Ch Ch Ch Changing

The above is a photograph I took recently of a barn on my uncle's property. Things have changed a bit there since my childhood. No longer is this barn surrounded by cows and horses grazing contentedly on green pastures. No longer are the lofts stuffed with hay or the tack room lined with saddles. But as some things in our lives change some part of them always stays the same. For me I will always love the aroma of hay and leather and they still have the power to transport me to another world full of adventures.

Some of my friends think I've been doing some changing myself although I don't really see it. I think the difference is I have always been this person on "the inside" and now have begun to live it "externally". I think you call that being more authentic. All those thoughts, ideas, "voices" I'm now letting out to make their way in the world and the I cant's are diminishing. One of the sources of letting those "voices" out has been through blogging. I am not writing much on this blog these days but this marks that blogosphere milestone of being my 100th post. The whole writing thing came after suggestions from a few friends and then my husband telling me to write it down so I did. I wrote my first post on August 26, 2008, which I guess means I have also just had an anniversary of sorts although at first it was a private journal only. This did help sort some thoughts, but then a few months later I read my first blog, yes I had never even read a blog before. Shortly after that I went public and began to read and write more. I have found this form of opening up and sharing with others therapeutic and probably the anonymity of it all made it easier. I now don't have so many voices in my head bouncing around and running into each other, arguing and debating life. I have gotten out this year and done many of the things I only thought of before and have so much yet to do. So to all of you out there in blogland I say thank you for inspiring and motivating me, for sharing your time and listening to my voice.

Life's a Beach

It can be quite odd when your office is at the beach, on an island actually. I have a schedule and wear clothes, many times feeling a bit overdressed, while everyone around me is on "island time" and walking about in basically their underwear. I'm sure these people wouldn't be caught dead walking onto their porch at home in their actual underwear yet here they walk or bike around town in even less. Since we are becoming more populated by year rounders I do see more people in the stores actually dressed now but there are still those walking around in nothing more than butt skimming sheer cover ups and I have in the past walked by girls in bikini's in the grocery aisle. The oddest thing is that no one finds this odd and most don't give it a second thought. What would it be like where you live to pass someone walking around in their underwear pushing a shopping cart while going about their daily chores? On the plus side our business attire is shorts and sandals or loafers. It is strange here to see someone in a tie and do they still make hose, not sure if they even sell those torture devises around here. If you are spotted wearing anything like that you are immediately outed as a salesperson in town for the day. On occassion we feel a need or desire to dress up so we may break out the khaki's.

Alien in the Garden

In my studies of permaculture this summer I have learned a lot of interesting things and a few I wish I could wipe from my memory. I am mostly speaking of the interplay between the many little creatures that crawl, hop, and buzz all around us. It is like something out of a horror movie, in fact one is believed to have inspired the movie Alien and it began a showing in my garden last night. I am speaking of the wasp vs. the caterpillar and to keep from creeping myself out with the details (hint - the 1st movie showing how the Alien is incubated and then "born") you can read more here if you are so inclined. Also I did not take a picture, in fact I do not want to go back, and definitely don't wish to record one here for eternity so here is a link to what it looks like right now. The interesting part though is the plants role in this, who knew a plant could send out an SOS. By the way, if you can't tell by his gruesome actions, the wasp is the beneficial one and for the healthiest garden you have to sometimes just walk away. I am learning that in order for nature to be in balance the best thing I can do is stay out of it's way.


I didn't take a picture of the poor little worm but wanted to show you the canteloupe the horses planted, yes that's my manure compost pile. This isn't the first garden they have attempted to grow, once they gave me back some beautiful watermelon plants, that is until the deer ate them. Who says gardening has to be so complicated, just enjoy a cool watermelon on a sunny day, give what's left to the equine, and then let nature do all the work :). This is an aged pile so if I can beat the deer it should be safe to transplant it and see what happens.

Update: Well I was too late, when I checked after work today the canteloupe was gone roots an all. They probably chowed it down last night, hope it was enjoyed.

