There is so much energy and vibrancy in the air, and with these long days stretching before us, there is an atmosphere of greater potential and accomplishment than we’ve felt in a while. Being able to garden or engage in activities outside, without the aid of a flashlight at 9 pm, is a foreign and welcome feeling, especially after the uncharacteristic inundation of so many weeks of rain, rain, rain.
Julie here with this week’s article.
We have seen a significant influx of seasonal workers here, seemingly overnight, and as the result, fresh energy and inspiration abounds. I am particularly fond of Teresa Watson, who has initiated many creative activities, not the least of which being a Harry Potter movie night, complete with butterbeer and cauldron cakes (both of which had been fictional prior to her arrival). Graham, a visitor from our first visitor session, returned to work exchange this week, after surviving much of the aforementioned rain. Being at the end of the second visitor session, we have two more applicants for residency, Mike from Austin, Texas, and Curtis from Kirksville, Missouri. Despite my busy days, I feel my metaphorical arms stretching into a warm welcome to them both. I sense that in a lot of ways, incorporating new people into our lives allows us to cycle back inspiration that otherwise may go unrealized. It is the new members, after all, that remind us that the work we’re doing is significant and pioneering. It is affirming that our attempts to live a sustainable life is adequate achievement to inspire people to sell their homes, and relocate their lives to rural northeast Missouri to pursue a life with as little negative impact on the planet as possible. Otherwise, we might get lost in the day-to-day routine of simply living out our values without the reminder that what we’re doing here is unique and noteworthy.
Frank Cicela and his wife Teresa, along with their two daughters, have been intimately involved with Dancing Rabbit for over a decade, volunteering time and energy to our cause all the while. This past Saturday, we had a special surprise “Appreciation” party for Frank. I’ve heard people say that he is, by far, the most giving and generous person they have ever met. Too often, kind and gentle souls such as these don’t get the recognition they deserve, because they do it as the result of following their higher conscience, and are not motivated by the hope to gain favor or validation. Our appreciation for all that Frank has done is present in every imaginable form, from fabricating wood stoves to keep our houses warm, to gifting us work-exchangers that help make the work we do here possible. The love we have for him could only be expressed in a surprise party that celebrated the very essence of what makes him who he is. We wouldn’t be where we are today without him, and we can only hope that we have benefited him in an equally significant and lasting way. We love you, Frank!
Oh, and did I mention that strawberries are ripening? Early mornings are treated with sweet and perfectly ripe strawberries whose plants I have been tending since last year. Difficult as it was, I pinched off the flowers for the first year, to allow for the plant’s energy to be invested into growing runners with leaf cover. I’ve been dutifully mulching, watering, weeding, row-covering, and de-bugging for a full year, and am finally getting rewarded for my labors with sweet fruit that scarcely makes it into the house before being consumed with a joy beyond what I was expecting. Here’s to hoping for a fruitful year to all of you who are investing love and care into your gardens, with consistent dedication and patient anticipation. Happiness exists in that moment when it all pays off, and that moment beings now.
Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage is an intentional community of more than 70 people in Rutledge, northeast Missouri, practicing ecologically sustainable living. We offer a free tour to the public on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month from April-October, with June 22nd being our next tour date. The tour begins at 1:00 pm and generally lasts one and a half to two hours. You do not need to make a reservation for regularly scheduled Saturday tours. For more information you can visit our website www.dancingrabbit.org, read our blog The March Hare at blog.dancingrabbit.org, or give us a call at(660) 883-5511.
There’re still Visitor Program spots available for this season. If you’re interested in spending one to three weeks learning all about us and our project and making friends from around the country who share your passion for wholesome living, write to dancingrabbit@ic.org for information about the Visitor Program.