I was going to work in Richmond today, housecleaning for a friend, but woke up with my cold settling in my throat and chest. Arrrgh. So it's a sick day for Kelpie, with lots of hot fluids and rest. I'm hoping to get some laundry done too, and repair work on my wardrobe. I may venture out to find myself another pair of pants in Commie Clothes. The ones I'm wearing have defied my patching ability.
We had a good time drumming and dancing yesterday evening in ZK after dinner. Drumgasm has been a wandering gypsy experience for a while, but maybe ZK will be our wintertime home. We seem to get more participation when we're there, just because, well, there we are. And we don't have to monopolize someone's living room that way. Degania may evolve into a happy Drumgasm place, but it didn't work for us the last time we were there... When we're finally Utopia, of course, we'll have a round yurt that's always the perfect temperature, and there'll be all sorts of treats available, too, for the taking.
In other news, the farm's drama continues, with soon-to-be-ex-member Woody as our focus. I'm very grateful to not be in the hoopla of it all, and have merely been asked my opinion (along with all Twin Oakers) if Woody should have a feedback only, or a feedback on the road to expulsion. He's planning on leaving soon, so the difference is mainly symbolic, but significant (as most symbols are). He would lose the right of return, as well as some allowance money, since he has a vacation balance, if he is expelled. It'll be interesting to see what happens. In many ways, his case is similar to Kodiak's, from the early 90's.
Okey dokey artichokey,
much love,
Kelpie
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
More mice and Andromeda
So, I wrote a note to Grayson, our House Manager, and told him our kitchen was infested with mice, and he said, buy a live trap, so I asked the Louisa tripper to get one, at Southern States, and Elsa brought back a Havahart. Mouse-sized. Also vole and shrew sized, according to the directions, which were given in English, Spanish, and French. The French word for shrew is a long word (which I can't remember now), that starts out with "mus," which is Latin for "mouse." So I'm guessing the rest of the very long French word means something like, "really tiny mouse, but not really a mouse, really." I'm too lazy to look it up; the word itself, or its origin.
So, we set the trap -- or rather, Keenan set it (not because he read the directions), and the next day, we had a mouse. I took it down to the dairy barn and let it go out in the yard. I took the trap home, and Keenan set it again (he's good at it) and the next day, we had a mouse. I took this one down to the river field and shook it out of the trap near a rotting log. It was a peaceful sort of day, and the mouse gathered its wits and soon disappeared down a hole that may have been occupied. I hope it and the barn mouse have long and happy lives far from Beechside kitchen.
So, I took the trap home, and set it myself, and today there is no mouse. First day of no mouse for several days, actually. I'd caught five total with the snap traps, two of which were, um, mice which may be three-legged at this point, or may be part of someone's digestive system. I sincerely hope that there are no more mice, or that the mice have decided to move to less dangerous neighborhoods (the Bijou kitchen?). The peanut butter in the trap hasn't been nibbled, otherwise I'd wonder if I set the trap right... I didn't read the directions either.
So, in other news, we ate Andromeda today, or parts thereof. She was a great milk cow, giving to the last, and still giving. It's a unique experience for an American, and I'm very honored and lucky to be able to eat the cow that gave the milk that nourished me, my family, and my community for many years (seven?). I think perhaps my grandparents could have had such an experience, but I sorta doubt it. It's more possible that my great-grandparents did. So long, Andromeda. You've taught me more about the cycle of life than any other non-human animal, and I'm grateful for you.
So, we set the trap -- or rather, Keenan set it (not because he read the directions), and the next day, we had a mouse. I took it down to the dairy barn and let it go out in the yard. I took the trap home, and Keenan set it again (he's good at it) and the next day, we had a mouse. I took this one down to the river field and shook it out of the trap near a rotting log. It was a peaceful sort of day, and the mouse gathered its wits and soon disappeared down a hole that may have been occupied. I hope it and the barn mouse have long and happy lives far from Beechside kitchen.
So, I took the trap home, and set it myself, and today there is no mouse. First day of no mouse for several days, actually. I'd caught five total with the snap traps, two of which were, um, mice which may be three-legged at this point, or may be part of someone's digestive system. I sincerely hope that there are no more mice, or that the mice have decided to move to less dangerous neighborhoods (the Bijou kitchen?). The peanut butter in the trap hasn't been nibbled, otherwise I'd wonder if I set the trap right... I didn't read the directions either.