Tattoo

Tattoo's have come up in conversation a bit lately so I thought I would explore the topic here. Feelings about tattoo's can be controversial so I hope no one takes offense one way or the other from this post. While some people view it as the body being used as a canvas for a work of art, others see it as defilement. That word did come up in a conversation about tattoo's recently so what exactly does it mean. The definition of defilement is to make filthy or dirty or to make unclean or unfit for ceremonial use; desecrate: defile a temple. Hmmm, I always thought tattoo's were a part of ceremony in many cultures, a way of marking landmarks in one's life. I personally do not have a tattoo (yet anyway), but many of my family members and friends do. In most cases I see their tattoo's as a visual narration of their life or either as an outward expression of an inward journey. I gain much insight into who they are from hearing the stories, meanings, and their feelings behind each one. To me they are a form of expression, kind of a pictorial freedom of speech. If you have a tattoo, or even imagine what you would get if you had one (that'd be me), I would love to hear your story.

The visual pictorial above is of my step-sister's story. The circle on her back is her birth sign representing the day she was born and the tree, a work in progress, symbolizes the tree of life. The art work is of an actual Live Oak tree that has special meaning for her. (Getting off topic, but adding to the uniqueness of Live Oak trees, you can see my feelings about them from what I have written before here.) Getting back to the image, you can also see my favorite, her sons baby handprint. She has now added her second sons handprint as he was just about to be born when this photograph was taken.

Beltline - Battle or Ballet

I recently attended some workshops in Raleigh, NC. The classes I found to be enjoyable but driving on the beltline not so much. Although I used to live in this area, before the population and road system became what it is today, I now am very much a small town girl. The beltline is three and four lanes of steady in a hurry commuters. The most intimidating part for me though are it's continuous on and off ramps, and heaven forbid you are not in the correct lane when you get to your exit. It feels like you are being charged on in battle, not only being trapped from both sides, in front, and barrelling down on you from behind, but they are constantly charging down on you from off ramps, one after the other, like a battalion of warriors coming down from the cliffs above. As I was in the middle of what seemed to be chaos, feeling assaulted and attacked, I began to wonder if from a birds eye view that this may look like a well choreographed dance. My problem was that I had wondered on stage and didn't know the steps.

Potential

This billboard was ironically outside the hotel I was staying at while attending a workshop. I was down in South Carolina this past week working on a green building certification and seeing this billboard gave me much pause for thought. What is potential and is it a fixed element or are the possibilities endless? One definition of potential is the inherit ability or capacity for growth, development, or coming into being. "Coming into being", I really like the sound of that and inherit is to gain as one's right or portion. Another definition is existing in possibility, capable of development into actuality. This signifies to me that an action is required. Just imagine that whatever we can dream our life to be is just right there waiting to be claimed if we just step up and go for it. We are only limited by our vision and our determination to bring it into being.

Many Paths

"To become a complete person, we must travel many paths, and to truly own anything we must first of all give it away. This is not a riddle. Only those who share their multiple and varied skills, true friendships, and a sense of community and knowledge of the earth know they are safe wherever they go."

Bill Mollison

Playing Tag

I was tagged a few weeks ago. I always want to play these games but never get around to it. You can see by the date when I started this post and am now just answering the questions, a little slack if I do say so myself. I always feel honored to be thought of so here goes a little about me, maybe more than you want to know :) .

What is your current obsession?

Permaculture, Passive Solar, Sustainable Living, and Green Construction Methods.

What is your weirdest obsession?

Maybe my fascination with how all things are interconnected and dependent on one another down to the smallest microorganism. I imagine touching the ground and being able to feel the heartbeat of the planet resonate through my entire being.

Or some may say it's my donkey :) .

What are you wearing today?

White jeans, sage green and white top and sandals.

What's for dinner?

Spinach salad with lots of veggies from the garden

What would you eat for your last meal?

