Friday, August 31, 2012

Balance

Throughout my life, I have been told:  "Be careful what you ask for."  You just might get it. 

A friend noted that he had asked for drought in the spring.  He felt really bad.  Really bad.  Scared even.  And his co-workers were giving him a bit of grief:  "Have you had enough drought yet?" 

Over the years, I had heard that indigenous peoples believe that the consciousness of the Earth and the consciousness of Humans are closely intertwined.  Humans can actually call on change and it just might happen.  While I don't completely get this yet also believe something I don't completely understand, it has given me pause to be careful for what I ask for.

I used to ask for rain when it was dry.  And I used to ask for dry when it was all soupy out there.  Sometimes I would even get quite exuberant about it.  "We really really need rain."  I don't do that any longer.  Instead, I pray that the climate will return to a balance that is needed in these parts. 

Unusual Sound

As we get ready for bed on this night, we hear rain drops pattering on the windows.  That is such an unusual sound. 

Sorghum Molasses Making Soon

Reports have it that Hollis' cane is ready for harvest.  It looks like the first batch may be Saturday, September 8.  Cane is shorter this year.  It is coming along.  I wonder how much juice will be in those stalks?  Once again, Nature reminds us we are not in charge.

Gathering

Last night, we had a lovely gathering of women here at the Farm marking the Full Moon.  Such markings are traditional among women across time.  And for this auspicious occasion, one of Mother's roses was offering up this lovely fragrant bloom, the only bloom in recent weeks and months with the drought.  Deep in those petals was stored a reserve of hope.

Wedding Down South

August 19:

The last 2 days (and before) have been really busy in these parts. You see the Folks at the Farm down South were hosting a wedding. Since we know both the Bride (Melanie G., not our Melanie C.) and the Groom (Anthony) who are now living elsewhere and are part of this community of homesteaders, we were part of the community who supported this beautiful sacred event.

Melanie and Sarah were responsible for the cake. And talk about a cake. I did not see the final production and am hopeful that pictures were taken. The carrot cake was adorned with cream cheese frosting and embellished with English walnuts and flowers from our garden.

Melanie G., her sister Nicole, and Ariel from down South wanted flowers, lots of flowers. Trouble was that with this heat and drought, flowers have been in short supply. I was at the Farmer's Market yesterday and Zinnias were 3 for $1. Yikes. Usually we have lots of flowers. That is my signature and at this season they are not usually in short supply. Until this year.

So I volunteered to gather flowers from the Garden and the Wild. Four bucketfuls were awaiting Nicole when she picked them up Friday about noon. We talked about the Bride's bouquet. It was obvious that everyone down South was really busy, with family and friends coming in and details that needed attending. So I decided to make a Bride's bouquet. You could call it my little gift. Of course it was up to the Bride to use it. And she did. I suppose it is one of those classic examples of people just falling into place, doing what needs to be done, out here in farming country.

Melanie and Dave took the bouquet down in the early afternoon before the wedding. To my delight, Melanie G. carried it.

The flowers include a mix of those from the Garden and the Wild. Seems a proper gift from the land on this most auspicious day of commitment and celebration.

Replenishing Rain

We are having much needed, replenishing rain from Hurricane Isaac.  So far it has been gentle and slow.  While it will take a very long time to replenish the losses from the drought, we can almost feel the plants, animals, Earth (and surely the humans too) relax at long last.  Maybe, just maybe, the weather is taking a turn away from the drought.  You could call this little entry a prayer. 

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Nourishing Rain

We had some rain in the late afternoon and we just may have more.  I cannot put into words the relief those raindrops have brought.  It's like the inner soul can relax just a bit.  The smell of rain and the sound of those raindrops touches the depths of the human soul on this drought stricken land. 

On my evening walk, I was delighted with the aromas all around too.  I hadn't really thought about it, but it seems there have been fewer scents in these dry times.  Some rain got added to the mix and there they were.

We surely know that we need a lot of rain to replenish the losses these last months. But we rejoice with every drop.  Praises be.

