{This Moment} Dying Rose

It’s a gorgeous summer evening. Campus in Rhode Island that I’ve grown to know twice, through the eyes and experiences of a sweet/funny/gentle friend and a dynamic/gorgeous/brainy cousin. This time I’m here for the cousin. Round bulbs are strung, or maybe they’re string-lights. There’s a wide swarth of soft lawn, slightly wet, mite-bit muddy.

People are everywhere. Many younger than me, some older. I feel them more than see/hear them. There’s expectation, joy, excitement.

With my cousin, mother, and aunt, I’m crossing in front of a band on a stage. My slip-on shoes are off. We’re headed somewhere, perhaps to tables to sit. But first we’re going to dance.

Three of us women, traipsing across the lawn. Cakewalking. Skipping, dancing. Perhaps people notice us, perhaps they don’t. For me the world is just us three, the misty night sky, the music. Planet spinning under foot.

The moment was just that – a moment. And, for me, an eternity of joy.

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30 Wednesday Apr 2014

Posted by Phoebe (she / hers) in Community, Green Life

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giving, swaps, this-moment

After a huge weekend swap that attracted over thirty women (and a few babies), I’m upping my claim. I’d wager that approximately 70% of my clothing is the spoils of swaps. The bests and favorites of my wardrobe definitely had homes before mine, and it’s not just that funny mini-cape or those like-new Keen sandals, friends:

My camera? “Permanent loan.”

My KitchenAid stand mixer (with ice cream attachment!) was a surprise gift from a friend who had received a new one.

The cat? Yeah. Him, too.

Despite what the media/advertisements/press/etc. may attempt to convince you, sharing is integral to living. Humans from way-back-when knew it. We know it now: honey tastes twice as sweet when your friend owns the hive (hint, hint bee-keeping pals!)

The resources below were sent me from a friend (see: sharing) and I’m passing them on to you. Have experience with one or two? Leave a comment below.

https://m.brightneighbor.com//index.html – rent, buy, trade or borrow country-wide

http://neighborsforneighbors.org/ – run by “professional neighbor” Joseph Porcelli and his team, this site is local to Jamaica Plain, MA and offers meet-up type affinity groups, a Snow Crew assistance program to help move that white stuff in winter, alerts, and more

streetbank.com – sharing across “the pond”

http://farmhack.net/home/ – open source community for the farm-types among us

http://freegan.me/ – meet “freegans” worldwide and learn what’s free where, and how to find it

https://www.freecycle.org/ -I bet you know this one. (So far I’ve received: a cell phone, a safety vest and reflective strips for biking, a VCR, a typewriter, a papercutter, hangers, and more items than I can remember. My favorite aspect, though, is giving things away. So satisfying.)

http://neighbor.ly/ – crowdsourcing for your community

http://www.citizinvestor.com/ – invest in public projects

http://www.cityofboston.gov/doit/apps/citizensconnect.asp – download this free app to help Boston improve it’s streets, sidewalks, and other infrastructure (i.e., pothole just swallow your bike? report it!)

https://yerdle.com/– free stuff countrywide! (a friend of mine helped start this one, definitely check it out)