Since it's summer it would have to include fresh melons and berries of all kinds. My favorite meal, however, is not about a certain food but having a hodgepodge of things like a lot of appetizers and sharing it with a group. Oh, and finger foods, I think everything taste better eaten with your fingers. Doesn't the image of me sticking my fingers in everything and passing to you sound so appetizing :)

What's the last thing you bought?

Fresh blueberries and roasted peanuts at the roadside produce stand, my favorite place to shop.

What are you listening to right now?

I have a classic rock station on from the internet and right now 38 Special is playing.

What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

Hands down Breyers Rocky Road.

What do you think of the person that tagged you?

Amazing incredible soul. Her talent with words is beyond what I can hope to describe, she moves me, she pulls me in. Her talent for being in the moment and describing it is magical. Her photographic style is so unique and so Sheila. It's like she is truly touching life with her soul and then expressing it back to you in way so you can feel it also.

If you could have a house today totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be?

Well, I live on a small farm on which I have horses, in a small coastal town in NC .... that's hard to beat. If I did move it would be to a warmer climate, no lows lower than high 40's in the winter and have lots of acreage with a comfortable cottage overlooking the ocean (for hubby) and contain a large lake or river running through it for me.

Which language do you want to learn?

Spanish

Who do you want to meet right now?

Goldie Hawn, I love how she is always smiling and so comfortable in her skin. She is also the founder of a great educational mindfulness program that I would love to learn more about.

What is your favorite color?

That changes as I do but I always seem to come back to blue. My favorite shade of blue would be somewhere between teal and turquoise.

What is your favorite piece of clothing in your wardrobe?

Light weight jogging pants and a tank top (really they are undershirts, shhhh)

What is your favorite quote?

It's not the destination, it's the journey

What is your dream job?

Having an educational site for permaculture, passive solar and sustainable living and teaching workshops and seminars. On that site having a market where I could sell my own organic compost, fertilizers etc. along with handmade nature oriented crafts such as bird houses from scrap material (repurposing).

What is your favorite magazine?

The only magazines I get now are Home Builder magazines, like it when they have a good green article. I used to like Better Home and Garden.

If you had $100 dollars now what would you spend it on?

Right now, fruit or pecan trees once I decide exactly where I want to put them.

Who is your favorite designer?

Anyone who can make me a pair a jeans that really fit me, currently that is Levi 550 Relaxed Boot Cut (does that count as a designer)

Describe your personal style?

Comfortable! I would love to be bohemian chic, but mostly I'm just plane jane blue jeans (and barefoot, my signature would be dirty bare feet)

(Dawn I want to count the picture for this post as self portrait #1 & it may be the only one)

What are you going to do after this?

Give the horses hay then catch up on your blogs

What are your favorite movies?

Pirates of the Caribbean

What's your favorite fruit?

All of them, loooove fruit. I guess if I have to pick it's blueberries or watermelon.

What inspires you?

Stories of everyday people doing great things (even if they seem like small accomplishments)

Nature and its amazing ability to take care of itself and us if we only let it

My family

Your blogs, many have warmed my heart, made me smile or laugh, motivated me to do more

What music do you like this week?

Almost always classic rock, my favorite is Credence

What is something you know with every fiber of your being?

The love of family, me for them, them for me

The rules:

1. Respond & rework; answer the question on your blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your invention, add one more question of your own.

(OK, I only changed the currency on one, it was 100 pounds)

2. Tag five other people, I'm tagging the following people:

Again I want to break the rule because I honestly want all who come here to do this (this includes you guys especially). I follow all your blogs and would love to learn more about you.

That being said, it is kind of fun to see yourself actually mentioned on someone else's blog so I will pick five, but again others please play.

Sherry - Everyday Possibilities

Dawn - Today and Everyday

Deb - Drivin 55

C-ingspots

Hayseeds and Horsefeathers

What's On Your Mind?

