Memphis Democrat
April 25, 2002

Its been a heavy work week. Folks have started lime plastering Skyhouse. They aren't just plastering the straw bales. They are wrapping burlap around the wood, so that the plaster has something to grab on to there too. Skyhouse is a big building, so everyone will have plenty of opportunity try their hand at plastering.

Don and Bob have been transplanting seedlings like crazy. Nearly everybody with a garden has been seen planting, mulching, and digging in the warm sunny weather. We received our almost 200 trees from the state nursery and have been putting those in the ground, too.

A big crew of us went over to Lorraine Kapfer's place to take apart a large shed that had been blown down in an early spring storm. All of the wood that we use has to be reused or locally and sustainably harvested. Taking down local buildings with quality wood is a mutually beneficial project.

With all the new people around, Alyson decided to give a bread baking workshop to expand the pool of bakers. We all enjoyed the result of the lesson. There were also beautiful new voices to join in when Jeffrey led a group in singing madrigals. And the soccer game had plenty of participants.

Alyosha is visiting this week. He is a friend of Alyson's who used to live at Twin Oaks Community in Virginia, and is visiting communities around the country looking for a new home.

Tamar's mother Eva visited for a few days from Massachusetts. We enjoyed getting to meet her. And she came just in time for Tamar's pizza party with her fiddle student Abbie Clatt, to celebrate Abbie finishing her fiddle notebook.

Jeffrey and Cecil went down to Jefferson City for the weekend for a bridge tournament. I bet they learned a few new tricks.

Tamar helped us celebrate Megan's birthday by making a bunch of chocolate tofu cream pies. It tastes better than it sounds, believe me!

We had a packed tour on Saturday. Thirty students from Truman State's Social Psychology class joined us, as well as a lovely family from Quincy, IL. Saturday tours season is in full swing. So just call us and then come by Saturdays at 1pm.

Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage is a nonprofit and a residential community that demonstrates ecological sustainability in Rutledge, MO. Please call first

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