I put that word “final” in the title, because we decided to skip Community Dinners for the entire month of July. Need a break! Plus, it frees up energy for the many improvement projects around here that Rebecca has been visioning for some time now. Last winter she told me that in 2019 she wanted to start focusing on the tiny, detailed, artistic projects that she and I have been longing for all along. Okay!
I’ve known intuitively that if we make every tiny little ecosystem in this larger ecosystem — which consists so far of three properties and .6 of an acre with three houses plus outbuildings and commons areas and gardens and paths — if we make every tiny environment inside this world a place of its own beauty and functioning, that the space will enlarge beyond imagining. And since my main job in life is to “open space,” and since Rebecca has long been interested in communing with and enhancing all of nature, then no wonder the two of us are becoming quite a team!
Community Dinner, June 28, 2019
For this dinner we enlarged the patio commons by moving the dinner offerings table to the grass under a nearby tree. (See it? On the extreme left.) This, in order to accommodate the swelling crowds.
Agreed. Beautiful dog. “Dylan,” who came with Annie, and obviously the star of the show.
WORK WORK WORK!
At this point in the season, we’re asking everybody for two work periods (one to two hours each) per week, one on Monday, the other either Thursday or Friday.
The Monday, July 1st work party had everybody shoveling gravel. in order to construct a decent graveled parking spot in front of the second DeKist house.
If you recall, we had shoveled out a lot of soil in a previous work party to make room for maybe six inches of gravel.
Then the gravel was delivered. And wow, so much! Okay, we can also use it for other projects.
So that leads us to “the project,” as Rebecca now calls it, an elaborate plan to create a graveled water runoff channel that goes between the greenhouse and the first DeKist house.
Here’s the first stage of “the project,” completed! Notice the bright colored stones on top. From the Dollar Store!
I invite you to notice the beauty in this tiny area, merely a passageway, and yet so carefully designed!
Now the rest of “the project,” tackled yesterday morning by three young podmates, including Camden, who has just moved in. Welcome to Green Acres Village, where we do physical work for a living!
Here’s Dan:
Camden and Andreas pile soil next to fence for a new bed. Digging out 12 to 18 inches of soil meant that there were several places we could put the needed soil.
All three on the job, which they did in the morning, when though it was humid the heat had not yet powered fully up.
Meanwhile, Rebecca had asked me to clear this area, on which we are going to pile soil for a new planting. (“Except for the chickory. Leave that. And put the lemon balm in the container over there that I’ m filling with water. We’ll dry it.”)
Ok!
Meanwhile, Rebecca, who had gone to Lowe’s for their close-out sale, was busy planting another little bed across from where I was working.
Done!
Here’s the bed, chickory intact, covered with a tarp until planted.
Here’s the lemon balm, ready to be dried.
All that’s left to finish “the project” is piling gravel on the area.
Meanwhile, a bit of a diversion: Hank, who worried a skunk that was under the shed. Not once, but three times, each time receiving a needed bath afterwards.
And here’s something Rebecca just pointed out to me: pollinator flies! On top of a wild carrot blossom. Wow!
Finally, here’s a new addition to this Overhill house, “Tiger”! Ten weeks old, fierce and fearless. What were we thinking?