Friday, August 24, 2012

In the Distance

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On my walk this morning,
I heard a chain saw 
buzzing in the distance.
The saw continued.
Then there was a short silence,
followed by a huge crash 
of a giant tree falling down. 
Someone somewhere thought 
they had the perfect right to cut that tree
since they have Human papers on the Land.
Someone somewhere will think 
they have the perfect right 
to buy wood products 
because they have the cash 
stuffed in their hands.
I have. 
We have noted 
a considerable amount 
of the forest south of us 
has been carved up for wood.
The place which was serene before 
has become a war zone.
When will the destruction stop?
Or when will it slow?
When will we Humans 
see the pain of the Earth?
When will we hear 
the Trees and all the living Beings 
cry out?
When will we realize
those Trees trap carbon dioxide,
a major contributor 
to climate change and global warming.
I pray it's soon.
The Humans are running out of time 
to turn this puppy around.
~~~~
Glinda Crawford, 2012
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fawn

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She brought her spotted Fawn 
to the edge of the lawn
and carefully instructed him to enter.
Maybe the Humans 
with their professed tender hearts
would allow the little One there.
Those long skinny legs 
brought the Fawn 
to the edge of the Herb Garden.
It's daylight.
That's way closer 
than we have noted before.
The Animals are hungry.
They too suffer from drought, 
in ways we cannot even know.
They are accidental victims 
of the Human's speeding train 
of Climate Change.
Where are the brakes 
on this mad thing?
~~~~
Glinda Crawford, 2012
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Vision

Over the course of my life, I have had many "visions".  I know not what else to call them.  They are probably widespread among our humanity, but because our patriarchal culture (which thinks itself so right) elevates matters of the "head" over all else, they surely are not widely reported or understood.  This vision was of the sorghum cane field standing with dead black leaves rattling in the wind. 

I surely hope that is not to come true.  The cane for now is standing tall.  However, there are considerable leaves that are yellowing.

Assuming the crop "makes", we could be making sorghum molasses in about 3 weeks.  Rain would be ever so nice.  I suppose you could call this yet another entry praying for rain.

Harvesting the Little Roos

Scampy, Melanie's 17 year old cat, is napping next to the keyboard, which does indeed affect my access to the keys and the flow of my thoughts too.  Nevermind, it may interfere with his dream state.  I shall try to make this short.  Is that possible?

Just needed to note that Richard harvested 12 of the little Roosters early this morning.  As per usual, he began the process just before the coming light.  This quieter time greatly reduces their fear and agitation, at least so it seems.  That's essential to us.  It's important to keep the birds as calm as possible for their own sake.  That surely seems the most humane thing to do, if one is going to eat meat. 

We try not to eat food, especially meat which is loaded with fear and violence.  I personally believe that energy becomes part of us and contributes to our own dis-ease.  Plus, the dear workers who are stuck the tasks no one else wants to do are often marginalized from the larger society.  These are often folks who don't have a lot of options; consequently they are poorly paid.  They come from pools of migrant workers, sometimes illegal immigrants, and folks who just don't have a lot of options in economically impoverished areas.  They tragically become victims of that violence too. 

We as consumers need to be very careful about the energy that we put out into the world. That energy just comes right back at us.  This is our way to step out of that system, and put some kindness and caring and gratitude in its place.

Meanwhile, Richard is quietly doing the final cleaning as I awkwardly clatter at the keys.  Consider this little epistle as gratitude for the Great Mother Earth who sustains us all, the little Roos who have been company and will help sustain our lives, and my dear Husband who brings such mindfulness, love, and gratitude to this whole process.

A different future is possible, and we are doing our best to live it.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Observation: Garden

Richard came in from the garden just now and noted that some plants which were doing well previously (with watering), just seem to be going into heat stress, also with watering.  This is a dramatic difference in what we have noted before.  What is going on?