"What you think upon grows. Whatever you allow to occupy your mind you magnify in your life. Whether the subject of your thought be good or bad, the law works and the condition grows. Any subject that you keep out of your mind tends to diminish in your life, because what you do not use atrophies. ---"

Emmet Fox from Make Your Life Worthwhile, 1942

Simple Joy

Who says you have to spend a lot of money.


A scrap piece of wood

A hay tie down strap

And a faithful ole Oak tree

Still enjoying the swing my husband & nephew made, I've even seen hubby swinging a time or two. How many of you still love to swing? Besides being meditative, it also cools you down in the heat of the day, great for little work breaks in the shade.

Revenge of the Birds

We love all the different birds that visit or live on our property, but I have to say we are just as (if not more) partial to the squirrels. Other people complain about the squirrels getting into their bird feeders and we put up squirrel feeders. While others are swapping tips on how to keep them away we are enjoying watching them scurry around and play. I mean really, look at that face and they are all such characters as well.

Last year my husband had some scrap wood so he built this little house that we would occasionally put some nuts or corn in through the winter. Well this spring the birds seemed to say thank you very much and proceeded to move right in. Now, instead of being a squirrel hang out, it has become a bird duplex.

Not only have they commandeered the squirrel house, I think they eat more cat food than the cats. Of course the Blue Jays have always been brazen and seem to feed only on cat food at times, but now other birds are following suit. The other morning a Blue Jay was at the bowl getting his standard breakfast and a Brown Thrasher was standing in line behind him waiting his turn. I guess I will just stand back and applaud them for going after what they want.

Family Fun

Hmmm, I've been at a loss for words. OK, all those who know me can get up from rolling on the floor with laughter now. I have lots going on but just no words to put on paper, plus you just wonder sometimes how it could possibly interest anyone else. I will say we had a great time with the family visit last weekend, enjoying loads of fun, love, laughter and of course food. I think I did alright for someone who's claim to fame doesn't include any hostessing skills. We visited and the ladies rode the horses while my nephew hung out with my husband. Everyone thanked him for entertaining Sammy, but I wondered who was really entertaining who? I am still reaping one of the benefits from their male bonding, they made us a tree swing which I have enjoyed all week, yeah.

The top picture was taken by my step-sister Lynne. What a special moment she captured with my sweetheart C C and my niece Hannah. The last picture was taken by my daughter Kristin, she got a lot of great photos for me that day so I could visit and play a little.

Before I leave I do want to pass on the recipe for pies I made, they were a big hit. I give thanks to Willow over at Willow Manor and if you don't read her blog here is the link for the pies. Yummy and so easy, that part is important for me :).

Also I would like to wish everyone a Happy and Safe Memorial Day Weekend and more importantly thank all those who serve or have served in our military forces.

Enthusiasm

Enthusiasm: a feeling of lively interest, positive expectancy. We have all heard and believe the saying by Mr. Cousins that “laughter is the best medicine”. I propose that enthusiasm is very good medicine. What do men, women, children, parents, employers, co-workers, friends want? They want what we are all naturally drawn to - the apparent joy and happiness expressed by enthusiasm in “ourselves and others”. Without it, the destructive stress of too much “don’t want to” and “have to” and “shoulds” is significant. Depression, anxiety, negativity, procrastination, passive-aggressive behavior, lethargy and many other symptoms can result. Complaining becomes too central to the conversation. Most of us have responsibilities that are not always “fun” but if we lose our “want to” we can become increasingly negative in our interactions with ourselves and the world around us. There is no need to settle into helplessness or long for dreams far out of our reach. Look within your current context and practice looking for, and focusing on, specific “want tos” and build your mood there. Even specific positive details, no matter how seemingly minor, can improve your health.

Wayne Townsend (recent post from his website under the title Best Medicine)

I especially love the last few sentences and am presently working on filling my life with "want tos" and enthusiasm. Some of the things I'm enthusiastic about today are:

that our community garden is growing beautifully and all the plants are flourishing

that I got into an intriguing looking wetlands workshop next week

that my daughters lives are going so well and they are happy and healthy

that my family is coming down to the beach and spending the day with me tomorrow

What are you enthusiastic about today?

