Yes, after not posting for a few weeks, I'm posting a bunch of stuff. Been busy with the house, farm, and weaving. Lots of weaving.
Which is why the writing, because weaving means thinking & meditating, not just doing. And eventually the brain gets full and things need to get put down on paper.
Right now I'm working on the Mountain table loom, which I've woven at in various places. My favorite place so far is sitting on a chair with my knees to either side of the loom, which is sitting on a chest.
So it occurred to me that this was a rather personal relationship to my work, much more so than the floor loom or drawing/painting at a desk. The floor loom I haven't done enough work on yet to know how I'll end up modifying my time with it -- it's large so I kind of feel like I'm hugging it or dancing with it, depending on what I'm doing. And now that I'm thinking on it, I tend to envelope my desk too (get up close, lean over things, etc.). Throwing on a pottery wheel is more of the same. I'm literally drawing the work into my creative center, and then the creation comes out and is revealed.
I pondered whether this could be the same for men, since they can't physically give birth to a baby, and decided that yes, it could be the same. They do after all contribute to creating life, and in the Eastern thinking, we all have our creative center in the same place, the Dan Tien. This is sort of in the middle of the torso (middle as in front to back), about 2 inches below the belly button. It is here that we store energy to be used as needed by us to move, think, heal, digest, etc.
I'm really enjoying the weaving. In the beginning I wasn't always crazy about all aspects of it, and of course I still have issues occasionally (probably always will), like last night when I cut off some of the scarves and tied the ends of the warp back on to the lead that winds onto the winding bar.... from the wrong side of the beater bar. Sigh.
But I've enjoyed learning the different rhythms of winding, warping, and even correcting errors. It's always a pleasure to take a moment and just look at what is being created before your eyes, and know that you had a part in it, too. And except for when I'm timing sections too see how I'm doing at improving my timing/weaving rhythm, I can stop to pet the cat when she comes by to say hello, or take a break to have tea and read a bit, or go out and bring in the laundry because the weather's threatening. These days, I'm enjoying crafting not only fabric, but also interweaving all the aspects of living life.
And that's life, isn't it. Plants don't grow in a vacuum, separate from one another, always getting the perfect amount of water, nutrients, sunlight, always the perfect weather. Animals don't always get all the food, shelter, or companionship they need or want, either. Life has limits and boundaries. We may push at these from time to time, and some limits should be pushed (like stretching ourselves to learn more, to think in different ways, do different things) -- other limits should be respected, like not abusing our resources.
I learn because I enjoy learning, but also because it sometimes helps me to be a better part of the whole picture. And I enjoy creating because that's part of how I am part of the whole picture.
Body, mind, and spirit, in balance. Good for druids, good for anyone.
Wednesday, 25 July 2007
ZOG
The title for this post is a reference to a tv show called Babylon 5. There are people seeking alliances in a great battle against an ancient enemy, and having to speak with races that don't commonly associate with the 'younger' species. One gives the response "ZOG" to the question of whether they will ally against the enemy. It remains unknown whether this means yes, no, or something else, until the great battle begins.
Energy tends to be treated by people as positive or negative. "Good" or "bad" energy. People like to label and categorize things, and things should only be in one category. But it's all relative to your perspective -- how a person, event, whatever -- affects you personally. Really, it doesn't make sense to refer to energy as good or bad, or even healthy and unhealthy. Excess energy that creates inflammation for instance, isn't unhealthy in and of itself, but the side effect of it being there is. What's _really_ bad is whatever caused the inflammation in the first place.
Energy is energy. It doesn't have human morals or intent; it just is. In reiki, chi gong, and tai chi, we do a lot of work with circulating energy, with bringing in energy and with clearing the channels. Sometimes people will refer to an area in a body being hot, cold, congested, or stuck.
You may have too little energy in one area and too much in another (the latter usually because it's trapped - circulation needs to be worked on).
When one works on self- or other-healing using energy, the goal is to cleanse the body of energy that is not helpful in healing the body, and to bring in energy that will be helpful. You take energy from the universe, but you also give it back. The energy you are giving back may be just the stuff that someone else needs. In this way we create balance within the body, and perhaps help someone else to do the same.
Zog.