Observation: Sky

The last couple of days, we have noted clouds in the sky "disappearing".  It's almost like the moisture is being sucked right out of them.  Weird.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Just the 3 of Us

Last night just before bedtime, Richard went outside in the dark.  His flashlight spotted a little communing under the Golden Delicious Apple Tree.  Fastidious Mr. Raccoon was washing an Apple in the Chicken Waterer.  A little ways over, Mrs. Opposum was staring at Mr. Scamp (our 17 year old cat).  They each seemed quite enchanted with the other.  At which point, Richard scooped up Scamp and they came inside.

pH in Foods

http://sun-gazing.com/archives/4219/418233_146689812135707_1384189477_n

Pinchie's Gone

Pinchie died today.  She was a White Plymouth Rock from that first batch of littles in 2007.  She was a very friendly chicken who liked to be around Humans.  She had her moments of pecking Humans once in a while.  In so doing, she let us know she needed space. 

Richard says she was a fun chicken to have around.  Every time you would stick a spade in the ground, she was right there waiting for that perfect opportunity to grab grubs and worms, and leave poop too.  It's easy to look around at all the trees that we have planted and know she was right there doing her part.

On this day, Ms. Pinchie Chicken waited until Melanie got home.  After their good-bye's, she left.  Rest well, Little Chicken.  We are blessed to have had you on our Little Farm, which was your Little Farm too.

Pulse

I am struck by how far outside the Laws of Nature that the people of my culture choose to live. Nature gives birth to us, Nature nourishes us throughout our days and Nature welcomes us back to the Earth at the end of our days.  To choose to live outside Her boundaries is to choose to diminish Life.  Now why would we ever choose to do that?  Or rather, as the Folks of my childhood used to say:  "Whose half-baked idea is that anyway?"

I look at my own life.  I have had considerable education and I have even had a class in Nutrition.  (It was not my favorite.)  At almost 64 years of age, I really do not know the boundaries within which I need to live.  I do not know the pattern that Nature has set for me so that I may thrive in the way that She intended.  I suppose you could call this little entry a pulse of someone who is seeking a different path.

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Sun Rise

July 31:

These days, I have been getting up to watch the Sun Rise. I can't believe that I have not been doing this all along. It took me 63 years to figure out this was important.

While sinking into the beauty of the sights, I felt the dew. And I sat and listened to the sounds: Roosters Freddie and Del welcoming the day, rambunctious baby Roosters playing early morning Rooster games, songbirds singing, trucks on the highway, neighbors' dogs barking. There seemed to be a rising and falling of the sounds of Nature and the sounds of the Human enterprise.

Our glorious Sun is creeping southward on the eastern horizon. When August 2 which is a marker in the Earth's calendar arrives, that speed will pick up. With it comes decreasing sunlight and harvest both at full speed.

Even though we are in a drought situation, harvest is picking up speed. Seeing the connection of all these things, we are expressing gratitude for the bounty the Earth provides to sustain all Beings, including her Human.

Busy Busy Busy

Richard noted that we forgot to gather eggs yesterday.  It has been busy busy busy around these parts the last couple of days.  More later, that is if I can find time.  These days, I am not on the computer as much as before.  I like that.

Started

Richard began harvesting the little Roosters today.  He started with 2, which means we will have Chicken on this day.  Some people go right to the "yum yum yum" stage, but these days give us reflections to ponder.  We try never to forget what goes into all of this.

Those little Guys grew really fast.  They came to us in earliest of May.  And now, almost 4 months later, they are ready to harvest.  This has been a great group.  They have mostly been quiet and gentle.  That is up until the last week or 2.  Their brilliant red wattles have grown and some are quite striking against all those white feathers.  They are practicing their crows more.  They are playing those Rooster sparring games.  We sometimes hear loud squawks where one rooster has gotten another and won't let go.  One even got Richard on the arm a few days ago; he squawked for a couple of days.  I am remind that the old ones would say that you should not bite the hand that feeds you.  I guess he hadn't heard that.  One of the little-now big-Roos was even settling into the Rooster House in the evening and kicking everyone out as they came in looking for that perfect berthing place for the night.  Richard commented that soon, that one will go.  And then a line up will wait in cue to take his place.