Expectation

"Energy follows thought;

we move toward, but not beyond,

what we can imagine.

What we assume, expect, or believe

creates and colors our experience.

By expanding our deepest beliefs

about what is possible,

we change our experience of life."

Dan Millman

I have found in my life that I live up to expectations whether they're from someone else or expectations I set for myself. The problem with this has been that too many times the bar has been set pretty low, sometimes even kicking up dust. They say the first step is acknowledging the problem and now it is time to start raising that bar.

A Mother's Day Story

In the past year my step sister and her family moved to a farm. They immediately jumped into the farm life, purchasing cows, chickens, horses, goats, and probably more I don't know about. This story is about their most recent additions. A cow on a neighbor's farm had twins and was only feeding one. Milly was a tiny calf and mom didn't feel she had enough for two; you know how that story goes in the wild. Lucky for Milly she wasn't born in the wild but next door to my step sister.


They took her in and for the last few weeks have been bottle feeding her. This week one of Lynne's cows named Sarah gave birth to a big boy they named Little John. Immediately Sarah took Milly in and began nursing her as well.


Little John is Sarah's first calf and even though she is a Jersey dairy cow with plenty of milk it is still beautiful how she has taken Milly in equally to her own calf. I love when a mom's love and instinct are so great she just cares for all who need her. Instead of having no mom, Milly ended up with several, a few human and one bovine. Not only is Milly now able to nurse from a momma cow, giving Lynne and the boys a break, Little John and Milly have bonded as well. Can I get an Ahhh for this one?

Happy Mother's Day to all of you who nurture and care for others, whomever or whatever they may be.

All the pictures are taken by Lynne. The top picture is Little John and the next is my nephew Sammy feeding Milly. Even though Milly is a few weeks older, she is the smaller one in the last two photo's.

Size Is Relevant

Five acres seems hardly enough when you are trying to provide grazing and exercise/play area for 2 1/2 horses*. Five acres is too much when you are trying to find a bull headed bull dog who has run into the woods hot on the trail of his favorite delight, deer poop. "Ain't I beautiful and I smell so good too, it's doggy cologne".

* 1/2 may be an exaggeration, donkeys don't need much .... maybe 1/4 is closer.

This is a recent picture, those are Live Oak leaves on the ground. As I said in my post The Majestic Live Oak, they shed in the spring.

Sometimes You Just Have To Move

I am sitting here listening to some great classic rock and doing a little chair dancing. It is the best chair dancing you've ever not seen. I know this because there is no one here to tell me otherwise :). I only dance alone, when I can be free to do whatever I want. My girls once walked in on me dancing around the house and said earnestly, "mom please never do that in public". You may, however, catch me chair dancing if you pull up next to me at a stoplight. Also, if you happen to pass by my office, you may occasionally catch me contorting around the room. Just think of me and realize it is not someone having a seizure. Any other fabulous chair or closet dancers out there?

I try to reference pictures that are not taken by me. This is obviously not mine and can only assume is a snippet from the show. I would like to think I am a better dancer than Elaine at least.

Quotes

I have a quote a day on my sidebar because I love to read new quotes each day. A recent quote was "The cat is the mirror of his human's mind .... the dog mirrors his human's physical appearance". I kept reading this quote and couldn't decide whether to like it or be scared by it :). Of course I think all my dogs have been gorgeous, and even though I think all my cats have been brilliant, each in his/her own way has been a bit off. Hmmm, that does kind of fit me, the bit off part that is. I wonder if this means that the horse mirrors his humans soul.

I have always had cats, but the current two resident cats pictured above are technically my daughter's cats. You know, those daughters that don't live here anymore. :).