So, in other news, we ate Andromeda today, or parts thereof. She was a great milk cow, giving to the last, and still giving. It's a unique experience for an American, and I'm very honored and lucky to be able to eat the cow that gave the milk that nourished me, my family, and my community for many years (seven?). I think perhaps my grandparents could have had such an experience, but I sorta doubt it. It's more possible that my great-grandparents did. So long, Andromeda. You've taught me more about the cycle of life than any other non-human animal, and I'm grateful for you.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Office shift and blue sky
It's a lovely day outside, with a warm breeze and a beautiful sky. I'd think it were spring, and in some ways, it is. A week or so ago, we had some crocuses blooming -- purple ones, which I saw, and some snowdrops, which I didn't. Everyone seems to be happy and mostly healthy, and I realize once again how my moods change with the weather.
I'm on an office shift, which means I'm the community's receptionist for three hours. Fortunately I know enough to be as helpful as possible without getting too stressed out. I answer the phone (which omigosh has an annoying ring, why can't we change that thing?), and I do cash transactions, so in some sense, I'm also a clerk. Mostly I love jobs like this -- I've always liked playing with money, and everyone who walks into the office is a friend. I remember with fondness my job as a barrista at the kosher bakery in Minneapolis. The glory of Twin Oaks, of course, is that shift work doesn't become onerous. There's a list of oh, 10? people who do office shifts. Yup, and there's chaos, of course. A different sort than the chaos which happens when you're stuck in a job.
After lunch, I'm cleaning the barn. I'm looking forward to some scrubbing!
much love,
Kelpie
I'm on an office shift, which means I'm the community's receptionist for three hours. Fortunately I know enough to be as helpful as possible without getting too stressed out. I answer the phone (which omigosh has an annoying ring, why can't we change that thing?), and I do cash transactions, so in some sense, I'm also a clerk. Mostly I love jobs like this -- I've always liked playing with money, and everyone who walks into the office is a friend. I remember with fondness my job as a barrista at the kosher bakery in Minneapolis. The glory of Twin Oaks, of course, is that shift work doesn't become onerous. There's a list of oh, 10? people who do office shifts. Yup, and there's chaos, of course. A different sort than the chaos which happens when you're stuck in a job.
After lunch, I'm cleaning the barn. I'm looking forward to some scrubbing!
much love,
Kelpie
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Mourning and Looking Forward
I had a good talk with Shakti last night. She's talked to me about the tree destruction, and said she offers tobacco to the tree spirits (she considers herself a "white Indian"), and said tobacco's offered because there's not any in the spirit world. I'm not a tobacco person; my heritage offering would probably be whiskey. I could get some, or I could sing and drum, which tends to be more my style, or my path (sez Shakti). That would be better than going through the emotional ups and downs I've been experiencing, along with the grouchiness.
I'm very lucky also to live with understanding people who've given me a hug when I've needed it. One friend told me, well, at least Twin Oaks doesn't cut down all the trees, like some of the clearcuts we drive by in Louisa County. She said she didn't think Twin Oaks is an eco-village, either, though, since we're still on the grid. I guess we're more "eco" compared to some. My personal definition of "eco" includes a friendliness and companionship with trees and the community of plants and animals that they support.
On a different and related note: I sent in my registration for Witchcamp yesterday, and am looking forward to going to Four Quarters Camp in PA. I've never been there, but I've heard a lot about it. It sounds good on paper, and online, but I've learned about advertising and propaganda (Twin Oaks says it's an eco-village, for example). Still, I'm excited. The theme is Brigid, the triple-goddess of the British Isles. (Can you see her name in the title of those lands?)
I gotta learn some songs...
okey dokey artichokey,
much love,
Kelpie
I'm very lucky also to live with understanding people who've given me a hug when I've needed it. One friend told me, well, at least Twin Oaks doesn't cut down all the trees, like some of the clearcuts we drive by in Louisa County. She said she didn't think Twin Oaks is an eco-village, either, though, since we're still on the grid. I guess we're more "eco" compared to some. My personal definition of "eco" includes a friendliness and companionship with trees and the community of plants and animals that they support.
On a different and related note: I sent in my registration for Witchcamp yesterday, and am looking forward to going to Four Quarters Camp in PA. I've never been there, but I've heard a lot about it. It sounds good on paper, and online, but I've learned about advertising and propaganda (Twin Oaks says it's an eco-village, for example). Still, I'm excited. The theme is Brigid, the triple-goddess of the British Isles. (Can you see her name in the title of those lands?)
