Friday, May 29, 2009

My Boring Night at Home- from Stacy


Just another boring night at home. Jef and I sat down for dinner under the cropped sequoia, ready to bicycle to the Last Thursday Art Walk when we were finished eating. Ken walked by and we invited him to join us for dinner. He accepted, and raced off to pick raw asparagus in front of the farmhouse. I love “A” meals – asparagus and artichokes! It was fun recounting some of our youthful antics to Ken, who is receptively interested in life. What a gift!

 

              The three of us watched Dennis and Rowan walking in lock step through the parking lot, a father and son duo, with Anne lagging behind. Moments later Rowan and Garth were carrying a long red couch back our way, and trying to maneuver it through the laundry room door. They ultimately had to step through the herb bed I’ve been working on, with Dennis directing and me shouting, “Watch out! Not there! Oh no!” (just to taunt them.)

 

              Rowan started balancing on a parking curb with Dennis spotting. Suzanne balanced on the next curb. Marlene joined in. Garth grabbed Suzanne around her waist and twirled her around. The two of them giggled. Garth and Suzanne formed a chair with their arms and carried Queen Marlene off to bed.

 

              Then Linda and Larry got home, carting plants from their old home to their new, their patio and frontage a blooming mass of foliage. Linda and I caught up about our stairwell garden plot and our bounty of tomato plants. Larry told me where more lettuce could be planted. He assured me my end-of-the-workday-exhaustion “was just part of getting old.” Linda said, “It was the-end-of-the-school-year-zoo.” Jef and I cleared the dishes and decided not to bicycle to Alberta Street.

 

              I took out the compost, running into Dennis again. We went to check on the baby chicks in the storage building and I couldn’t believe how much they had grown since Monday! Today one of the chicks flew up onto the top edge of their nesting box. Larry and Joe got worried they’d get lost in the storage building, so Larry scavenged around the chicken coop in search of wire mesh and jerry-rigged a covering for the eight foot long box. Dennis and I agreed it was valiant of Larry to protect the chicks, but Dennis wasn’t sure it was necessary, because chickens are “flock” animals and like to stay together. I thought it might be good for their wing and body strength to fly around. I envisioned our chickens bending their knees up and down, lifting weights.

 

              I ran into Peg on my way back to my condo She said I looked sparkly with my glittery shirt and hair wreath. Peg’s such a sparkly gal herself! Jef was editing photos on his computer,

so I put together a get well card and care package for Jon’s friend Inga, who had hip replacement surgery on Tuesday. I left the package on Jon’s patio and thought how warm and inviting his patio looks, just like Jon himself. As I inventoried the clutter on Jef’s and my patio, I vowed to improve our feng shui this weekend. Just another boring night at home. Who needs television when you live in an ecovillage.


Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Dayenu- from Stacy



During the traditional Passover Seder Jews around the world say "Dayenu" which means "It would have been sufficient." As I reflect upon our Parking Lot Sale the term "Dayenu" resonates.

If we had just made $1717 from the sale. Dayenu

That we donated over $2000 worth of stuff to The Children's Club.   Dayenu

That Amigos de Los Romeritos made $520. Dayenu

That the "Tamale Ladies" sold out.         Dayenu

That more folks know about Columbia Ecovillage. Dayenu

That we sold everything so cheaply that folks felt GREAT about the purchases they made. Dayenu

Sweet Home Band played marvelous music for us and had a great time doing so on such a beautiful day.  Dayenu

THAT THE COMMON SPACES, WHICH HAD BEEN HEAPED WITH STUFF, ARE NOW READY FOR OUR COLLECTIVE DREAMS.  Dayenu!

and most importantly.....

We worked together to make this happen, both Friday and Saturday, with positive, loving energy.  DAYENU

It takes a Village to put on a parking lot sale as big as ours was, and we were a hard working, caring village.  In trying to live more sustainably, I think we live more abundantly; with more laughter, joy and friendships.

Special thanks to Sabrina and Peg who always seemed to be hauling stuff somewhere else for the past two months. Thanks also to all of the Villagers who pitched in. I'm going to try and list them, but I'll probably leave someone out by mistake and for that I apologize ahead of time. Evelyn, Mac, Marilee, Patrick, Peg, Barbara S., Barbara F, Don, John, Liliane, Jeff, Jef, Sabrina, Judith, Marcia, Sara, Dennis, Merm, Heather, Dave, Garth, Suzanne, Marlene, Suze M., Susan B., Deborah, Jesse, Lexi, Joan, Kathleen, Ken, Larry, Maggie, and many of our friends as well.

 

And we learned some interesting stuff:

We can put the bike racks on their sides, put doors on them, and have a big picnic if it's raining. (Thanks for that insight Marilee. Your enthusiasm ignites us all.)

The idea started floating around that perhaps we should have the "Tamale Ladies" cater some of our community meals when Villagers are too busy to cook. Perhaps Sivalaya Thai Restaurant could cater also. We brainstormed a lot working together!

 

Peace and blessings on all of us and our emerging village. We Rock! And that is DAYENU! 


 


 


Sunday, May 24, 2009

To Be Of Use- Saturday Planting Party









To be of use


The people I love the best

jump into work headfirst

without dallying in the shallows

and swim off with sure strokes almost out of sight.

They seem to become natives of that element,

the black sleek heads of seals

bouncing like half submerged balls.


I love people who harness themselves, an ox to a heavy cart,

who pull like water buffalo, with massive patience,

who strain in the mud and the muck to move things forward

who do what has to be done, again and again.


I want to be with people who submerge

in the task, who go into the fields to harvest

and work in a row and pass the bags along,

who stand in the line and haul in their places,

who are not parlor generals and field deserters

but move in a common rhythm

when the food must come in or the fire be put out.


The work of the world is common as mud.

Botched, it smears the hands, crumbles to dust.

But the thing worth doing well done

has a shape that satisfies, clean and evident.

Greek amphoras for wine or oil,

Hopi vases that held corn, are put in museums

but you know they were made to be used.

The pitcher cries for water to carry

and a person for work that is real.


-Marge Piercy



Monday, May 18, 2009

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

The chicks are welcomed to their new home.


The Chickens Are Coming Home to Roost!


New chicks arrived in the mail, to bring our flock to 35!





Dennis and Anne have brought their chickens from home to join the ecovillage.


Monday, May 11, 2009

Lisa and I Meet the Bees!



This past lovely Saturday, Lisa invited me to join her to check on her new beehive that she had installed a couple of weeks before, and to check on Joe's older hive, that needed a spring inspection. I had taken a beginning beekeeping class recently, but had no "hands on" experience, so I was eager to go take a look. I borrowed Joe's gloves, helmet and face net, and put on my bike rain suit and wading boots to minimize sting potential.

We opened her hive, and the bees seemed happy and busy. I was surprised to find that it was a no fear, all fascination experience for me. What an opportunity! I had thought for years about learning about beekeeping, but the idea of figuring it all out myself was daunting. To be able to learn with other knowledgeable folks is a great gift of community.