Gardening Party

Here are some pictures from our afternoon of gardening. It was an absolutely wonderful afternoon. Everyone jumped right in and naturally found a place within our little garden cage. It seemed as if I just turned around and it was done. The kids were wonderful to be around and fabulous gardeners. I'm thinking of starting a business and hiring them out. Hmmm, what are those child labor laws again. All the ladies in our group are such wonderful women, each so unique yet we mesh so well together. It's as if we have a script and all come prepared each time we meet, knowing our lines and on our marks. I have found them all to be a blessing in my life.

In the picture above Pam is getting us started.

Kelly, our resident school teacher, is so great with the kids and leading lessons. Oh, and see the jersey's, it was soccer tournament weekend. Everyone that had a game that weekend won their championship, how cool was that.

Here we are down to the last row and still smiling. The children gave off nothing but happy, joyful and refreshing energy all afternoon. They left our property more blessed for their presence there.

After the plants were in their place, we moved on to my boys. They got pampered and loved on and were totally soaking it all up. Gappi even gave some donkey hugs.

One last stop before they left, catching tadpoles in the pond. It was catch and release so no tadpoles were harmed in the taking of this photo :). The day was perfect and a good time was had by all. Now we'll see how they like the weeding part. I'm told Beth's sons are great at that part, my back says yeah! I look forward to the day we are enjoying fresh tomato sandwiches together followed by sticky watermelon juice dripping off our chin.

Green and Gardens

I have written my first official post for the Coastal Green Alliance site. I also added a short comment to the opening post from earth day. The new post is on VOC's so if you are interested check it out at the link above and as always feedback would be greatly appreciated.

In other news, we planted our kids community garden this weekend. It went better than I could have imagined, the kids were absolutely fantastic. Before we started, Sue, one of the ladies from our group who is also a Wildlife Biologist, noticed this Brown Thrasher nesting in the bush next to the garden site. As the children gathered close to observe, one of the girls called it our little garden angel. In the picture above you can see one of the babies in front of mom, beak open wide, waiting to be fed. While we were planting, the vigilant and protective mom never left her nest. As soon as everyone left she came out and surveyed our work. I hope it met with her approval. Later I will post more pictures and information on our gardening party.

Update: When I came home from work this evening, mom wasn't in the nest. I attempted to blindly stick the camera through the bushes to see what I might capture of the babies. Mom was evidently not far away because she quickly swooped in cursing all the way. Look at that evil eye, she was not happy with me. I apologized and quickly walked away. This little lady is all business about guarding her young.

New Kid on the Block

We have a new little colt on our road. I have been waiting to post in hope of getting a better picture, but this guy is just not interested in having his portrait taken.

Our neighbor breeds Arabians and it gives me a chance to see a little baby each spring. My favorite moment is when they first discover their legs and start dashing around the pasture. They make it look like it must be the most exhilarating feeling. It always gives me the biggest smile that stays with me throughout the day.

This one picture was close to what I wanted to capture. He gave me his attention for about 3 seconds. Unfortunately I had something in my left hand and quickly zoomed and clicked one handed. As a result he has no feet, aaagh.

Earth Day and New Beginnings

Happy Earth Day everyone. I wanted to write a real thought provoking post today, but it ain't happening. I will take this time to briefly mention another one of the projects that I am involved with. The local home builders and realtors associations have joined together to start a green alliance. I am the chairperson representing the builders (that's what happens when you say you'll do anything). It's a little tough starting something from scratch and with people that are just getting to know one another. I did set up a new blog site for the alliance today and another member has set up a website. They both sit empty at the moment, but hopefully will soon be filled with our many activities and inspiring thoughts. You can see the beginning of the blog at Coastal Green Alliance and you get to see my green bag again. I'm just full of creativity today :).

Imagination Manifest Into Reality

At times the blogosphere feels like an imaginary community I have created. Much like a fantasy football team, it feels like I have picked fantasy friendships. That is until today, when a part of this imaginary world manifest itself into my physical world. There it is, laying on my table, in my home, proof that you are real people out there :). Sheila describes this surreal feeling much more eloquently in her post Being Real.

