My view of the New River from my treehouse retreat. The river runs clean and clear until the rain comes and pushes silt into it, making it brown and muddy.
My hosts and creators of the Riverview Treehouse. Most of the images in this post are panoramic except for this picture.
Watching the sun sparkle on the river and listening to bird songs over the gentle sound of the river flowing by is mesmerizing. Transitioning to a new place and reconnecting with old friends takes time. I've been here a week; there's so much to share. I love it here in my Riverview Treehouse.
When I arrived at my friend Mike's house, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that his Anna was an Anna I already knew. They got together years ago after I left Beaufort, and we spent much time catching up.
The entrance to my friend’s Mike and Anna's Riverview Treehouse. There's a porch on either side of the house; both are private with river views.
Reading more of the "Power of Fun" by Catherine Price. I learned a new word/concept: ikigai (ick-key-GUY). The term blends two words, "iki" meaning "to live" and "gai" meaning "reason," which translates to "a reason to live." "In ikigai, busyness refers to the happiness of always being engaged and present in something–or with someone–you care about." It's like your whole life is in flow. When I read this, my next thought was, "This is what Mike and Anna have."
Before I arrived, Mike wrote in a text, "I find myself in the most northwestern county in North Carolina, and I'm beginning to think I am in heaven. I love not only where I live but also the community that I am trying to become more involved in. That is the art community up here. I was away from any kind of art for so long, and I find that I'm accepted, and I'm beginning to get back into pottery and woodworking, which is kind of an offshoot of my doing carpentry work for most of my life."
In this image, you can see that I have a small dining table for two (I keep the chairs folded up). The kitchen has a fridge with a freezer and a boat-sized sink. and counter space for food prep. I do most of my cooking, so I prep everything first and move it to the left side of the sink. I can choose from an induction cooktop, an air fryer, or a microwave to cook. They're stored in the cabinet below. This section of the house is 10' x 12', not much bigger than the 10' x 10' booths you see at craft fairs. To take this picture I am standing against the wall between the table and the TV.
In my short time here, I see and feel their lives in flow. Another definition of ikigai is the convergence of four primary elements: what you love (your passion), what the world needs (your mission), what you are good at (your vocation), and what you get paid for (your profession). Mike's passion is pottery and woodworking; his mission is to help the Lost Province Center of Cultural Arts out of its infancy into a thriving cultural center that serves the community. His vocation is carpentry, and while his profession was also his vocation, he is now retired.
As the studio technician at Lost Province, Mike can easily switch between passion and service. As a giving member of the community, they, in turn, give back with flexibility, allowing him the time to do carpentry on his home and hosting duties. A life in flow.
The bathroom is separate structure, sitting an inch from the main section. The finishing touches have yet to be done, but everything you need functions. Before I arrived, I was curious about how the composting toilet would work and how much care it would require. The care is feeding it microbes and turning its contents just like your garden compost (there’s a built in handle).