Energy tends to be treated by people as positive or negative. "Good" or "bad" energy. People like to label and categorize things, and things should only be in one category. But it's all relative to your perspective -- how a person, event, whatever -- affects you personally. Really, it doesn't make sense to refer to energy as good or bad, or even healthy and unhealthy. Excess energy that creates inflammation for instance, isn't unhealthy in and of itself, but the side effect of it being there is. What's _really_ bad is whatever caused the inflammation in the first place.
Energy is energy. It doesn't have human morals or intent; it just is. In reiki, chi gong, and tai chi, we do a lot of work with circulating energy, with bringing in energy and with clearing the channels. Sometimes people will refer to an area in a body being hot, cold, congested, or stuck.
You may have too little energy in one area and too much in another (the latter usually because it's trapped - circulation needs to be worked on).
When one works on self- or other-healing using energy, the goal is to cleanse the body of energy that is not helpful in healing the body, and to bring in energy that will be helpful. You take energy from the universe, but you also give it back. The energy you are giving back may be just the stuff that someone else needs. In this way we create balance within the body, and perhaps help someone else to do the same.
Zog.
Water water everywhere...
This is a bit more on the hike on Mount Toby, but also about the spring on the hillside at the farm in Ashfield.
As we were going up Mt. Toby, I paused to give greeting to the stream there, and then asked if perhaps it knew the spring on the hillside. The mountains are some miles away from one another, but not so far in terms of water and land on a slightly more global scale. I pictured all I know of the lady of the spring, the waterfall, the land it flows through and over, and asked this stream if she knew my cousin. The reply was somewhat distant -- we weren't near the source -- but she allowed as they were acquainted. I asked if I should convey greetings of any sort, if only of our having met, and she said that yes, she thought I should give greeting to my sister. We parted then as it was time each of us went on our ways, but it was a very positive meeting and I think that helped my energy stay high for the long hike up the mountain.
It occurs to me that some folks might think it odd to refer to a spring, stream, fall, body of water as being kin. Yet it seemed completely natural to me at the time to refer to the Ashfield lady of the spring as my cousin. And it was special indeed to have that amended to sister. I am honored indeed.
We are all created out of the same beginning stuffs though, so kinship should not seem that strange, if one gives it some thought. I for one grew up with a number of aunts and uncles who were not blood-kin, but friends of my parents. And commonly Gaia is also called Mother Earth, so it seems only natural that one might find family elsewhere besides the usual human societal places.
As we were going up Mt. Toby, I paused to give greeting to the stream there, and then asked if perhaps it knew the spring on the hillside. The mountains are some miles away from one another, but not so far in terms of water and land on a slightly more global scale. I pictured all I know of the lady of the spring, the waterfall, the land it flows through and over, and asked this stream if she knew my cousin. The reply was somewhat distant -- we weren't near the source -- but she allowed as they were acquainted. I asked if I should convey greetings of any sort, if only of our having met, and she said that yes, she thought I should give greeting to my sister. We parted then as it was time each of us went on our ways, but it was a very positive meeting and I think that helped my energy stay high for the long hike up the mountain.
It occurs to me that some folks might think it odd to refer to a spring, stream, fall, body of water as being kin. Yet it seemed completely natural to me at the time to refer to the Ashfield lady of the spring as my cousin. And it was special indeed to have that amended to sister. I am honored indeed.
We are all created out of the same beginning stuffs though, so kinship should not seem that strange, if one gives it some thought. I for one grew up with a number of aunts and uncles who were not blood-kin, but friends of my parents. And commonly Gaia is also called Mother Earth, so it seems only natural that one might find family elsewhere besides the usual human societal places.
Sunday, 8 July 2007
House Hunting
Well, not in the usual sense.
Cyfnos Gwynt and her lady Jeni (and of course Carw Gwynt) know about my 'perfect moment' from some years ago... standing in the kitchen at Massasoit Street preparing parsley to dry, with the sun shining gently through the windows, and suddenly I had a moment of knowing that this was what I should be doing - accompanied by knowing that I'd be working on various arts and things around the home, and that people would come by to see and/or buy some of that artwork.
There was hillside out the door, open and grassy nearby. Some place out in the countryside.
When we were over for the barbecue party and then visiting with CF and Jen, Jen asked if I'd ever looked around the place, and I had to say that it hadn't really occurred to me to do so. I'd been perfectly content to know that this place was out there somewhere, and that if I could get on and stay on the right path, eventually I'd get there.
