The Ranger Report #001
This digest is for you, the Ranger-curious.
Who the what the why the?
Maybe you’ve seen us at a festival or farmer’s market, or spied us gathering seeds from the wild flowers near Home grown. Perhaps we quizzed you about Reynoldstown trivia, or gave you some cool cards and stickers. Did we pour you a cider at Manighoul? You want to know more.
This digest is for you, the Ranger-curious.
Curiosity is our jam. It brought us together. At first we were just six neighbors on a front porch, trading questions:
How can one little neighborhood make a difference in this world?
What’s the link between paying attention and paying it forward?
If curiosity and compassion are muscles, how can we exercise them?
Our questions led to other questions:
How many humans live in our neighborhood? What about other species? What paths do kids take to school? Where can I see farther? What does being a good neighbor mean these days? How can we grow and change, without losing our roots?
We set out to look a little closer. Tell the tales hiding in plain sight.
Build a living guidebook, a deep map of everything from coyotes to civics to comfy chicken biscuits.
The Reynoldstown Rangers are question askers.
We connect the dots, build the teams, and celebrate the place.
We’re off on a journey that might just save the world.
Now, wouldn’t that be curious?
Our Ranger Manual isn't ready. How about a Manuel instead?
Join us at Manuel's Tavern, on Tuesday December 5 from 7-9p, as the Reynoldstown Rangers present to the Atlanta Studies Group, a quarterly meetup for folks paying attention to Atlanta. Yes, we know it's late notice. But honestly, on a cold and dark Tuesday evening in December, you got a better plan than convivial chit chat and a pint in a warm well-lit room?
We’ve Got Boundaries!
Knowing who you are starts with knowing where you are. These four lines form our four corners, and we’re poking into every one of them. Here’s where Reynoldstown starts (and ends):
All the way across Hulsey Yard (to Dekalb) to the North.
Up and Down Moreland Avenue to the East.
Down to Interstate 20 (the near shoulder) to the South.
Right down the center of Pearl Street, to the West.
Now, knowing all that, we bet you can decipher the symbol on our caps:
FARQs
(Frequently Asked Reynoldstown Questions)
Got a question about R-town? Ask Wylie T. Coyote
(He has all the answers. You just have to ask the right questions.)
Hey Wylie--
Where did all the chipmunks come from all of a sudden? There didn’t used to be chipmunks.
Curious,
Chuck on Chester
Hi, Chuck.
Yes, there are many more chipmunks than before, and for a solid reason. You see, a chipmunk is basically just a gentrified rat. As property values increase, rodents change their stripes. They still chew through wiring, but gosh they’re suddenly cute. And – lucky for me – still extremely snackable!
Why are Reynoldstown’s streets so skinny? Is the top of Holtzclaw really the highest point in the city? Why do some of our blocks have alleyways and some don’t? Why did part of ParkGrounds suddenly become a vacant lot? What the hell is a stumpery? What are those crazy black birds that appear in our tree canopy every winter?
These are just a few of the questions WTC is, um, chewing over. Read future issues to get more answers.
*not to be confused with Wile E. Coyote, a trademarked, fictional character. Our Wylie is real, and welcomes the publicity that any ‘cease and desist’ letter from a ginormous media conglomerate might bring.
Survey Says
What do you want to know more about? Where should we shine more light?
Insects and Birds / Transportation / Neighborhood History / Earth, Air, and Water / Locally Owned Businesses / Foodways / Trees and Plants / Infrastructure and Architecture / Zoning and Growth / Identity and Culture / Local Heroes and Leaders / Gardens and Kitchens / Handcraft and Making
Earn Ranger Points:
Sit on your front porch or stoop. Sure, the backyard is nice, but front porches are where the action is. Develop opinions about babies. Give strangers secret nicknames. Make eye contact. Say “Hey, there.” Score parallel parkers on a scale from 1-10.
Calling all Experts!
Along with a compass and a flask – I mean, a canteen – a Ranger’s knapsack always totes a book. On Looking: Eleven Walks with Expert Eyes by Alexandra Horowitz, about exploring the world with a fresh perspective, is a favorite. Horowitz takes eleven different walks with various experts, such as a geologist, an artist, and a sound designer, to learn how they perceive and experience the world in unique ways.
We like this book a lot, and our upcoming series “The Resident Experts” will bring it to life. Beginning in early 2024, we’ll sponsor a monthly walk that’s also a deep dive. We’re seeking experts in many fields – wildlife, infrastructure, foraging, trains, public art – to name a few. If you see this place through a particular lens, we’d love to hear from you. Reply to this email and let us share your expertise.
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