The photograph you see above was gifted to me by Charlane from over at Ramblins. I received this prize of sorts for being a snoop. They say curiosity killed the cat, it got me a Three Parts Whimsy original. It was very hard to pick just one. I find Char's photography not only a visual pleasure, but it speaks to me as well. I love photography that you can not only see, but feel it in your soul. I also love Char's writing. She makes me think, she makes me laugh, she makes me feel, and at times all of it at once. Like many of you, Char is also a great inspiration for me. Many days she will just take a ride in search of that perfect photograph, turning down rodes she has never traveled before just to see what is there. You can see this spirit in her post rural adventures. It is about one such road trip during which she captured this wonderful image. (You can also see a much better view of this photograph than what is pictured above.) Also inspirational is her devotion to family and her upbeat attitude no matter what is happening in her life at the time. Thank you Char for the photograph and for all that you share here in this not so imaginary blogland.

The Law of Presence

I am presently re-reading the book, The Laws of Spirit, by Dan Millman. It is written as a fable and as stated on the title page it is "simple, powerful truths for making life work". He calls the law for living in the moment the law of presence. In the chapter introduction for this law, Dan states, "Time is a paradox, stretching between a 'past' and 'future' that have no reality except in our own minds. The idea of time is a convention of thought and language, a social agreement. Here is the deeper truth: We have only this moment." Dan Millman provided some of my first introductions to mindfulness and is still my favorite author on the subject. Even though I am currently juggling many projects at the same time, they all seem to be clearly focused in my mind. I credit my attempt at living mindfully for this sanity.

The picture above was taken recently during one of those special moments in my life. I was having breakfast with my dad on his sun porch and was privileged to witness this little bluebird and her mate go about their duties of preparing their home. My dad is an avid bird lover and his backyard is a birds' paradise. Along with the bluebirds, there was also a visit from a cardinal and a woodpecker. The beauty of the birds was enhanced by the backdrop created by the newly blossoming dogwood trees.

Energy

As much as there is to learn from observing animals, they are not the only ones with lessons to share. I first touched on some of the opportunities for learning in my post We Are All Students, We Are All Teachers. After writing about the Resurrection Fern this weekend, it presented me with another opportunity for awareness, and to show you the plant in it's dormant state. Monday the weather turned cold and miserable, and in response to this stress, the fern pulled it's energy in, curled up, and protected itself. The picture above was taken before work on Tuesday, which turned out to be a warm and rainy day. When I returned home the plant was as lush and green as I have ever seen it. It made me aware of how so many of us continue to charge forward when our mind &/or body is telling us (sometimes screaming) it needs a break. How many of us go to work when we are sick only to end up wondering (and complaining) why it takes us weeks to get over this little cold, and how productive are we anyway. Many of us are planting our gardens now with visions of large plump tomatoes or fresh colorful blossoms all summer long. We will then be disappointed if our plants do not produce well. These non producing or scraggly plants are stressed in some way, and they have wisely chosen to give something up in order to survive. They pull what little energy they have at that moment inward. When the day comes that they have the energy they require, they can burst forth and be the productive plant they are meant to be.

Who's Wiser?

WE NEED ANOTHER AND
A WISER AND PERHAPS
A MORE MYSTICAL
CONCEPT OF ANIMALS.
Remote from universal nature, and living by
complicated artifice, man in civilization surveys
the creature through the glass of his knowledge
and sees thereby a feather magnified and
the whole image in distortion. We patronize
them for their incompleteness, for their tragic fate
of having taken form so far below ourselves.
And therein we err, and greatly err. For the animal
shall not be measured by man. In a world older
and more complete than ours they move finished
and complete, gifted with extensions of the
senses we have lost or never attained, living
by voices we shall never hear. They are not
brethren, they are not underlings; they are
other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of
life and time, fellow prisoners
of the splendour and travail of the earth.