But it was an interesting thought, and I figured I could use the practice, so I've done a few directed meditations on it. Not perfect by any means, but I've gotten some more detail. I don't want to share all of it until I'm a little more sure of things, but I wanted to write down a little of it here. The initial room from years ago isn't in a house, it's a work room that's separate from a house, part of a barn/outbuilding structure. Big enough for herbal work and also other work with plants (like preparing flax), with several tables, counters, shelving, rafters. Windows for lighting. I don't know if people who haven't seen barns in real life know that barns can have windows, but depending on the function of the barn (or part of the barn), they can.
I'll write more later, but it's time to get ready to go up to the farm.
Cyfnos Gwynt and her lady Jeni (and of course Carw Gwynt) know about my 'perfect moment' from some years ago... standing in the kitchen at Massasoit Street preparing parsley to dry, with the sun shining gently through the windows, and suddenly I had a moment of knowing that this was what I should be doing - accompanied by knowing that I'd be working on various arts and things around the home, and that people would come by to see and/or buy some of that artwork.
There was hillside out the door, open and grassy nearby. Some place out in the countryside.
When we were over for the barbecue party and then visiting with CF and Jen, Jen asked if I'd ever looked around the place, and I had to say that it hadn't really occurred to me to do so. I'd been perfectly content to know that this place was out there somewhere, and that if I could get on and stay on the right path, eventually I'd get there.
But it was an interesting thought, and I figured I could use the practice, so I've done a few directed meditations on it. Not perfect by any means, but I've gotten some more detail. I don't want to share all of it until I'm a little more sure of things, but I wanted to write down a little of it here. The initial room from years ago isn't in a house, it's a work room that's separate from a house, part of a barn/outbuilding structure. Big enough for herbal work and also other work with plants (like preparing flax), with several tables, counters, shelving, rafters. Windows for lighting. I don't know if people who haven't seen barns in real life know that barns can have windows, but depending on the function of the barn (or part of the barn), they can.
I'll write more later, but it's time to get ready to go up to the farm.
Monday, 2 July 2007
Summer Solstice and Full Moon, Combined Ritual
I don't normally do anything really formal in observation of the full moon, but I had started something at Solstice and it seemed like a good time to finish it.
I had lavendar drying on a high shelf in the living room by the chimney -- it had been blessed by summer solstice rains as I collected it. I kept the bowl with the roses in water underneath it between solstice and the full moon, letting the essence of the rose passively infuse the lavendar.
I made little pouches from some of the fabric I've woven this year. In them I put some of the lavendar and the roses. I held them over the incense in the East, then over the candle in the South, then took a few drops of water from the bowl in the West to sprinkle in them, and then some salt from the cauldron in the North, asking for each quarter's blessings, guidance, and protection to be infused into these little sachets. The candle, water, and salt are the same that were in the cauldrons when we observed the Summer Solstice. The incense we're currently using is a mix of dried herbs, so not really possible to use twice.
Then I took thread and needle and sewed each one shut, sealing in these precious energies. There is still some of the lavendar left, which I'm going to put up in Z's room, being the highest point in the house. The water remaining in the blue bowl will stay by the chimney, which is at the center of our activities, until it's all evaporated into the house's environs.
The sachets are currently at rest by the bed, where I keep my current Crane bag and some other special things. We're both working on Crane bags more suited to our persons and our activities; when those are done, we can put the sachets in them.
Hmm. Maybe I need to warp up the Ahrens again, so I can start work on those at the same time I'm weaving scarves for Ashfield Fall Festival. If we work together the warping won't take long, and then we can each have fun building the bodies of our bags.
I had lavendar drying on a high shelf in the living room by the chimney -- it had been blessed by summer solstice rains as I collected it. I kept the bowl with the roses in water underneath it between solstice and the full moon, letting the essence of the rose passively infuse the lavendar.
I made little pouches from some of the fabric I've woven this year. In them I put some of the lavendar and the roses. I held them over the incense in the East, then over the candle in the South, then took a few drops of water from the bowl in the West to sprinkle in them, and then some salt from the cauldron in the North, asking for each quarter's blessings, guidance, and protection to be infused into these little sachets. The candle, water, and salt are the same that were in the cauldrons when we observed the Summer Solstice. The incense we're currently using is a mix of dried herbs, so not really possible to use twice.
