Have you ever heard of NDD, Nature Deficit Disorder? Many people seem to prefer the inanimate to the animate, non-living to the living. We destroy life to have more things.
We are traveling at warp speed but we have dumped our navigators: Empathy, God, Nature.
This blog is my meager effort to document and share personal lessons from an earthy, nature perspective. Let me know what you think as you share your insights.
A couple of weeks ago I was out on patrol and thought I'd just take a few pictures of some residences. I am amazed at where people choose to built some of the nicest homes on the planet. I think we develop a sense of invincibility, that we are somehow shielded from the forces of nature, much as those who continue to build and rebuild in flood or hurricane areas. The first picture is of property where excavation has begun for a private drive and housing lot. The others are close-up and distant shots of nice homes built in incredibly STUPID places.
Everyone tells me Fall is their favorite season, and I can understand why. I like Spring and Fall, the in-between times, like dusk and dawn. I must say that I prefer Spring as it seems so full of promise.
I rode in the mountains today. I drove the Alpine Loop as well as the road between Sheep Creek (up Spanish Fork Canyon) and Strawberry Reservoir. The colors were breathtaking. I stopped and talked with some families who were camping together. I commented that it wasn't fair for them to be out sucking up nature while the rest of us were in the valleys fretting about our 401k's and the financial debacle our county is in.
Yesterday I harvested more than eight gallons of honey from my two first-year hives. How satisfying! It was a long process, about two hours longer than I had anticipated, plus I still have seven gallons to filter. But the satisfaction of caring for the bees and having them reward me with such a plentiful amount of honey is...singular. I took some video footage of the process. Perhaps I'll have to open a YouTube account or something. I'm not sure how much I can upload to this blog. *Update: Click HERE to go to my new YouTube page. The feeling of working with the bees, interdependence, reminds me of an experience I had last month with my goats. I was called out on two consecutive fires and was relying on my son to feed and care for the animals. Doing so was out of his routine, plus he had to ride his bike twelve miles from Provo where he's enrolled at BYU. He either forgot one or more times or whatever: I'm not sure exactly what went wrong. I do know that the goats were very sick when I got back and I was sure I was going to lose them. I called the vet, who was not very encouraging but was willing to try a few things to the tune of $200 each animal. I declined and began my Reb-Tevianesque mono/dialogue with God. I blessed the animals and went to the feed store to look for ideas. Fortunately, I found a clerk who raised goats and whose grandmother in Idaho was a pro with natural remedies for animals. The clerk called her grandmother on her cell and I got the ingredients and administration instructions for two concoctions. Anyway, after 5 days of TLC Dot and Pinki were back on their feet and eating on their own. Their current milk production is back to where it was previously. What is most satisfying is my impression that they sense I saved their lives, or at least they know that I care enough to have tried.
I am living a charmed life in so many ways. I don't have enough money (who does or ever will?) but I'm having experiences that are priceless. A flood of ideas and insights come to me during these experiences, ides that seem to have broader application. For the present, I'll try to comprehend their personal meanings and bask in my season of satisfaction.
"I used to sit on the beach by the lakeside in some hidden refuge. There, the sound of the waves and the stirring of the water held my senses still, drove out of my mind all other kinds of agitation, and immersed it in a delightful reverie."
Does nature have that effect on anyone else but Rousseau and me?
It's been a long time, gosh, about 3 months. I'm keeping too busy and I'm enjoying most of it. Life is good. I'm really trying to live off the land, eat what I grow. Next week I'm going to extract honey from my beehives which have been extremely productive. I've been making grape juice and am tinkering with the idea of making some wine. Not sure what I'd do with it but I have SO many grapes that I hate to see them go to waste. I'm making 2-3 lbs of cheese a week now. I got a few ears of corn and the tomatoes are flowing to the point I can't keep up with them. I'm surprised at how much time it all is taking, yet I'm finding that other concerns that have been major stressors in my life are taking human dimensions. They are not so collosal. The money and material are always concerning, but I sense more of a sense of centeredness. Does that make sense?