From the Outermost House by Henry Beston.
Copyyright, 1928, by Doubleday, Doran & Company, Inc. Garden City, New York

I ran across the excerpt on a rescue site, donkey rescue to be exact. No, I am not looking for another donkey, I repeat, I am not looking for another donkey :). I really do not know how that site appeared on my computer, it must have been some kind of virus attack - ha. Shhh, here comes my husband. Seriously, in a world where I had an endless supply of horse feed, acres and acres of land, and more time I would definitely have more. For now, I am quite grateful for and satisfied with my little farm/zoo as it is.

Resurrection

I thought resurrection was a fitting topic for today, though it is not a religious resurrection I have chosen to write of, but a botanical one. The plant pictured above is the resurrection fern and it grows on some of the Live Oaks on our property. This fern grows on living trees, but does not rob it's host of nutrients. It is a member of the air plant family and derives it's food from the air or moisture that forms on the surface of the tree. This plant is unique in the aspect that it can survive even when depleted of 97 % of moisture. It will shrivel up and turn brown as if dead and when water is added will unfurl and return to a green state. You can learn more information in this article by a university horticulturist, including the plants prospects to be used in space.
A third resurrection this article could have represented was the resurrection of my blog :). I have a few projects going on, as I have stated before, and just do not seem to have the focus to write. Although my comments are less often or brief, I still enjoy keeping up with your blogs. I am finding I like this more than writing my own. You inspire me and brighten my day with your writing and photography, so today I would like to take this opportunity to wish many blessings for you all.

Animal Instructors

Everything at it's own pace.

Much of what I have learned (and continue to learn) about living has come from observing animals. Some of these instructors have been constant companions, and some I have just crossed paths with, such as the snail above. They all seemed to have a purpose in my life at the time and I am appreciative of what they have shared. A lot of what I have gained from them is the simplicity and joyfulness of how life can and should be. They have shown me daily the importance of living in the moment and through simple actions have made such profound statements. One new blog site that uses dogs in a photo essay format for such lessons is The Charlie Project. Journey on over, it's a quick visit that will leave you with much to ponder.

Tres

Last Saturday was part three of the beginnings of our little philanthropy group. Kelly overdid herself creating wonderful authentic dishes made with fresh ingredients. I learned a lot of new foods such as chorizo, which is a Mexican sausage that was used in the New Mexican chicken dish shown below. I also learned of a new root vegetable called jicama that she used in a salad called Guaymas Salad. I loved this one, it also had avocados, oranges and olives with a homemade avocado dressing. There was of course real tacos and for dessert she made Flan, which is something else I'd never had before. Now these foods might not be new to many of you, but I don't get out much. Oh, and I can't leave out the best Margarita ever. (We were good and only had one each.)
Our groups central focus is children and nutrition. With this in mind, Kelly invited a professor, Dr. Arunas Juska, from East Carolina University to join us. Besides information he shared with us in our dinner conversation, he also brought with him a documentary. Through this we learned how commercial farming is not only running independent farmers out of business, but is also affecting the nutritional quality of our food and the health of the environment. The film we watched dealt with the hog farming industry. While it was a bit disconcerting, it was also very enlightening. I will share this in another post, if I can handle rehashing the memory of what I saw. Arunas, being from Lithuania, also brought a traditional Lithuanian poppy seed cake. Hmmm, two desserts. What else could I do but have both :) .
For more on Dr. Juska see the following sites:
http://www.ecu.edu/cs-cas/soci/upload/Juska.pdf
http://core.ecu.edu/soci/juskaa/
For our next gathering we are trying to get our act together and start the community garden we've planned to be the foundation for our educational program (we are pushing it time wise for NC weather). To be better prepared, Pam and I have been taking a horticulture class since February. Most of the other ladies know more about vegetable gardens than me, but I'm learning. I hopefully will get around to sharing some information and pictures from our class in an upcoming post.