Tossing Pebbles in the Stream: 09/01/2006

Sunday, September 24, 2006

Ramadan Mubarak

On the occasion of the beginning of Ramadan, the month long Islamic fast and time of spiritual reflection and family and community celebration, It is approriate to reflect on one's faith. I suggest the Sufi mystic poet Rumi is well worth reading.

http://www.armory.com/~thrace/sufi/poems.html

Here is one of the poem, in translation, or course, but still delightfully insightful.

THE PROGRESS OF MAN

First he appeared in the realm inanimate;
Thence came into the world of plants and lived
The plant-life many a year, nor called to mind
What he had been; then took the onward way
To animal existence, and once more
Remembers naught of what life vegetive,
Save when he feels himself moved with desire
Towards it in the season of sweet flowers,
As babes that seek the breast and know not why.
Again the wise Creator whom thou knowest
Uplifted him from animality
To Man's estate; and so from realm to realm
Advancing, he became intelligent,
Cunning and keen of wit, as he is now.
No memory of his past abides with him,
And from his present soul he shall be changes.
Though he is fallen asleep, God will not leave him
In this forgetfulness. Awakened, he
Will laugh to think what troublous dreams he had.
And wonder how his happy state of being
He could forget, and not perceive that all
Those pains and sorrows were the effect of sleep
And guile and vain illusion. So this world
Seems lasting, though 'tis but the sleepers' dream;
Who, when the appointed Day shall dawn, escapes
From dark imaginings that haunted him,
And turns with laughter on his phantom griefs
When he beholds his everlasting home.

Saturday, September 16, 2006

Around the place

Here is a view from my upstairs window across the "back" forty. Everything is still lush and verdent although a few leaves are turning colour, especially the yellow of the black ash.

No, I do not have crucifixions here. The cross in the middle is the now famous double clothes line pole. If you enlarge the picture you can see the "V" bracing. I like to think it is V for Veronica. She is the one who wanted an outdoor clothesline. I think she only used it once before she left.

I use it often, every washday. Monday that is. . .I am such a traditionalists. You would think I was a political conservative. No!

I love the smell of laundry that is hung out. It is one of life's great pleasures to crawl into a bed at night that has just been made up with fresh linen off the line.

When you get old you notice life's simple pleasures. The complex ones are confusing and too much trouble.

When the picture is enlarged (double click on it) you will see a grey smudge at the centre left. This is smoke. My old manure pile has been smoldering away since May when I burned off some grass. I imagine it will continue to burn until Winter sets in. I now have a pile of ash to spread on the garden.

This is my new buck.

Sadly my New Zealand giant died. He also was just a cuddler and not an aggressive lover. This young buck is quick to get the job done. Awe to be young again.! He is not as big as the last one. Perhaps, this is best as a couple of my does are relatively small. I have a birthing hutch ready for the first batch in a week or two. I think my rabbitry might actually get going now.

My morning visit on mybackclothesline balcony by Paulo the Peacock always makes me smile.
I posted this picture to show that is tail is growing. He had hardly any tail at all when we got him. Next year, he will be all in his spendor with a full tail. He has developed a set of feathers , on his back, in green and purple. He is looking good displaying for ducks and chicken, whatever fowl that might pay him some attention.

Sunday, September 10, 2006

Can Winter Be Far Away

The beginnings of my basement wood supply.

I only have about 1/3 of it in. Last night, Mother Nature reminded us to get going on such project. We had a killer frost. The tender plants in my garden are finished, touched by frost. Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and squash dod not survive. I have been working on getting wood in. Thanks for the reminder, "Mother".

Salvaging what I can from the garden.

This five baskets of cucumbers are last of this years crop.

Plumb tomatoes I am trying to ripen indoors.

I have about 50 tomato plants that did not produce ripe fruit before the frost came. I am bringing them in the house to try to rippen them. Some I hope to rippen by hanging the whole plant in the basement. Others I will wrap in newspaper and keep in a dark place. Both these method are supposed to work. If not, I will be making a lot of things with green tomatoes.

Saturday, September 02, 2006

The Embrace

This is a piece of found art. I entitled it "The Embrace". It appeared when I pulled the carrots in my garden. Finding these little treasures is part of the fun of gardening.

The Embrace is symbolic of a group hug by my three grandchildren; Dillon, Olivia and Travis. It rests on a turtle, which in Native American creation mythology represent that upon which the earth was created by piling mud on it's back, scooped up from the primordial sea.

Make of this what you will! For me, it represents the loving support for one another and the foundation support of Nature upon which all rests.

Tossing Pebbles in the Stream

Sunday, September 24, 2006

Saturday, September 16, 2006

Sunday, September 10, 2006

Saturday, September 02, 2006

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