Then I took thread and needle and sewed each one shut, sealing in these precious energies. There is still some of the lavendar left, which I'm going to put up in Z's room, being the highest point in the house. The water remaining in the blue bowl will stay by the chimney, which is at the center of our activities, until it's all evaporated into the house's environs.
The sachets are currently at rest by the bed, where I keep my current Crane bag and some other special things. We're both working on Crane bags more suited to our persons and our activities; when those are done, we can put the sachets in them.
Hmm. Maybe I need to warp up the Ahrens again, so I can start work on those at the same time I'm weaving scarves for Ashfield Fall Festival. If we work together the warping won't take long, and then we can each have fun building the bodies of our bags.
Sunday, 1 July 2007
Weirdness
Had a couple of dreams... The one I remember involved being at a large white building(s). It was long and sort of like two buildings, with open air and connecting walkways between the two halves. One half was for classes, training, networking, chatting, etc. The other half was for staying in for a short while. Some sort of confusing stuff happened with trying to find a place; L had set something up somewhere in the building. I went outside and was handed a fan, which had a handle and longer feathers sticking up on either side of the fan part, which made it sort of look like a "Y" with the v part filled in. On the fan were the names Harry on one half, Sally on the other half, and my name top and center. I was supposed to use this to help me find the place L had set up. Now, it's pretty funny having the names Harry and Sally, because of the movie When Harry Met Sally. But I'd done a little quick research on redtail hawks for a friend who wondered about their significance, and found that the Dine (Navajo) have feather fans, and one of them is a redtail hawk fan of 12 feathers. Half of the feathers represent men and male attributes, and the other half represent women and female attributes. I think my name being top/center was a combination of these attributes, and the Y shape was sort of like a dowsing stick (upside-down though, but that wouldn't be anything new for me).
I woke up before I could use it, but I'm guessing it's time to take the dowsing exercises outdoors. I've been thinking that for a while actually, but finding the time to go looking for ley lines has been difficult. Hm. I'll read up on it and try a couple of things... since one thing you can do is dowse on maps, and we have some topo maps. Plus, I'm decent with a pendulum already since I sometimes use one when doing reiki.
***
Yesterday we were going to go to the fleamarket in the morning, except that it's on Sundays not Saturdays. So I suggested stopping by the farm museum in Hadley, since we hadn't been there in a while. They've done some rearranging of things, added some stuff, refurbished one of the old rug looms and starting warping it, etc. We looked at various old farming equipment, starting with part of the first floor, then down into the basement, then another part of the first floor, then up to half of the second floor, then up to the narrow third floor (in the roof area). L knows what most of all of it is, of course; I knew a bunch of it, but not much about things like the milling and grinding type stuff, or some of the field equipment. Anyway, third floor was weaving and spinning equipment, some interesting bed frames, and 1800s types of crutches and stuff. I started getting nervous about where I put my feet. L was seemingly unaffected, and looking at things I knew the floor and barn was solid, and thought that maybe I was just a little nervous being on the third level. We went back down to the 2nd floor, to look at the other half of the floor, and the feeling came back. Both times it was at the same end of the building. Then we went on down, read some things by the entrance, talked some more with the curator, and left to go to the barbecue party in Sunderland.
The party was a post-wedding/early going away party (the couple is moving to Oklahoma at the end of July). We visited with various folks, part of that time being with Cyfnos Gwynt and her lady J. I was little curious about her most recent dream, not that much detail could be gone into at a party, but mostly about the general nature. We talked about a few things, but I was still a little tapped into the dream talk and travelling discussion as well, when suddenly I was surrounded by a turbulence of fear and terror; I wanted to cry from the strength of the feelings. I managed to have the presence mind to put up an SoP, and concentrate on feeling/being protected, and pushed back at the sensations. Although it was a piece of something from the not-near future, it was a reflection of a time of violence, distress, and chaos that encompassed the area of Sunderland we were in down to Hadley (two towns that are a few miles apart), and probably out to at least the periphery of adjacent towns.
Looking back, I realized I was getting parts of this over the past winter/spring, but attributed at least some of it to the normal anxiety of doing research on peak oil, climate change, etc. and trying to get an idea of the whole picture.
