Sad But True

The climate is changing with what use to be normal rainfall
a thing of the past: Northern California has had only two
rain events this winter, via the "Hawaiian Pineapple Express,"
one in December and one in early February. March is predicted to be dry.
Sad but true, our artisian well is no longer running
and actually has not flowed for several years now.
Our small pond is dry, dry, dry, as you can see,
with moss growing where water use to stand.

Within my sadness is joy

Lying on the ground 

I can touch the heavens. --Rumi

Lying on this patch of native bunch grass brings me much joy. I can feel Mother Earth's
gently flowing energy beneath my prone body. While we humans continue to
pollute the planet, Mother Earth continues her gentle steadiness. Feeling her heartbeat
affords all BEings connection with her and with one another.

During this Summer like heat wave
in February I saw my first Pipevine Swallowtail
flitting about MuRefuge in search of
food and mate.

And this morning through the heavy blanket of fog I saw a badger crossing the field
South of MuRefuge. First the badger crossed the field from Northeast to the grove of eucalyptus trees while I was sitting on my zafu, then during breakfast the badger recrossed the field from the grove to the Northeast corner out of sight. "Badger: the Warrior Who Speaks the Truth. If Badger has chosen to appear to you, it is asking you to encourage that part of yourself that vigorously stands up for what you believe in....BEWARE of attacking an individual when the real enemy is their erroneous belief." 
from Spirit Animals by Victoria Covell and illustrations by Noah Buchanan. The badger's message to me this sighting is the BEWARE!

I fully realize I cannot change the "train wreck" happening on our planet. I love practicing rootedness and BEing here at MuRefuge. As my baseball idol, Ichiro says of BEIng an exemplar of baseball, "I lead by example" as I care for this small spot of land called MuRefuge.

No matter how much one may love the world,

one can live fully in it

only by living responsibly in some small part of it.

Where we live and who we live there with

define the terms of our relationship 

to the world and to humanity

--Wendell Berry

For discharging sadness and experiencing joy may we all

Happy Valentine's Day

I love to collect plants with heart shaped leaves so I would like to share theses pictures with you for your enjoyment on this day celebrating matters of the heart.  First, a native vine

Wild Morning Glory (Calystegia purpurata)

Lovely flowers of Wild Morning Glory

Second, California Pipevine (Aristolochia californica)

Third, a cut in half Pink Pearl apple for its vibrant color

And fourth this houseplant I bought from the Botanical Gardern in Phoenix, Arizona many years ago would be a glorious Valentine's Day gift.

Hoya kerrii

Happy Valentine's Day! And may you

Pups

MuRefuge's Aloe plant is having pups.
Aloe pups make great passalong plants . . .Would anyone like a pup or two transplanted into a one gallon black plastic pot?

Looking through the seed catalogs this year I noticed a change . . . a remarkable one I am thinking.  Each catalog had seeds for open pollinated corn as well as heirloom corn for both flour and eating right off the cob. Since I am planning Three Sisters (corn, beans and squash) this year. I ordered Hopi Blue organic seeds from Territorial Seed Company and Anasazi Sweet Corn seeds from Bountiful Gardens. The pictures in these links are gorgeous . . . check them out!

The companies I order seeds from are listed as "some safe seeds to purchase to ensure Non GMO Seeds. Not owned by Monsanto.." How does the company(ies) you order from stack up?

All the ordered seeds for 2015 planting have arrived and planting dates identified. The Three Sisters plantings is my experiment for this season. Three Sisters will be planted in the veggie garden in a long bed and on the South side of the septic mound. To plant the latter Comfrey will be removed. Anyone interested in picking up some Comfrey root please let me know so I can let you know when the roots are available for planting.

From Vandana Shiva's new year's message

"We are all seeds . . .  for a while, we lie underground.

But at the right moment, we germinate,

and burst out with all of our potential."

   

I love Spring with all the bursting forth energy electrifying the air. As both self and seed
germinate and burst out, may we all 

JOY and GRATITUDE for Mother Nature's Work

We have had another round of glorious rain, the first since our return from our roadtrip. Pulling weeds is easy! Planting out native grasses is satisfying! Usually in the late Summer I gather seeds from the various native grasses growing here at MuRefuge then plant the seeds in Todd planters. In the last go around of this process all of the Todd planters were filled with seeds and all of them have found their new home in the ground. I did not have enough to complete one of the areas I was restoring . . . but then I noticed many volunteers all along the front swale/path just waiting for a permanent home. Mother Nature has been at work. Why not, I thought, take advantage of her work and transplant the volunteers? The process is a bit more tedious than popping out the cells of the Todd planters yet very satisfying. And I feel much joy and gratitude since Mother Nature is providing me with plants to complete the praire North of the duckhouse.

Idaho fescue volunteer grasses (Festuca idahoensis)

The California pipevines (Aristolochia californica) in abundance here at MuRefuge are starting to put out their leaves while still holding their Winter blooms. 

A late Christmas present/early birthday gift from Dwight now sits among the pipevines.

Recognize the face of this Greenwoman? Dwight used pictures of me from earlier in my life and
sculpted this piece for the pipevine garden. I must admit it is eerie seeing my younger self in clay.
The gorgeous pipevine leaves and the beautiful Pipevine swallowtails are an enjoyment.

As you, too, experience JOY and GRATITUDE for Mother Nature, may you