Bella received an enormous package of seeds today from our dear friend, Chai. She loaded up the seed exchange box with these gorgeous packets of seeds.
I really can’t convey the energy shift that this gifting project has caused in our sweet neighborhood. People with dogs and kids tending to commune near the box just to chat… as if this was now a mystical safe zone for good and happiness to thrive and prosper.
I posted my gratitude on my personal Facebook page and a friend shared this:
I loved your “mystical place” comment and it reminded me of the Buddha of Oakland story.
A neighborhood in Oakland saw crime drop drastically when a Buddha statue was placed under a tree. It started with only a humble statue but shifted into a shared community project and grew in acclaim and popularity.
I can’t say if crime has dropped in our area since installing our seed exchange. I can only attest to the energy shift and the sweet offerings that people have dropped by to share with each other. Some putting tremendous work into the effort like this neighbor who shared this note:
I can donate a bit of Clarkia unguiculata , beautiful annual (it’s pretty much a native to here).. but I love it so much I bought a load of seed from a bulk producer… Let me see if I can package it somehow or give you some of it… It’s among my top things I grow for (year round) color pretty much. Great little noninvasive annual, pretty drought tolerant. I just love Clarkias!! Nice work guys!!!!!!
And look how charming the seed gift packets turned out!!
Another neighbor gifted the seeds that came with her Coachella music festival pass.
We also came home to a dozen of these little surprises… Someone put in some time and money to gift their favorite seed varieties!
My niece gifted seeds she cultivated from her own garden and hand-packed in rainbow packets.
My dear friend, Kris, from Attainable Sustainable sent Bella this lovely sampler!
Our adorbs neighbors, Catalina & Sydney, delivered this really sweet box of flower seeds for Bella’s gifting project.
Two of Bella’s friends, Kayla & Isaiah, have started their own Etsy shop for homemade seed packets & they dropped off a fabulous assortment of seeds to gift to others.
Some people have dropped off little notes of gratitude, like this one…
To Bella,
Thankyou so much for this lovely idea!! It really made my day, and it’s just so nice to see people giving a little kindness into the world! I’ve just moved to the area from overseas (UK) and seeing things like this has made me realize I made the right choice, and the right neighborhood! I’ve now got some of your wildflowers growing in my new apartment – I can’t wait to see them bloom and brighten the place up! Once again – thankyou!
Best Wishes, Henry
We’ve had fun changing out the themes of the seed exchange. For Easter we filled it with carrot seeds.
For Mother’s Day we filled it with flower seeds.
Pumpkin seeds for October!
December was conifer seeds and packets with assorted holiday greetings!
We also posted a notice on our local Nextdoor for a sunflower gifting day:
Sunflowers for Ukraine. If you would like some sunflower seeds to plant in your garden – our seed exchange is bursting with them today! Come by the Santa Monica Stairs and gift yourself a packet or two!
I have been seeing a lot of sunflower images on social media. I thought it was because it is the national flower of Ukraine. Then I saw an image that depicted something else… and I was curious enough to google it.
That led me to discover the video of a woman confronting Russian soldiers with nothing but sunflower seeds in her hands. Her courage gave me chills.
If you have been following the story of our seed exchange, then you know from my previous post that we ordered this gifting box back in December before the war began. We purchased it on Etsy from a family of artisans in Ukraine with nary a thought to the profound events about to unfold in that region.
Our intention for the seed exchange was to offer a spirit-lifting structure – a gifting box for friends and neighbors and the visitors to our unique location in Santa Monica. (Our proximity to the Stairs brings lots of foot traffic and visitors from other areas.) But due to current events, this installation has come to symbolize so much more.
Today if you stop by… you will find packets of sunflower seeds. Maybe you will grow some because they are beautiful. Or because you feel inclined to offer a gesture of peace for a region that needs it so desperately. Or perhaps you need courage to face battles in your own life that you are fighting. Whatever your reason, we welcome you.
As you can see, this dynamic ever-evolving seed gifting box keeps us on our toes!
If you have seeds to spare, please come with your offering and add them to our box. If you are outside our area and prefer to mail them, then private message me for our address. To those of you who have already so generously stepped up to contribute – please know your kindness fills our hearts and your gifts are immensely cherished.
Thank you, to everyone who has stopped by to gift and receive.
Both are a blessing.