In discussions with CG after the party (left after a while - the music there was bothersome after some time), she mentioned her theory that Holyoke would end up being an island of sorts (has hydroelectric dam, among other things), although it wouldn't be immune to issues. But that may be why I've been more sheltered previously. Also, have been spending more time in various types of meditation -- got a lot of weaving done, too...
***
So, think I'll spend some more time doing some directed meditation on particular subjects. I don't know as I want to do much with what I experienced yesterday, but I'm going to work on visiting my dream house, among other things. And work with dowsing too, of course. And maybe I'll go back this week and look at the song I wrote a few weeks ago.
I woke up before I could use it, but I'm guessing it's time to take the dowsing exercises outdoors. I've been thinking that for a while actually, but finding the time to go looking for ley lines has been difficult. Hm. I'll read up on it and try a couple of things... since one thing you can do is dowse on maps, and we have some topo maps. Plus, I'm decent with a pendulum already since I sometimes use one when doing reiki.
***
Yesterday we were going to go to the fleamarket in the morning, except that it's on Sundays not Saturdays. So I suggested stopping by the farm museum in Hadley, since we hadn't been there in a while. They've done some rearranging of things, added some stuff, refurbished one of the old rug looms and starting warping it, etc. We looked at various old farming equipment, starting with part of the first floor, then down into the basement, then another part of the first floor, then up to half of the second floor, then up to the narrow third floor (in the roof area). L knows what most of all of it is, of course; I knew a bunch of it, but not much about things like the milling and grinding type stuff, or some of the field equipment. Anyway, third floor was weaving and spinning equipment, some interesting bed frames, and 1800s types of crutches and stuff. I started getting nervous about where I put my feet. L was seemingly unaffected, and looking at things I knew the floor and barn was solid, and thought that maybe I was just a little nervous being on the third level. We went back down to the 2nd floor, to look at the other half of the floor, and the feeling came back. Both times it was at the same end of the building. Then we went on down, read some things by the entrance, talked some more with the curator, and left to go to the barbecue party in Sunderland.
The party was a post-wedding/early going away party (the couple is moving to Oklahoma at the end of July). We visited with various folks, part of that time being with Cyfnos Gwynt and her lady J. I was little curious about her most recent dream, not that much detail could be gone into at a party, but mostly about the general nature. We talked about a few things, but I was still a little tapped into the dream talk and travelling discussion as well, when suddenly I was surrounded by a turbulence of fear and terror; I wanted to cry from the strength of the feelings. I managed to have the presence mind to put up an SoP, and concentrate on feeling/being protected, and pushed back at the sensations. Although it was a piece of something from the not-near future, it was a reflection of a time of violence, distress, and chaos that encompassed the area of Sunderland we were in down to Hadley (two towns that are a few miles apart), and probably out to at least the periphery of adjacent towns.
Looking back, I realized I was getting parts of this over the past winter/spring, but attributed at least some of it to the normal anxiety of doing research on peak oil, climate change, etc. and trying to get an idea of the whole picture.
In discussions with CG after the party (left after a while - the music there was bothersome after some time), she mentioned her theory that Holyoke would end up being an island of sorts (has hydroelectric dam, among other things), although it wouldn't be immune to issues. But that may be why I've been more sheltered previously. Also, have been spending more time in various types of meditation -- got a lot of weaving done, too...
***
So, think I'll spend some more time doing some directed meditation on particular subjects. I don't know as I want to do much with what I experienced yesterday, but I'm going to work on visiting my dream house, among other things. And work with dowsing too, of course. And maybe I'll go back this week and look at the song I wrote a few weeks ago.
A Walk, a talk, a hope
***
Ended up making the walk up the hill the next day instead, and found that the cemetery people had picked up most of the larger pieces of trash. I had to pause near the beginning of my walk because there was a discontented spirit in the cemetery, by Louise R and her son's stone. She was distressed over what was happening in the world, with people not using resources wisely. That's not exactly how she put it, of course... more like, why aren't people saving their money properly, why are they wasting food? Why do they leave things laying around, letting the world look terrible and letting things get neglected and falling apart? Why aren't they taking care of things so that my grandchildren and the children in the future have a good place to live? I agreed that this was so, and that there were many bad things happening right now, but some of it was unavoidable since change is unavoidable, and that we the living would just have to do the best we could to do right things. Her agitation subsided and I didn't feel anything from her on a later walk up the hill with L.
