A native redbud tree volunteered to grow in my front yard several years ago, and is one of the first trees to burst into pink blossoms every spring. The irises, however, respond more to variations in the weather each year for when they begin to send up green spikes with flower buds on the end, wrapped in what looks like beige tissue paper. Even though I walk past them every day, there is a blink in time and then there they are. And every year I think, get ready for the show.
Liz here, with updates from the field station that is my ecovillage community called Dancing Rabbit.
There is no holding back the burst of growth that the prairie insists on every spring. There are hardy plants that push up through the clay soil, despite weather that changes drastically from day to day and the damn prairie grass turns everything green. Then there are the man-made effects of bulbs that we’ve planted all over the village, that, once established, spread on their own each year and put on a short vibrant show of color in the spring.
Someone who lived in my house years ago planted purple iris bulbs in the yard. When the bulbs became impacted, I dug some of them up and moved them around the yard. I was pulling out at least 50 bulbs for each two-foot section, and I never finished the job. That was six or seven years ago, and they have spread since then. That means a pretty big splash of purple color that appears as you walk down the hill toward my house, at least for the month of May.
In my opinion, spring is the best time of the year to visit DR. Despite the weather being unpredictable (there was a thunderstorm the first night of this year’s visitor session, and we’ve had temp fluctuations from 49 degrees at night to 70 degrees and muggy during some days), nature puts on a showy show with the trees leafing out, blossoms in different colors, and patches of brightly colored bulb flowers.
Our first visitor session for the year is underway. I taught the natural building class last week, which included a tour of the straw bale building called the Hub, which I’ve been building for the last five years, and a rundown of the basic ideas behind the build. I am always amazed at how each visitor group is different, whether for their insightful questions, their annoying behaviors, or sometimes lack of interest. This group, thank goodness, was large, had thoughtful questions, and was willing to branch out into some philosophical conversations about homes, the environment, and what it’s like to live in community. I ended the class with a tour of some of the other buildings in the village and as I walked back to my house, I felt energized.
I’ve been waiting patiently for motivation and inspiration to come to me this spring, having the delicious privilege of being able to start the building season at my discretion, since I am the sole crew member at the moment. I have my detailed list for what I want to get done this year, paired down to essentials, since I am about out of money for the project. Luckily for me, there is plenty to do that doesn’t require much in the way of funds, either because I already have the materials for it, or because the tasks are things I can do on my own, for free.
I also chose very carefully the things I want to spend money on this year, starting with hiring my son to create the framing for two walls and a living roof for the pantry/utility addition, and the framework for a living roof over the patio. I trust Graham to build strong, safe frameworks for these living roofs, which are heavy; first, for the four inches of soil on top, and second, for the weight of rainfall that they absorb.
My work list for the season includes mostly deferred maintenance tasks, like painting another layer of lime wash paint on the exterior of the building. Last year I concentrated on creating and finishing new aspects of the build while there were people available; this year I want to catch up on keeping the things we built from deteriorating, mostly from the weather, like sanding and oiling the white oak trim, to keep it sealed against moisture and to keep its beautiful grain popping.
An opportunity to give to Dancing Rabbit
Thursday May 8th is Give STL, which is a day of raising money and awareness for regional nonprofits. For a small nonprofit such as ours, your support makes a real difference. If you have the means, consider marking your calendar, and bookmarking this giving link.
Liz Hackney is the editor and a contributing writer of this newsletter. She loves, as she recently told a visitor, to “nerd out with others about natural building.” To find more info on the Hub building project, go to thehubcollective.substack.com.