This Land

Out of the women's movement of the 1980's
and 90's emerged small groups of women who purchased land
together, usually in the country, sometimes in the
wilderness. This Land, with its blend of fiction, memoir,
poetry and essay, describes and reflects upon one such
venture: eight women who bought 50 acres of Adirondack
forestland in which they camped and built shelters, then
more abiding homes. From diverse backgrounds they shared
the American dream of "a place for us," a place where they
could find both sanctuary and adventure, solidarity and
solitude, change and support. These survivors of 60's and
70's ferment and activism anticipated the challenges of
group living, but coming from cities, they had no idea how
much they would be changed by their encounters with the
nature which surrounded them--its storms and vistas, animal
visits, tree energies, and powers of water, fire, stars,
lightning. For each of the eight women these meetings with
natural others provided discoveries which helped them chart
the whole of their lives, while guiding them toward paths of
environmental guardianship. This is a story about how place
shapes friendship and friendship informs place.