I did do a fair amount of picking up of not only the gate area, but also back down to our house... cigarette butts, a smashed bic pen, a broken balloon, various small pieces of paper and broken glass, some pieces of plastic.
***
Was corresponding with flidaisairmid on her LJ about planting trees as part of being in AODA and fulfilling the curriculum reqs, and told her a bit about our trees here. I can't say I've planted one specifically for AODA yet, although we have plans for trees up at the farm -- details to be worked out still, of course. But in the meantime I can continue to work with the trees here. The sugar maple was here when we bought the house, and is a fine and handsome tree. Very large and for the most part doesn't need our assistance, but we have watered it on occasion during very dry summers, and this past spring I was taking what snow I could and putting some against the roots around the base to try to increase the heat/cold contrast for it (what gets the sap going), and putting other snow in a curved pile on the drip line. The dwarf apple trees we planted about 5 years ago; the liberty is doing well, and even started giving us apples a few years earlier than the garden place said she would. I have a little thinning out to do this week, so that she isn't overburdened and also the apples will be a bit larger as a result. She and the other apple get extra water from time to time, as they're still on the young side. The other apple is a Granny Smith, and has a different growing habit and also has had more trouble adjusting to living here. I've changed the type of plants growing around her and she seems happier this year. Still suffering from some rust, but this year is the longest she's managed to retain her apples!
When I first was talking about trees with flidaisairmid, I'd forgotten to mention the Japanese Maple; I think because she was never a project kind of tree -- not a fruit or nut tree. Our next door neighbors in Northampton had planted one many years ago, and I'd grown up with it, thinking it was one of the most beautiful trees. After many years it finally had a few babies, a couple of which were growing on my parents' property in the side bed of pacchysandra. When L and I moved from there, I gathered up as many of my personal plants as I could, plus samplings of some of my favorites of my folks plants, and potted up one of the baby Japanese Maples as well -- it was feeling adventurous :) It had to stay in a pot for a year, because first we ended up living in Sunderland in an apartment, before we found the house in Holyoke, where we are now. I found the best spot I could in the backyard. I knew it could tolerate a fair amount of shade, but wanted some sun for it. I worried a little about it getting enough, but the nearest maple (backyard neighbor's yard) was doing very poorly and would likely be coming down in a few years. Then I worried when the backyard neighbor decided to plant shade bushes against the fence. And this year she could use a tiny bit of trimming of a few dead minor branchings. Overall though, I believe she's thriving, and has a graceful form. I shall definitely miss her when we move again. She started putting out seeds a year or so ago, but of course none of them have taken yet, either through lack of complete maturity or lack of numbers to survive being eaten by squirrels. Japanese Maple aren't native to New England, and they are such slow growers and of a curving nature so they don't make good lumber either, so it's a good thing they aren't overly productive here, because then they would become a 'pest' tree. It's my hope though to save a few of the seeds and maybe try to grow one after we've moved. I'd like to bring a friend from home. They make excellent understory trees, and you can grow ground covers and shade plants under/near them; sometimes an exotic can belong in a strange land.
That's certainly my hope and intention when we move to Ashfield. Being half English and half Chinese (with distant smatterings of Scottish and I think Isle of Guernsey), I've never belonged to any one group in a racial sense. Caucasians tend to treat Eurasians as Asian, and Asians treat them as Caucasian. You can either resent this sort of thing or learn to ignore it. Fortunately Ashfield isn't your usual stereotypical small town. Interesting people have come to live there, or are from there and went out to do interesting things in the world before coming back. They have a thriving arts community too. So, I'll sort of belong to the local people by marriage, and belong to the arts community. Most people have a need to figure out what 'category' you're in -- makes them feel more comfortable and more accepting. This is both good for me personally, and will hopefully be good for the community, when we start doing different things like trying out different crops, different ways of doing things around the house/farm -- they may even like some of these things and try them for themselves :) They and we have all sorts of knowledge and experience worth sharing.
Ended up making the walk up the hill the next day instead, and found that the cemetery people had picked up most of the larger pieces of trash. I had to pause near the beginning of my walk because there was a discontented spirit in the cemetery, by Louise R and her son's stone. She was distressed over what was happening in the world, with people not using resources wisely. That's not exactly how she put it, of course... more like, why aren't people saving their money properly, why are they wasting food? Why do they leave things laying around, letting the world look terrible and letting things get neglected and falling apart? Why aren't they taking care of things so that my grandchildren and the children in the future have a good place to live? I agreed that this was so, and that there were many bad things happening right now, but some of it was unavoidable since change is unavoidable, and that we the living would just have to do the best we could to do right things. Her agitation subsided and I didn't feel anything from her on a later walk up the hill with L.
