Thursday, February 2, 2017

finding balance


I need to work on the balance in my life. It's a lesson I'd rather not have to learn again. Therefore I plan to avoid all social media, well, not blogs, til Monday. No FB, no Twitter. I'm going to work outside. I'm going to get my hands in the dirt. I'm going to go out with my sister and explore Old Town Rosenberg. I'm going to finish the model I started and didn't finish because all the previous stuff came out of the kiln. I'm going to do what I can do to nurture the earth, enjoy a relationship, and bring beauty into the world. I have to detach and remember the divine flame within, that flame that inhabits all of creation and makes us one even if I don't care for this particular expression of the TATI* that I find myself in. However, don't think that this signals acceptance. No no. As my friend Reya says, this is a marathon, not a sprint. We have years of resistance ahead of us and it won't do to get burned out early. There is nothing I can do to prevent anything that will happen in the next four days.

I've been engaging in a lot of physical activity this week and last but as often as not I'm still awake 2 or 3 or 4 hours a night. Consequently I've been sleeping late, not rising until about 8:30. Since it seems to be spring here I've been cutting back all the dead foliage from the hard freeze. Ginger, yellow bells, confederate rose, morning glory bush, jasmine, Philippine violet, firecracker bush, and lantana one day, the century plant and the roses the next. 

I also finally dug up one of the large clumps of yellow butterfly iris that was crowding out two of the roses. That took me well over an hour and I cracked the handle of my shovel doing it. I still need to dig the other one up as well but they both got severe haircuts. 

remember this from last April?

it looks like this now

There are piles of debris everywhere, thorny stacks of rose cuttings, a trail of dead foliage and branches as I worked my way around the yard.

one of many

The azaleas will no longer be constrained and are starting to bloom about 6 weeks early. The red shouldered hawks are soaring in the sky calling for mates. The mosquito hawks are coming out. The birds are all chirpy. A woodpecker is hammering away at some piece of metal outside showing off for the girls and a wren is fussing at the cat every time she goes out. All kinds of new and regenerative growth is coming out. And it is barely February.



I harvested two big heads of broccoli last Sunday and made broccoli cheese soup, some for now and some for the freezer. I need to get the raised beds in order and build a new one since we plan to plant more food this year. And I got the satsuma orange planted.



The weather has been warm and dry all week, dry as in no rain but also as in not humid, and last week as well though today is cooler and overcast and wet and it's supposed to rain today. 


Perhaps I'll update my website today.

*The All That Is




19 comments:

  1. Seeing those little shoots of green sprouting out of the earth is so encouraging . . . we still have snow and cold weather. It is 10 degrees here and I am chilled to the bone. If I were having your weather I would be out getting my hands dirty too. There is nothing quite so calming to the soul and working in the garden. Have a glorious day!
    Connie :)

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  2. Interesting that things are already starting to bloom. I can't wait to see spring photos.

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  3. My azaleas are blooming too. They are so confused. However, I am enjoying the cool mornings and warm days. I agree that "escape" is necessary!
    Lesley

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    1. It's an effort. so far I have resisted logging on to find out what's going on. mornings are the hardest.

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  4. A bit jealous, except not ready for the time and energy that my yard is going to require this spring. With the fight with Mexico, the local workers at the nearby landscape place may not be back to help us. We will be on our own! I am getting old, so may have to adjust just how many flower beds I need rather than want. Very mild winter here. Two light and small snowfalls and that is all.

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    1. if either one closes the border the US will find out just how much it needs labor from Mexico. americans are too lazy to do the work for poor pay. I should be restricting any new flower beds but I'm planning on putting in a new one this spring.

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  5. My front garden was buried in a foot of snow Monday, and all is melted today. I need to take a look at all the bulbs pushing up.

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  6. I too have been very busy doing all the jobs I normally just skip. Need the distraction and in so doing this cleaning up, I've found things, gotten rid of things and it has been very freeing. I hope the same for you my friend.

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  7. It's cold out so I've spent the day online looking for cars. I thought I'd look at Suburbans. Have you seen the price of those? When did Trump put his greedy mitts on cars? They are way out of my league so I thought okay, another truck. Well, the last truck I bought was 32K. They are now in the fifties. What? A truck that costs that much? Unbelievable.

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    1. I think we paid 14K for our stripped down basic Ford pick up with standard transmission.

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  8. Beautiful pictures, Ellen. That last shot is mind-blowing.
    I, too, feel myself drawing away from social media. I, too, want to recognize what is good and true and from-the-dirt right now. Not to mention family.
    I don't know. I just don't know. I bet your soup was so very good.

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  9. Mmmmm...broccoli cheese soup! I think staying off social media for a time is a healthy thing. I still don't ever use Twitter, and I'm not planning to start! I've been avoiding FB too. Getting down in the dirt sounds like a good idea, too. Maybe we'll do some of that this weekend.

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  10. I am feeling the same Ellen. I feel that Canada is in peril as well, but I deeply saddened for the US. I needed to slow way down on Facebook, which was easy to do because we are in Tulum for two weeks. We have been here 3 days and I feel so much better already. I also bought and brought with me The Book of Joy , Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu in conversations on lasting happiness in a changing world. I am going to start reading it today. Peace my friend.

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    1. even with your wonderful Prime Minister? what is it about humans that they get such glee in tearing things down?

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  11. Yes, it can't be healthy that I've been beginning each day by getting worked up at the latest headlines on line. A wander through the yard with pruning shears sounds wonderful.

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    1. it's only been a day and I can already tell my blood pressure is improving.

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  12. spring like there, nice to always play in the dirt

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I opened my big mouth, now it's your turn.