Turning

 

Cassis Peaches bought at the
Sebastopol Farmers Market today.
Not perfect but will be delicious to eat
this Winter once canned!

Today, August 01, is a cross quarter day midpoint between the Summer Solstice and the Autumnal Equinox. In the Celtic tradition this day called it Lughnasadh designated to celebrate the Summer harvest. Today is a reminder of the turning from Summer towards Autumn.

  

 “The Summer was very big.

....

Command the last fruits that they shall be full,

give the another two more southerly days,

press them on to fulfillment and drive

the last sweetness into ” .... the fruit

                                         Rainer Maria Rilke

I am so grateful for the abundance this Summer has offered. When I see all the canned fruit over the past few months, I am filled with gratitude.

Santa Rosa Plums from our tree and Tanis'
Blenheim Apricots
and 4 different kinds of Peaches

I ask for a moment’s indulgence to sit by Thy side.

The works that I have in hand

I will finish afterwards.

Away from the sight of Thy face

My heart knows no rest or respite,

And my work becomes an endless toil

In a shoreless sea of toil.

Today the summer has come at my window

With its sighs and murmurs,

And the bees are plying their minstrelsy

At the court of the flowering grove.

Now it is time to sit quiet

Face to face with The,

And to sing dedication of live 

In this silent and overflowing leisure.

                                   RABINDRANATH TOGORE

Michele, Katie and Leigh
during the Sims Reunion
floating on the McKinzie River in Oregon.
  They are obviously fully embracing leisure.

Today as we honor the turning of the seasons may we

Astonishing

"Behold, my brothers, the spring has come,

The earth has received the embrace of the sun

And we shall soon see the results of that love!

Every seed is awakened and so all animal life.

It is through this mysterious power that we too have our being

And we therefore yield to our neighbors,

Even our animal neighbors,

The same right as ourselves, to inhabit this land."

Sitting Bull

Early flowers of Blue eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium bellum)
growing among Nodding Needlegrass (Stipa cairn).

The two female Fawn and White Indian Runner ducklings are three weeks old today. Even though quite a few ducklings have been raised here at MuRefuge, their rapid growth still astounds me. Here is a picture of them before their daily foray to the vegetable garden where they run around in circles, forage and follow Cathie around as she prepares the raised beds for planting starts.

Notice the wing and tail feathers that are just beginning to form.

Yellow flowered Edible Black Currants in bloom
among the native Pink Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum var. glutinosum)
with a trunk of one of the Italian Alders (Alnus cordata) in the background.

On this Spring day, may we rejoice in the diversity and abundance of Mother Earth. And about anything that may be troubling to us, may we