Leisurely

This wispy clouds
were a reminder of the
glorious clouds
we use to be privy to
in Santa Fe almost every day.

One day this past weekend we took a leisurely drive up Sonoma Mountain. The  contrast between truly agriculture and the now in vineyards was remarkable. On one side of the road cattle and the other grapes:

A closer view of the each:

 

And then we enjoyed spectacular displays of my very favorite "spring flower":

"Eschscholzia californica, the California poppy, golden poppy,
California sunlight or cup of gold,
is a species of flowering plant in the family Papaveraceae,
native to the United States and Mexico."

I have planted some of these plants along the ditch between our property and the road in front of our house. Will I get a plethora of these stunning flowers is still in question. However, I trust over time the few planted will reseed to provide all who pass by with a lovely reminder that life is meant to celebrate!

Of course, during our drive we delighted in a 

Days to Celebrate

   
Pinus monophylla (Pinyon pine)

Days to celebrate this week begin with Saint Patrick's Day on Thursday, March 17 and then the full moon on March 18. We all know about the day for the Irish to celebrate. However the full moon, since it happens every month, is often often overlooked. Here is what Susan Levitt, astrologist, has to say:

"2022 Virgo Full Moon in Rabbit Lunar Month

March 18, 2022 is a full Moon in Virgo at 12:17 am PDT. Earth sign Virgo rules the 6th house of health, work, and service. For some, it's time to reassess work commitments and ways to be of service. For others this full moon, and as the moon wanes, is time for nurturing and attention to health.

Virgos tend to be analytical, and their actions are usually well thought out. Virgo is ruled by Mercury, as is Gemini. The one astrology sign opposite Virgo is the intuitive and sensitive Water sign Pisces. The Sun, Mercury, Jupiter, and Neptune are all in Pisces at this full Moon. Your rational mind tells you one thing while your heart tells you another!

With many planets in Pisces, follow your heart. It's easier to do in this Water Tiger year and Water Rabbit month. Rabbit correlates to the Western sign Pisces, adding to the Piscean ability to easily flow and adapt to change. . . .

Venus conjuncts Mars in Capricorn that's fortunate for love and romance. Venus and Mars square Uranus in Taurus. This can be disruptive, but also liberating. So be patient with loved ones -- or get things out in the open to reach a deeper understanding. Maintain Rabbit kindness and flexibility with Tiger's need for direct expression."

 Ribes sanguineum var. glutinosum 

 (Pink flower currant ‘Heart’s Delight’) 

Then on March 20 we have the Spring Equinox at 8:33 AM, Pacific time. Exactly halfway between midwinter and midsummer the Sun is directly 

above the Earth's equator with day and night of equal length.

as my eyes

search

the prairie

I feel the summer

in the spring.

               CHIPPEWA SONG

Equinox comes from the Latin aequi which means equal and nox which 

means night thus together translates as "equal night". Since the Sun is 

right above the equator both hemispheres receive the same amount of 

the Sun's rays making day and night approximately equal in both 

hemispheres.

The sun is entering Fire sign Aries marking the beginning of the solar year.

After the lock down brought on by COVID-19 virus truly this Spring Equinox

heralds awakening . . . a Spring awakening. "Pisces compassion and Equinox balance are for everyone, and are most transformational for Earth signs Virgo, Capricorn (Dwight), and Taurus (Cathie) and those born in Rat, Ox, Rabbit, and Snake years," says Susan Levitt as she closes her post.

Shasta is a Water Dragon.
Water soothes her . . .  after a bath she is so mellow and relaxed.

As we all enjoy these eventful March days surely we must also take delight in a hardy

Spring . . . Early

“We hear you, fellow-creatures. We know we are wrecking the world and we are afraid. What we have unleashed has such momentum now, we don’t know how to turn it around. Don’t leave us alone, we need your help. You need us too for your own survival. Are there powers there you can share with us?

I, lichen, work slowly, very slowly. Time is my friend. This is

what I give you: patience for the long haul and perseverance.

It is a dark time. As deep-diving trout I offer you my fearlessness of the dark. 

I am caterpillar. The leaves I eat taste bitter now. But dimly I

sense a great change coming. What I offer you, humans, is my

willingness to dissolve and transform. I do that without knowing what the end-result will be, so I share with you my courage too.”