I did do a fair amount of picking up of not only the gate area, but also back down to our house... cigarette butts, a smashed bic pen, a broken balloon, various small pieces of paper and broken glass, some pieces of plastic.
***
Was corresponding with flidaisairmid on her LJ about planting trees as part of being in AODA and fulfilling the curriculum reqs, and told her a bit about our trees here. I can't say I've planted one specifically for AODA yet, although we have plans for trees up at the farm -- details to be worked out still, of course. But in the meantime I can continue to work with the trees here. The sugar maple was here when we bought the house, and is a fine and handsome tree. Very large and for the most part doesn't need our assistance, but we have watered it on occasion during very dry summers, and this past spring I was taking what snow I could and putting some against the roots around the base to try to increase the heat/cold contrast for it (what gets the sap going), and putting other snow in a curved pile on the drip line. The dwarf apple trees we planted about 5 years ago; the liberty is doing well, and even started giving us apples a few years earlier than the garden place said she would. I have a little thinning out to do this week, so that she isn't overburdened and also the apples will be a bit larger as a result. She and the other apple get extra water from time to time, as they're still on the young side. The other apple is a Granny Smith, and has a different growing habit and also has had more trouble adjusting to living here. I've changed the type of plants growing around her and she seems happier this year. Still suffering from some rust, but this year is the longest she's managed to retain her apples!
When I first was talking about trees with flidaisairmid, I'd forgotten to mention the Japanese Maple; I think because she was never a project kind of tree -- not a fruit or nut tree. Our next door neighbors in Northampton had planted one many years ago, and I'd grown up with it, thinking it was one of the most beautiful trees. After many years it finally had a few babies, a couple of which were growing on my parents' property in the side bed of pacchysandra. When L and I moved from there, I gathered up as many of my personal plants as I could, plus samplings of some of my favorites of my folks plants, and potted up one of the baby Japanese Maples as well -- it was feeling adventurous :) It had to stay in a pot for a year, because first we ended up living in Sunderland in an apartment, before we found the house in Holyoke, where we are now. I found the best spot I could in the backyard. I knew it could tolerate a fair amount of shade, but wanted some sun for it. I worried a little about it getting enough, but the nearest maple (backyard neighbor's yard) was doing very poorly and would likely be coming down in a few years. Then I worried when the backyard neighbor decided to plant shade bushes against the fence. And this year she could use a tiny bit of trimming of a few dead minor branchings. Overall though, I believe she's thriving, and has a graceful form. I shall definitely miss her when we move again. She started putting out seeds a year or so ago, but of course none of them have taken yet, either through lack of complete maturity or lack of numbers to survive being eaten by squirrels. Japanese Maple aren't native to New England, and they are such slow growers and of a curving nature so they don't make good lumber either, so it's a good thing they aren't overly productive here, because then they would become a 'pest' tree. It's my hope though to save a few of the seeds and maybe try to grow one after we've moved. I'd like to bring a friend from home. They make excellent understory trees, and you can grow ground covers and shade plants under/near them; sometimes an exotic can belong in a strange land.
That's certainly my hope and intention when we move to Ashfield. Being half English and half Chinese (with distant smatterings of Scottish and I think Isle of Guernsey), I've never belonged to any one group in a racial sense. Caucasians tend to treat Eurasians as Asian, and Asians treat them as Caucasian. You can either resent this sort of thing or learn to ignore it. Fortunately Ashfield isn't your usual stereotypical small town. Interesting people have come to live there, or are from there and went out to do interesting things in the world before coming back. They have a thriving arts community too. So, I'll sort of belong to the local people by marriage, and belong to the arts community. Most people have a need to figure out what 'category' you're in -- makes them feel more comfortable and more accepting. This is both good for me personally, and will hopefully be good for the community, when we start doing different things like trying out different crops, different ways of doing things around the house/farm -- they may even like some of these things and try them for themselves :) They and we have all sorts of knowledge and experience worth sharing.
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