Reciprocal

                              

                             O our mother the earth, O our father the sky,

                           Your children are we, and with tired backs

                           We bring you gifts that you love.

                           Then weave for us a garment of brightness,

                           May the warp be the white light of morning,

                           May the weft be the red light of evening,

                           May the fringes be the falling rain,

                           May the border be the standing rainbow.

                           Thus weave for us a garment of brightness

                           That we may walk fittingly where grass is green,

                           O our mother the earth, O our father the sky!

                                                                        TEWA PUEBLO PRAYER

As I slowly decompress from the events of the past nine months and become tuned into my surroundings, I am filled with joy how individuals, businesses and political entities are tuned into altering the path of our  climate catastrophe. Our activist friend Jenny is involved in stopping any new gas stations from being built. The city of Cotati is giving "take out your lawn" rebates of which we are taking advantage. The city also provides electric charging stations, one of which is pictured below quite near our home. We walk past these on some morning walks with Shasta. 

However when we follow her lead, she turns left out of our driveway instead of when we lead her to the right. She is focused on getting to the path along the Laguna de Santa Rosa where there are a plethora of delicious smells. Her nose leads her from one delectable smell to the next preferring this pleasurable activity above walking briskly to get some physical exercise.

The SMART (Sonoma-Marin Area Rapid Transit) train provides an alternative to driving to work. In the picture below you can see there is also an electric charging station at the Cotati Station where I get off the train that I catch in at the San Rafael Station when I return from the A's games.

 

I just need to tag my Senior Clipper card when I get on and off to pay for the ride. Easy peasy IF I remember to do both. When I go to the game, I take the 09:10 bus, also using my Clipper card, since the train only runs for commuters so does not offer me a ride that late in the morning. I am able to use my Senior Clipper card for the bus ride as well.

I read a short brief recently that compared the various gas and oil conglomerates. BP, a British multinational oil and gas company headquartered in London, England, was listed as having the least effect on with the climate catastrophe. As I checked further I found a BP statement: "Our purpose is reimagining energy for people and our planet. We want to help the world reach net zero and improve people's lives." They seem committed in the United States to expand alternative energy sources in addition to extracting oil and gas from the earth. Of course, now I want to buy Stella's (our Prius) gas from them. Unfortunately, the nearest ARCO station is located in Santa Rosa. 

String of Hearts

I am ever so grateful to be back in a home that is houseplant friendly. Our Stamm home in Santa Fe just did not provide enough light for what few houseplants I had. Light abounds in our Cotati home thus I am quickly adding plants. I have already filled all the beautiful pots I have and am pleading with Dwight to return to the clay studio to make me a few more. For a long time I have wanted a String of Hearts plant that is pictured above. They are difficult to find but as you can see I now have one. It is presently sitting on the wooden cabinet in our bathroom.

Pink blooming Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) 

When I was growing massive amounts of Comfrey on our septic mound at MuRefuge, I had read that this plant came in pink, purple and lavender. All my previous Comfrey plants were purple flowering. So what a wonderful surprise when this above newly purchased plant began blooming in such a stunning pink color. I use it to make a wound healing salve. 

  

The reason for growing a massive amount at MuRefuge was for the "green manure" it made. I would cut all the plants to the ground and fill barrels with it and add water to the brim. Once it decomposed the water was filled with similar components to animal manure. I would use this water on all the vegetable beds to provide nutrient dense vegetables for our consumption.  

Because the relationship 

between self and world is reciprocal, 

it is not a matter of first getting 

enlightened or saved and then acting. 

As we work to heal the Earth, 

the Earth heals us. 

No need to wait. 

As we care enough to take risks, 

we loosen the grip of ego and 

begin to come home to our true nature.

                                                  Joanna Macy

As we seek for ways in our daily lives to heal Mother Earth, may we