On This Miraculous Planet, On Real Food, On Union with all that is
Two years ago we cut down trees to have a view of the Hudson Valley for our Tentrr site. As I mentioned recently, nature is all about growth.
Faced with a steep rocky hill we called in the local goat grazing team - not realizing that they are the goat grazing team for the entire East Coast. Green Goats Rhinebeck is family operation that has been doing good work for 17 years.
Read More“It’s crazy! They take out the pits! They take out the seeds! It is delicious! It is so good!” Dragon sipped fresh juice as the machine whirred on its next batch.
“Tell me why you like making apple juice.”
“It’s fun watching.” Dragon put down his glass and stood on a stool assuming his observing stance - hands on knees, all the better to peer into the moving parts of the juicing machine.
“Because it is fun looking at this.” Bean pointed to the extruding pulp/skin/seeds from the rotating arm. She pushed the plunger down. “I like doing this.”
“I like the watching the stuff - the detritus coming out.”
English Major Momma point!
Read MoreThis seems apparent to note - but plants, like children, change.
Like well cared for children, well cared for plants grow with vigor and joy.
Like curious courageous children, plants do not like staying within lines, following other’s ideas of decorum and placement.
In other words, my new favorite toy is an electric hedge trimmer.
Read MoreOh, you microscopic shards of glass,
staving off the caterpillar’s frass,
denuded leaves forever begone!
To thee I sing this humble song.
Read More“Didn’t you pick peas for dinner?”
“OOOOoohhhhh, right.” Dragon reached into his pocket and started pulling out handfuls. “I did pick them, and I forgot.”
3 peas were palmed onto the counter. 4 more peas were placed on top. Handful by grubby handful, peas appeared.
I looked at our dinner guests and started laughing, “would anyone like some pocket peas?”
Surprisingly, everyone but the family declined to eat pocket peas. Ah well.
Read MoreI did not grow up mowing grass. Our front yard (“garden”) according to my mother was flagstones and North Tisbury azaleas.*
Our back garden was much the same.
No grass. In Michigan we had scant grass. 10 minutes to mow grass with small mower.
Not anymore.
Read MoreMy grandfather used to tell a story of a professor he had in graduate school. This man loved painting his fence.* His excitement over slopping paint on wood confounded my grandfather - who considered this individual a paragon of intellect and academic achievement. So one day, my grandfather asked him why.
The professor’s response was along these lines. “There are very few projects in life where you know exactly what is needed to succeed. Not only that, but at any point in the project, I know exactly how far I have gone and have much further I need to go. That is why I like painting my fence.”
I feel that way about mulching.
Read More“Momma, each bump holds a surprise!” Bean, gently moved cardboard aside, revealing pale yellow daffodil stems.
“I know, this is so much fun!”
“So much fun!”
She looked up at her brother, tromping toward us over the leaves and cardboard. “Careful Dragon, don’t step on any of the bumps - they might be daffodils pushing their way up.”
Read More“Dragon, we are running low on kindling.”
“I’m on it Dada!”
Regal with purpose he strode to the side door. “Dragon, aren’t you going to put on slippers, my love?”
“Nah, I’m good.” He grabbed the heavy hammer, pushed open the door, and got to work.
BOOM! BOOM!
Read More“Look at how far down this one went!”
“And this one!”
I walk over to see the proffered charcoal sticks. “Oh wow, that is really burnt.”
Read More“We didn’t make a fire in the rain. We just carried up the fire that Dan had already made.”
“What do you mean you carried up the fire?”
“We carried up the fire and started the new fire with the old fire.”
“What did you use to carry up the fire?”
“A mushroom.”
Read More“I am sorry my beloved, but I can’t play with you, I need to get this done.”
“But WHY?!! I don’t want to do this anymore! This machine is too loud.”
“My dearest Dragon, winter is coming* and we have no choice. We need this wood to stay warm when it gets cold.”
Winter is coming and, like the ant, we must prepare.
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My life vision is to love, be curious, identify my Cranky Monster, and be brave enough to speak from and for The Good.
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