Memphis Democrat
May 26, 2009

Greetings from Dancing Rabbit! This is Alline with this week’s report.

Trying to encapsulate a week in the lives of 40+ people, convey the social implications and cultural references, and still have it be fun to read is sometimes challenging. Frankly, some weeks are just not that interesting. Sometimes, life just proceeds day by day, with little blips of happiness and a bump or two of sadness. Life here at Dancing Rabbit is probably very similar to the life you are living, only with solar panels, a passion for vegetable gardens and recently, 1970’s-era facial hair.

Energetic gardening continues, and seedlings that have been carefully nurtured are being transplanted into the great big earth. It is difficult not to anthropomorphize the tiny, vulnerable plants as they are placed into the garden soil. “Good luck, little tomato!” I think as I tuck dirt carefully but firmly around the tiny root ball. I know that Alyssa feels the same about the plants in the Sunflower garden – she and Zane spend a lot of time there, tending (Alyssa), watering (Zane, one cup at a time, toddling back and forth across the garden), and playing with dump trucks (that, too, would be Zane). Tamar brought by a bowl of her freshly-harvested salad greens; they were beautiful and delicious. Dan and Mary Beth have chicks in their garden, and many of us find an excuse to drop by often to ooh, ahh and giggle at their (the chicks’, not Dan and Mary Beth’s) antics. The Skyhouse garden has many new, very cool architectural structures which will support future beans and peas. Meadow added the finishing Cinderella touches which transformed an old fiberglass dish (about 4 feet in diameter) into a mini-pond with a solar-powered fountain in Osage Gardens . Meadow and Cob have also almost completed a grapevine-covered gazebo of sorts, under which to sit and gaze at all of their berries growing happily in the sun.

Ultimate Frisbee happens several times a week, much to the joy of all who play. There is a weekly modern dance session, and yoga six times a week. The kids, and many adults, are already taking regular dips in the swimming ponds. Those participating in “mesa de espanol,” where Rabbits practice speaking Spanish, have benefited greatly from work exchanger Horacio, who graciously shares his native language with those of us who mangle it. Weekly Song Circle , where we share songs and chants (a capella) continues to buoy our spirits.

This week we welcomed Brandon as an official new Resident. Thomas, Ali, Dan D. and MaryBeth went to a music festival but returned home without seeing headliner Willy Nelson. We were delighted to welcome Juan’s mom, Dan’s parents and Sara-from-St. Louis for visits. The doors that Kurt purchased over a year ago from an about-to-be-demolished house were installed in the Milkweed Mercantile, and look gorgeous. Jennifer’s addition is rising from the foundation like a mighty Phoenix (without the fire, of course), and the forms for Maikwe’s foundation are assembled. The sod on Ziggy’s roof is beginning to green up, and the first batches of robins have fledged – we see these scraggly babies chasing their mothers mercilessly, begging for just one more worm.

About that 70’s facial hair – some of the guys (egged on by Nathan) felt inspired to turn their traditional Vandykes and goatees into mustaches and sideburns more appropriate for the disco era, just in time for the arrival of a new batch of visitors. Having lived through the 70’s once already, I find this all a bit disorienting, and fervently hope that the next step is not polyester disco shirts and a Bee Gees revival. They all promise that their faces will return to normal soon. I’ll keep you posted.

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