small gardens & small government

   I started this morning in the usual way and the not usual way. Yeah I walked the dogs. Well actually the dog, just Cooper. Carrie, our youngest, was quite clear she didn't want to go. It was cold so hopefully that was it. Could have been, heck, I don't know! Coop and I had a nice normal walk around the neighborhood. Him marking everything and me picking up trash. Yesterday's wind had blown quite a bit into the woods along our path. I long ago decided that seeing trash on my walks harshes my mellow. As I go similar routes on my walks with the dogs, if I leave the trash there it will be there tomorrow and again and again. Picking it up is a minor hassle but future me will be happier.   In addition to figuring this bit out about happiness I had a thought about what I'll have to call cause and effect. That's not the exact phrase but it will do for now! The wind causes trash to blow but cause and effect has something of a backflow valve intrinsic to it. More exactly m...

  In the forward to his book TALKING TO THE MOON, John Joseph Mathews' widow describes the book as his Walden. I wouldn't know as every time I tried to read Walden I gave up. Too dense, too deep, too flowery and poetic to read. Perhaps I'll have to try again as this morning I finished Mathews' book about the Osage. At about 5 this morning alone in the family room reading the penultimate chapter, I got it. Mathews had made me struggle for literal weeks on end through enough renewals that I was sure the library was going to say - no more! I struggled both because there were bits of prose that were inspired but also out of a sense of duty. You should know about where you live. A native seed sprouts when the time is right. I've transplanted myself to NE Oklahoma, the Osage, and thus have to dig a hole for my roots. With a little nurturing and time I'll grow beyond that hole.   I thought it appropriate that I "got it" and finished as a storm wa...

    There is a fog outside with something approaching rain falling. The soft gauzie nature of fog makes the world quiet, mysterious and beautiful. I'll take the dogs in a bit on our morning walk and enjoy that beauty but first to write. It's odd but I didn't notice either the rain or the fog till the sun was solidly up and Deb pointed it out. I was instead thinking how it gets dark so early and the sun rises so late. I lamented, how could it be that moving almost a whole garden zone closer to the equator and away from the towering Rockies to the west the sun could rise so late? Ah fog, hadn't thought of that!   Ain't that life! There you are plumbing the deepest mysteries only to realize you forgot to carry the 1. While sipping my coffee and contemplating the darkness YouTube granted some distraction by offering up a Buddhist philosophy video. Sadly, it was likely AI generated, as so much of the content is these days. I was only half listening but in about the 4th r...

 It had to be about the smallest pear I've ever eaten, about 3 inches from nose to butt. It was delicious, a harbinger of things to come. I shared it with Deb. A nibble each.  Our pear trees are about 2 years in the ground with us. One has struggled since it's arrival in the mail, a bit of a runt from Stark Bros. The other has progressed nicely but still I wasn't expecting fruit this year. In August half of the healthiest tree decided it was spring and time to bloom. I laughed at it's youthful confusion and admired the beautiful flowers. When I saw the tiny yellow Bartlett the other day I was impressed but knew not to expect much. First fruit on a tree can tend to be unflavored or even bitter. Nope this little guy was ripe and ready!  When I last wrote I was awaiting a storm and wondering how much of the garden to pick or lose. The storm came the storm went. The weather was beautiful fall weather and last week or so was a week of rain. This weekend threatens a light fre...

   I think there are 3 major reasons to get out of bed in the morning. Our cat (Maisie) demonstrated the 3rd, fear. The storm last night gave us some cool relief and an open bedroom window. A close clap of thunder from the storm sent Maisie from warmly snuggling with Deb to rocketing out of the room. She used my, thankfully closed, eye as a launching pad from the bed to the door. I'm just glad 80# Cooper doesn't sleep on the bed!   The #1 reason I get up in the morning I'll leave to your imagination. #2 is hope, excitement, I get to, or any of a thousand other names for having a purpose for the day. Sure the purpose can be as contrived as I've gotta walk the dogs or I gotta check see if there is a mouse in the live trap. If before my feet touch the floor I can change that "gotta" into "I get to..." it's usually a good day.   In money matters purpose or motivation is usually boiled down to an essence of fear or greed. With fear considered to be...

  In my blog yesterday I felt I hadn't pulled the thread completely. If you're like me a dangling thread can make you quite crazy.   I just put a Butter Rum Lifesaver in my mouth and I promise I will finish typing before it is done.    The war in Gaza bothers me immensely. I don't pretend to understand the nuances of the conflict and perhaps I don't have to. Ignorance is ignorance but sometimes layer upon layer of knowledge only serves to obscure the more basic question. I guess that is what I was trying to express in the blog. I will say plainly I do not wish my taxes to go to Israel. Perhaps that made sense at a point in time. That time has, for me, passed.   I just bit the last delicious bit of the Butter Rum and thus will honor my pledge. I will acknowledge the Buddhist thoughts on suffering. I will also remember a small group of Quakers who would regularly gather to protest that their taxes were being spent for the "Defense budget". Finally, I will also ...