Memphis Democrat
April 13, 2009

This is Alline bringing you greetings from Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, where the mud is plentiful, the gardeners are optimistic, and fresh asparagus is anticipated with drooling and hollandaise.

This week was much like any other here at Dancing Rabbit – never boring, and never the same. Tamar usually leads a yoga session three mornings a week at the yawn-inducing hour of 6:30 a.m. But she is currently out of town, so in her stead Sara and Alyssa have been presenting an exercise program. Alternating between belly dancing and aerobics CDs on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and joined by Maikwe and Liat, we achieved a modicum of fitness and a maximum of laughter. I feel grateful that there are no mirrors in the Community Building, and that “what happens in the Community Building, stays in the Community Building.”

Tuesday brought the weekly meeting of the group organizing Farmer’s Markets in both Rutledge and Memphis this summer. Fresh food devotees from Rutledge, Memphis and Gorin are working hard to make this exciting dream into reality. Watch the Memphis Democrat and this column for an official announcement very soon.

Maikwe symbolically and literally broke ground on the site of her new home by transplanting a rose bush, the first of what we hope will be a lush and beautiful garden. A huge semi arrived with a shared order of polycarbonate panels for four future greenhouses – Jan, the Carletons, Liat, and Ted & Sara have many seedlings in their futures. Zane was especially thrilled to see the huge truck, as he is a fan of trucks of any kind. When he is not watching trucks or reading about trucks, Zane spends time with Tom and Tereza watching “Bird TV.” Between gorging themselves (whoever coined the phrase “eat like a bird” is obviously unclear on the concept) the numerous feeders and building (and tearing out) nests, it is one big bird frenzy around here.

On Friday, after a night of torrential rain, our phones and Internet were not working. It was pretty amusing watching all the lost souls wandering around. Once again we were reminded of how much we enjoy and depend upon the Internet and telephone for communication and information. On a positive note, a lot more visiting took place as we compared notes on just how long each of us thought it would last.

Saturday was the monthly Dog and Gun Flea Market, located just seven miles from Dancing Rabbit. A mix between a flea market, antique fair, junkyard and fried food festival, there truly is something for everyone. Maikwe came home with tools galore for her upcoming building project. Jeff got a tarp to cover his tent: made of some mysterious recycled signage material, it was clearly much bigger in its previous life. Now, however, it just says “OUR DEL” in bright orange and white. Kurt and I see it from our upstairs window and ponder what secret messages Jeff is sending us. I didn’t see what Ziggy or Liat brought home, but Dan and Mary Beth purchased some festive glassware at bargain prices. I found some lovely stainless steel water pitchers for the soon-to-open Milkweed Mercantile, and Meadow and Jennifer each brought home a bathtub. Yep. One a piece. Like I said, there is always something for everyone!

Saturday was also our first public tour of the season. We were delighted to have 30 folks come for the tour, and were happy that the sun was shining for their visit. Our next tour will be Saturday, April 25th, at 1:00 p.m.

Sunday brought a plethora of holiday traditions, all happily coexisting. In the morning the Carleton’s brought their world-famous “bunny buns” (the face and ears of a bunny crafted out of yeasty dough, frosted and decorated with currant eyes) to share during our Week In Preview meeting. In the afternoon I saw several Easter baskets in the hands of smiling, sugar-amped children around the village, and a few kids racing around in an Easter Egg hunt. And in the evening, there was a gathering of Rabbits and friends for Passover Seder, an occasion for praise and thanksgiving and for re-dedication to the idea of liberation.

We are looking forward to our first visitor period of the season, and to welcoming guests who will be staying for 1-3 weeks. Our list of activies continues to fill, and our visitor team is hard at work getting it all organized.

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