunting expeditions
* Building shelves and creating a new front desk in the Great Room of Whiff’s Lodge
* Visiting Gampo Abbey
* Clearing the Indian Brook Waterfall trail
* Kayaking on Cabot Shore’s Church pond at sunset
* Learning to Yolo-board on Church Pond…
…All the while bringing their abundant willingness, curiosity, talent, cheerfulness, can-do attitude and sense of humor to everything they did. We are very grateful to you! Consider coming back in 2011 and let your friends know about this opportunity.
Please comment below on your experiences as interns and wwoofers…
Guests & guides: tell us about your time with Cabot Shores interns or wwoofers. Stories and pictures are forthcoming.
Let us hear from you here!…With gratitude, Barbara & Dr. Paul