Memphis Democrat
January 26, 2009

Cob here, welcoming you to another week at Dancing Rabbit! A couple weeks ago we asked what YOU have been reading besides seed catalogs, and have received some very interesting additions to our collective book piles.

Berry C. in Columbia recommends "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. Betty says "I chose it because I have been to Guernsey Island and also read a book about the occupation of Guernsey by the Nazis during the second world war. A good read!" Devon reports that she couldn't resist answering, "especially after the high I got from reading this week's newsletter: validation of my Green Dream! The books that have most recently thrilled me (are) "Before the Dawn--Recovering the Lost History of Our Ancestors" by Nicholas Wade, and "The Wild Trees" by Richard Preston. My best wishes for joy through reading." Sande W. is herself a writer, and pointed us to her online review forum at http://pub2.bravenet.com/forum/164111001 where she lists the last 200 books she has read and her reflections upon them.

Stuart M. is currently reading "Hot, Flat and Crowded" by Thomas L. Friedman. Says Stuart, "He makes a good case for using technology to make our energy use more efficient. He believes increasing energy efficiency plus developing renewable energies can help Americans find a new direction for economic growth, now that real estate/finance-based economic growth has stalled. Somewhere I heard this belief called "Plan B", where "Plan A" would be keep doing the same as we have been. I am not convinced that there is a technological fix for our predicament. Certainly increasing energy efficiency is needed and worthwhile, but Japan and Germany have significantly gone down that road and diminishing marginal returns are setting in. China and India are itching to soak up any energy freed up by efficiency gains elsewhere."

He continues, "Someone pointed me to a homepage (maybe it was a Dancing Rabbit newsletter writer) which advocated a "Plan C", the gradual devolution of our economy back to a low energy using, labor intensive economy much like we had maybe 150 years ago. Peak Oil and Peak Everything may have already set in, making globalization a failed economic model and reinstating the local region as the most important economic entity. Regional self-sufficiency will once again be vital to a population's survival. The unspoken truth is that "Plan B" cannot support the world's increasingly urbanized population at the level it has grown to (much less the level it is projected to grow to in the future). That is why I watch the Dancing Rabbit community so closely. I wish you and Red Earth Farms and Sandhill Farms success in building a self-supporting community/region."

Bron reports that she is "reading Ken Wilbur's "A Brief History Of Everything" for an overview of personal and species evolution. It seems to combine bioenergetics with psychology with other spiritual concepts. I think it makes a lot of sense... sense in an insensible time." Bron also says "I refer often to Debra Lynn Dadd's "Nontoxic, Natural and Earthwise" for easy cleaning formulas, construction ideas and products to make and buy, and fast ways to go natural."

Bron also says "I cook with "Nourishing Traditions Cookbook" by Sally Fallon, which also has articles about the latest nutritional studies and articles about the long-lived people that the recipes were acquired from. Two books in one with lots of nifty info. Another of my fav's is "Patient Heal Thyself" by Jordan Rubin. You can look up your health issue and learn how to heal it, naturally. Medicines aren't bad, they're good for starting a healing process. But, why stop there, when you can finish the job?"

Thank you to all our readers for your books, comments, and insights. Your letters and emails make for lovely reading at our weekly meetings, but we also want to send a great big shout out to you to tell you that we appreciate your energizing interest in the Dancing Rabbit project and that you are truly helping us to make a difference in the world.

In local rabbit news, last weeks wild temperature swings ignited some serious cabin-fever which a few hardy souls quenched with a quick dip in the pond. Of course they had to chop a hole through the inches thick ice first. I figure at least five folks took the plunge, based on the number of "wooooo whooo's!" that I heard echoing through the trees. Caution readers...DO NOT try this at home! The polar-rabbits all reported that it "wasn't THAT bad" and that walking barefoot across the ice was the worst part. Apparently standing dripping wet in 55 degree sunshine is a tropical experience. Betcha your winter doesn't feel quite so cold now. The returning arctic lows have put an end to this particular craziness at least temporarily, and the hole has safely frozen over once again. Ice fishing anyone?

More Rabbits have returned home from winter holiday travels and the the sense of being on break is fading fast as our numbers return to normal and we've begun to hold decision-making meetings once again. We're also working behind the scenes preparing for our annual retreat in February, where we get to play with budgets, goals, priorities, and tables full of yummy snacks. More people at home also means more fun gatherings as game groups, song circles, and other klatches reinvigorate the social scene. You just can't beat a deep-winter game of candlelight scrabble!

Momentum is also gathering for a seed-order-sharing evening where we'll coordinate seed orders for lower shipping cost and impact, reduce overlap in our gardens, share saved seed, and upgrade to larger seed packets for financial savings. Our personal order last year was for 76 different seeds, and we don't even have the largest garden! This should be an interesting (if potentially confusing) party!

Finally, for those of you who have been asking for more information about our personal likes and interests, here are a few rabbit blog links as well as interesting Facebook groups that have come to my attention recently:

Blogs
Thistledown Pub: Cob's Experiments in Homebrewing
Alline's Ecovillage Musings
The Milkweed Mercantile
A Passion for Green Business
Ziggy's contributions to Green Building

Facebook Groups and Causes
Dancing Rabbit Ecolytes
The Altai Project
Eat the View: Our National Organic Garden at the White House
Missouri River Relief
Organic/Sustainable Living

What groups and causes do you believe in? Share them with us!

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