                                                              JOANNA MACY                                                                                      

Blossoms on the Aristolochia californica (Dutchman's pipe vine) 

The Dutchman's pipe vine pictured above is my very favorite of all native vines. The pipe shaped blossoms are just so interesting! When the plant specific insect, the fungus gnat, comes to the flower, it gets temporarily trapped inside until it is thoroughly dusted with pollen. Slowly the flower relaxes and allows the gnat to escape and to spread the pollen. The vine itself is easy to grow, and grow it does each season. Once well established it can use pruning. The meager plant here does not seem to grow as fast as I remember they did at MuRefuge. I have planted an additional two very small plants purchased from California Flora Nursery in Fulton. I do so ever hope they will flourish here and grow into robust vines covered with flowers and fruit. I am looking forward to when the Pipevine Swallowtail females lay eggs on the leaves so I can watch the caterpillars gobble up the leaves.

Below are pictures I took of the entire event of egg, caterpillar, to butterfly while living at MuRefuge.

Eggs

Caterpillar

Chrysalis and caterpillar

Just emerged California Pipevine Swallowtail (butterfly)

I am looking forward to viewing the entire process here as well. It is such an extremely astonishing process to be hold!

 

"May it be beautiful before me.

May it be beautiful behind me.

May it be beautiful below me

May it be beautiful above me.

May it be beautiful all around me.

In beauty it is finished.

In beauty it is finished."

                           NAVAHO CHANT

It is beautiful all around us here in Cotati and in fact everywhere we drive in Sonoma County. It is Spring with a vast array of flowering bushes, trees and perennials.

The plum trees with both white and pink flowers
are in bloom everywhere. This one, and the one below
 are in the park just across the street from our
Cotati home. Shasta and I walk this
way every morning on our 2 mile walk.

These are on the hill a ways South of our house

where Shasta often walks with her "Dads" in the morning.

The camellias blooming this Spring
in an array of pinks, reds and white
are really spectacular.
I remember it was one of my mother's favorite
flowers she became acquainted with
while living in Southern California
in her early married life.

Oxalis stricta (common yellow woodsorrel)
is an ubiquitous weed found in almost
everyone's lawn or garden here in Sonoma County.

This picture was recently
taken at my acupuncturist's 
in the West County.

Manzanita bushes are in full bloom all around
the county. Some have pale pink flowers
while others have pure white ones.
This is one of my very favorite native bushes!

Each Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings I pass
this stunning display of rosemary cascading down
a wall in the front yard of a home which
is atop a gentle slope.

And nearby is this beautiful Flowering quince.

The deciduous Magnolia trees are flowering.
This one is white but I pass on Shasta's and my
morning walk others that are pink.

And just down the street a crabapple 

is covered with glorious flowers.

Spring is one of my favorite seasons; the other one is Fall. I am so delighted that Spring has already arrived in spite of the minimal rainfall so far in 2022. No doubt we are in for a record breaking dry year here in Sonoma County but Shasta has not a care in the world. Below she is nestled in our arugula bed after one of her Auntie T's recent visits.

“May our bodies, our minds, our spirts, learn a new rhythm paced

by the rhythmic pulse of the whole created order.

May spring come to us, be in us, and recreate life in us.

CHINOOK PSALTER

Spring arrived early during one of the top ten hottest, driest months of February on record here in the Bay Area. May we whole heartedly celebrate Spring and all her glory with a hearty, frequent

 

Shaping up

Hummingbird sage (Salvia spathacea)
blooming in our backyard. 
I love the stunning flowers
The leaves have a wonderful fragrance
which I love as well.

PageRefuge is shaping up to BE a place of abundance for all creatures that visit, and of course for we two humans who have created such on a very small plot of land. In the midst of honoring our work and enjoying what has been created, I am filled with sorrow witnessing what is unfolding half a world away in Ukraine. Witnessing the suffering and violence is the thrust of Roshi Joan Halifax in her writing. You may read her words by clicking on the Ukraine link above. My question to each and everyone of us is if that democracy can be invaded by the command of the Russian autocrat why not ours here in the United States?

Back to PageRefuge where I would like to highlight Dwight's carpentry:

A mini greenhouse now sits on
the West side of our house.
Here I can start seeds
with a regulated temperature
created by the heat mattress
on the bottom.

Then this past Friday we hired a stellar man who is incredibly strong as well as a hard worker. If anyone is looking for someone to complete a task for them feel free to give me a call and I can give you his name and contact information.