We are ever mindful of the sacrifice of these living Creatures, their Gift of Life so that we may live.  It is with sadness that we see the little Guys go.  It is also with love and gratitude for their precious gift.  I suppose I should also say that it is in gratitude that the chores are reduced too.  When they are gone, things will surely be quieter around here.

For something to live, something has to die.  May we never forget that Circle of Life which sustains us.

Friday, August 17, 2012

Goldenrod

A wee bit of the Goldenrod is beginning to bloom on the north side of the Farm.  Local lore has it that frost will follow in 6 weeks.  Yikes.  It could happen.

Quote

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And it never failed that 
during the dry years 
the people forgot about the rich years 
and during the wet years 
they lost all memory of the dry years.  
It was always that way.
~~~~
John Steinback
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Magazine Friend

The Sun.   http://www.thesunmagazine.org/

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Gentle

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I just returned 
from my customary morning walk,
a lovely circle 
through meadows and woods 
of this little Farm. 
It is a Physical Walk,
but more a Spiritual Journey.
My feet touched the ground.
The upright two-legged that is me 
made short stretches 
into the endless Sky.
I am grounded 
on this lovely Earth,
our Great Mother,
who sustains my Being. 
May I never forget 
her unselfish and joyous Gift.
How gentle the air felt. 
Temperatures on my skin
were caresses,
much like a Mother tenderly 
holding her Child.
Sometimes a gentle breeze 
would blow. 
The extended heat and drought 
have left me confused. 
These days, 
temperatures have moderated.
I had forgotten how lovely 
these seasons usually are.
May I never forget.
May I never cease 
to express wonder and gratitude 
to the Great Mother of us all.
~~~~
Glinda Crawford, 2012
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Monday, August 13, 2012

Cooling

These last few days, the temperature has cooled and we have even had a few rain drops.  After all that intense heat, I am confused.  Where did I put those clothes for such days?  Makes me think that some day soon, it will be Fall.  Wow.  How can that be?  Time just keeps marching right on.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Recent Adventure

A week ago, I had the privilege of staying at a wonderful little spot in Fairfield, Iowa.  Sweetwater Bunkhouse incorporates green building design and Maharishi Sthapatya Veda.  I had a simply lovely stay surrounded by the Abundance Ecovillage.  Staying there gives me hope for the possibilities of human creativity in a time which necessitates living in harmony with the Earth.  I just loved it from the get go:  orientation of the house (including the kitchen window) toward the east, wide and open porch on the east (fitting for yoga, meditation, and communing with a visiting cat), use of rainwater, power provided by solar and wind, quiet retreat, dark skies at night, graciousness of hosts (Bill and Stacey Hurlin), inspiring artwork (especially by Stacey), willingness to share by hosts and neighbors.

http://www.sweetwaterfairfield.com/
http://www.abundanceecovillage.com/press/
http://anastasiafineart.com/bio.php

Deeper and Richer

These days, I seem to be getting out of the habit of blogging.  Thoughts continue to flow.  And they are deeper and richer. 

Friday, August 10, 2012

Farm Tour

Way back when the growing season was fresh and new, we scheduled a farm tour of Butterfly Hill Farm for Sunday, August, 12, 2-4pm.  Yep, that's day after tomorrow. 

So what's on the agenda?  We'll share what's been going on here, and what we have learned from the ups and downs of growing our own food.  While sitting at the table saving seeds, Richard says in his usual quiet voice with a touch of wry wit:  "Come look at our dry plants." 

This is not intended to be a time when you hear the 3 Crawfords talk as if we were the center of some Garden Universe.  It is rather a time when we all share.  We go a lot farther that way.

Off the Beaten Path

If you are a regular follower of this blog, you probably have noted that I have recently been a little removed from creating posts.  As of late, I have been on some marvelous adventures off the beaten path.  My arms were simply not long enough to reach the computer and I have had no desire to place a detour on my path to sit in that chair in front of this boxed in rectangular screen.  My heart has been (and is) fully embracing some treasures that are important on my own growing journey.  I'll be back.  Soon.

In the meantime, the cup of tea on the window ledge and the Goldfinch who is no doubt perched on the Sunflower are calling me to return.