Memphis Democrat
August 13, 2007

Rachel here, reporting on an unbearably hot week at Dancing Rabbit. We've been spending lots of time in the pond and otherwise trying to stay cool. I went up to Lake Show Me to kayak with a friend and was impressed by how the breeze off the lake made the temperature quite pleasant, considering the thermometer in town showed 100 degrees. I ended up staying in Memphis straight through to my University Extension Council meeting that evening. I passed much of the afternoon talking and playing games with Lorraine Kapfer in the direct path of a fan, which was quite enjoyable.

We had a lot of people around to experience the dramatic thunderstorms and sweltering humidity. Besides the dozen people who came as part of our visitor program, we had lots of friends and family around. Brian's parents and grandfather drove in from New Jersey. Four of Bear's friends from college (and a baby!) visited for the weekend. And I was glad to see my friend Denis, a filmmaker who is considering using Dancing Rabbit as a location in his next film.

We were also glad to welcome back the three Johnson kids from their visit to their father in Oklahoma. They seem to be getting along great with the Carleton kids, and as far as I can tell there's always a pack of kids running around, in a blur of bicycles and water balloons.

But we were also sad to say goodbye to both Claire and Suzanne. Both left with promises to return, at least to visit, and they can't visit soon enough for our tastes. Amanda and Rory will also be leaving us soon, as well. To send them off properly, we had one last evening Ultimate frisbee game.

During the last year or two, we have seen many memorable events in the lives of our residents and they continue to happen frequently. This week Toby and Michelle got married in a simple ceremony in the courthouse in Memphis. Watch for imminent announcements of several births this fall.

One thing all this sun is good for is making electricity. There have been plenty of tomatoes in electric dehydrators, as well as the solar dehydrators, because our solar panels were making more electricity than we could use. It was also good weather for hunkering down in the relative cool of common house all afternoon and screening t-shirts with the Dancing Rabbit logo on them. The shirts need to be cured in the sun and then ironed, which the sun nicely allowed us to do.

The gardens have been producing tons of vegetables. In my eating co-op, every night the cooks need to ask themselves, what can I make with squash? I feel like I have been living on tomatoes, sweet corn and summer squash. I can't really complain. It's all fresh and delicious. I hope you are having a plentiful harvest, too.

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