In our backyard where the pear tree and apple tree stood when we purchased PageRefuge now sit two 4 feet by 8 feet raised beds. Initially Dwight was considering building them out of redwood but found the redwood available would not stand up long. Concrete blocks last forever; well maybe not forever but way beyond our life times. Hardware cloth was laid on bare dirt to keep out the gophers. Concrete blocks were positioned on the hardware cloth around the perimeter two deep. Our hard worker took his truck to Grab n Grow and picked up 3 cubic yards of dirt. The organic soil seemed the best kind of "dirt" to fill the raised beds since it will provide fertilizer for 60 days.

Western wild ginger (Asarum caudatum) with flower
transplanted from Auntie T's garden in Point Reyes Station.

At MuRefuge there was not adequate shade thus I have not grown Wild ginger before. I was ecstatic when I noticed the flower in my very first attempt to grow this plant.

“The greatest sorrow of life is witnessing. Experiencing our own sufferings is not as difficult as watching others held in fate’s mighty grip. Bearing our own problems is easier because we are always aware that we can exercise other options - - up to the final one. However, it hurts the most when we can do nothing for others. The greatest sorrow is to see those we love suffer helplessly.“                                                                           DENG MING-DAO

While we witness the atrocities being foisted upon the Ukrainian peoples who are valiantly fighting, to dissipate our greatest sorrow may we

2022 Valentine Day

Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated each year on February 14. 

St. Valentine’s Day is named for a Christian martyr and dates back to the 5th century, but has origins in the Roman holiday Lupercalia which was an ancient pagan festival held each year in Rome on February 15. This day was a bloody, violent and sexually charged celebration the included animal sacrifice, random matchmaking and coupling to keep evil spirits and infertility at bay. Pope Gelasius, of the late 5th century, outlawed Lupercalia replacing it with a day to celebrate Saint Valentine.

Our modern day tradition each year is to give cards, candy or flowers to one's special “valentine.” And it often includes a special celebratory meal with that special someone.

The special "card" made by Auntie T
hanging from the Heart shaped leaf Hoya
has a rather pertinent message from
the present day Pope Francis:
"When nothing is certain
All is possible." 

From the East House of Light

May  wisdom dawn in us

So we may see all things in clarity.

From the North House of Night

May wisdom ripen in us

Some may know all from within

From the West House of Transformation

May wisdom be transformed into right action

So we may do what must be done

From the South House of the Eternal Sun

May right action reap the harvest

So we may enjoy the fruits of planetary being

From Above House of Heaven

Where star people and ancestors gather

May their blessings come to us now

From Below House of Earth

May the heartbeat of her crystal core

Bless us with harmonies to end all war

From the Center Galactic Source

Which is everywhere at once

May everything be known as the light of mutual love

OH YUM HUNAB K’U

EVAM MAYA E MA HO!               

                                            JOSE ARGULELLES

This means "O Hunab Ku, One Giver of Movement and Measure,

All hail the harmony of mind and nature!"

This phrase combines Mayan and Tibetan language.

Our table set for a celebratory Valentine breakfast 
of fresh ginger bread and whipped cream.

As we share this day with our special loved one, may we enjoy together a hearty belly

Heavy heart

Sage just before his euthanasia
on February 04, 2022

With a heavy heart I write this tribute to a stellar BEing who wandered into our lives while we lived at MuRefuge. One morning when I went to let the ducks out of their secure house, I noticed this cat foraging in our compost. This continued for a few days before I decided to feed him. 

He had been brought for the then little girl across the street from us. She dragged him around, holding him with one arm around his neck. She called him "Jack". I do not know if the family quit feeding him or he just had had enough and went searching for a more suitable home . . . one to his liking and choosing.

At first I purchased cat kibble for him. And we changed his name to Jax. Then once I realized he had adopted MuRefuge as his home I began making his food much like I did for our dogs. Well, needless to say he loved the fresh meat (a rotation of beef, bison, chicken and lamb) and veggies!

Later on when he was settled into MuRefuge, one morning when again I went out to free the ducks to wander, he approached but not too close. I could see he had been in a fight. He came willing to be picked up to be put into the cat carrier I had borrowed from a neighbor who had cats. I transported him to a vet recommended to me with him howling all the way. Both the vet and her assistant were taken with Sage. He just lay on the table and let the assistant clean his wounds. She said, "I wish my cat was this easy." Stitches were put in place and instructions given to me about his care. Well, for a few days he allowed me to put the antibiotic ointment on, then nada. He did let me remove the stitches tho' without fuss.

I believe this tangle with another cat is when he contracted feline leukemia. It did not seem to shorten his life span nor affect him in any way.

He often brought me such gifts as gopher or rat heads after he had eaten all he wanted. He never seemed to understand that these gifts were rather gross to me. He just seemed so pleased with himself. Sage was excellent at keeping MuRefuge free of unwanted and often deleterious rodents.

Sage curled up sound asleep
beneath the Pineapple Guava(Feijoa sellowiana). 

When I was out in the side yard, he often approached me. I would sit down and he would crawl up into my lap

October 05, 2015

wanting petting especially on his belly.

Once Winter came providing rain, often lots of rain, the swales in the duck yard would fill up and water pooled all about. There seemed no dry spot for Sage to sleep at night. One particular wet evening Sage was soaked. I picked him up and carried him into our garage shutting the door behind me. He was displeased with his containment . . . an understatement for sure.  He was provided a box of dirt as his "litter box" and a soft bed made with a number of towels folded into another cardboard box with its sides cut down. At the time we had a space heater and kept it on during the late, cold nights. Soon he became amenable with this arrangement and came into the garage on his own, snuggling into his bed.

He and Shasta were great buddies often lying in the side yard . . . not too close and not too far apart, just a comfortable distance for both of them If Shasta would venture closer, Sage would hiss his displeasure.

When we moved to Santa Fe, Shasta missed Sage. She often told me, "I want to go home." Most every morning she and I walked to and around Lopez Park. There was a female cat who looked very much like Sage living on the North side of the park in a Stamm house. Shasta would pull on her leash to cross the street and get close to the cat. I believe she sorely missed the companionship with Sage. This cat was not interested in Shasta, however, and ran when we approached.

Sometimes Sage would just lie in the side yard seemingly enjoying the sunshine or shade if the Black Locust, with white flowers in the early Spring, provided it.

Sage would prowl about the duck yard often sitting near the flock. He seemed more interested in watching their shenanigans than anything. When we moved from MuRefuge to relocate in Santa Fe, New Mexico, I moved Sage a bit down the road to Ruby's. At that time her daughter was wanting her own pet so Sage was to be hers. Unfortunately Sage had a mind/will of his own and did not want to sleep in her room so she abdicated her ownership to her mom, Ruby. Ruby has been a wonderful "mom" to Sage. She set him up with his special place in an old chicken house on their property. As this building was rehabbed she continued feeding and caring for him. In the wintertime he had a heating pad on the chair where he liked to sleep. He was NOT interested in going into the garage where the other animals were at night. Sage was really clear with a strong sense of "he could do whatever he wanted" including making his body function in spite of a stroke. I arranged for Sage to have a conversation with Sandy Lagno, the long time animal communicator I have relied upon to hear what those animals under my care desired. When she spoke with Sage, he was ever so clear: "My body is breaking down. I felt this pressure in my head then it 'broke'. When it let go, I lost control and I changed dramatically." He went on to share that "his human" (Ruby) is aware. I feel safe with Ruby. I feel her concern. She is paying attention AND asking how I am? Where I am?" He went on "I don't have the patience to work through this. Smelly human can get me out of this. I am ok with smelly human to push me out. Not this sun . . . next one." His lesson was "surrender". So waiting another day after he could "accept 'I can't do this' and surrender. "I am old. My body is worn out." He's known this for a while but has resisted and now is at the "surrender place" he shared through Sandy. "My life is a good one," then he gave instructions for Ruby so his soul could depart unencumbered. Ruby honored Sage and had her mobile vet friend come to her place and euthanize Sage. I am hoping Ruby will allow me to plant White sage upon Sage's grave. I have chosen names for all of my most recent pets representing flowers. Sage was chosen because I love White sage AND he seemed sage, a profoundly wise cat, to me. Below is a picture of a small White sage plant growing in front of our Cotati home. I dry the leaves and use them for smudging. Forever forward I will think of Sage when I do so. So with a heavy heart I conclude this heart felt tribute to Sage. He was a special BEing who brought love and affection into all the lives he touched. Sculpture by Roxanne Swentzell