I gotta learn some songs...
okey dokey artichokey,
much love,
Kelpie
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Bitter Kelpie
Today, the forestry crew continues its task of cutting trees down. They usually do this far from the residences, and the wood is cut and stacked for firewood. We have enormous stacks of firewood by our residences, enough to last us several years. These trees are not coming down for firewood, they're coming down, goes the reasoning, (put forth on the land use proposal posted by a Morningstar resident and approved by the Land Planner, after input was gathered for 10 days), so that "mold won't grow in Degania and Morningstar. There's been about 10 trees downed so far, and another dozen or so are doomed, with ropes around them, between Morningstar and Kaweah, and behind Degania.
We've been discussing "solar clearings" for years, here at Twin Oaks, and this one, in addition to killing mold, it is said, will let more sunlight hit the roof of Morningstar, where maybe someday there'll be solar panels of some sort up there, doing something groovy and money saving, for the people of Morningstar and Twin Oaks.
Not up for discussion is all the homes destroyed by tree cutting. I'm wondering how many birds, and what kinds of birds, are being displaced, for one. And it's strange to me that everyone seems to believe that cutting these trees down will reduce mold growth. I believe they're in for an unpleasant surprise. The buildings are old, and never have been air conditioned (although there are a couple of dehumidifiers running constantly, now, for the past year or so). The arguement has been that children need to live in buildings that are not moldy, for their health. Cutting down trees seems to be more politically acceptable than air conditioning. Hmm. Now Morningstar and Degania have a lot of stumps and tractor ruts around them.
Oh well, I tell myself. We killed a lot of trees and remade the local world when we built the pond. But I'm still angry at the sound of chainsaws and the sight of stumps. Have you ever had a lot of trees cut down by your house against your will? I feel bitterness creeping upon me. Phrases like, "how can this be an eco-village?" are running around in my head. "What on earth were these people thinking?" and mostly, "why didn't I oppose it when I had a chance? When was that chance? I seem to have missed it."
Oh well. Keenan tells me that blueberries and peach trees will be planted there, and I hear the stumps will be inoculated with mushroom spore so they rot faster. WTF. I'm so angry I could spit. Ok, I gotta go milk some cattle now. And, you know, we kill them, too. It's part of life, I guess, if you're an Oaker.
We've been discussing "solar clearings" for years, here at Twin Oaks, and this one, in addition to killing mold, it is said, will let more sunlight hit the roof of Morningstar, where maybe someday there'll be solar panels of some sort up there, doing something groovy and money saving, for the people of Morningstar and Twin Oaks.
Not up for discussion is all the homes destroyed by tree cutting. I'm wondering how many birds, and what kinds of birds, are being displaced, for one. And it's strange to me that everyone seems to believe that cutting these trees down will reduce mold growth. I believe they're in for an unpleasant surprise. The buildings are old, and never have been air conditioned (although there are a couple of dehumidifiers running constantly, now, for the past year or so). The arguement has been that children need to live in buildings that are not moldy, for their health. Cutting down trees seems to be more politically acceptable than air conditioning. Hmm. Now Morningstar and Degania have a lot of stumps and tractor ruts around them.
Oh well, I tell myself. We killed a lot of trees and remade the local world when we built the pond. But I'm still angry at the sound of chainsaws and the sight of stumps. Have you ever had a lot of trees cut down by your house against your will? I feel bitterness creeping upon me. Phrases like, "how can this be an eco-village?" are running around in my head. "What on earth were these people thinking?" and mostly, "why didn't I oppose it when I had a chance? When was that chance? I seem to have missed it."
Oh well. Keenan tells me that blueberries and peach trees will be planted there, and I hear the stumps will be inoculated with mushroom spore so they rot faster. WTF. I'm so angry I could spit. Ok, I gotta go milk some cattle now. And, you know, we kill them, too. It's part of life, I guess, if you're an Oaker.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Mice and Communards
Lovely day, with squirrels and birds and mice. I've seen our mouse, or its friend, several times now running across our counter. Maybe we need a pet blacksnake.
Yesterday we went to Acorn for Kassia and Sky's slideshow of their European communities tour. I hadn't been to Acorn in a while, not since we were having trouble with troubled teens, a couple of summers ago. Twin Oaks is such a lively place, it can swallow us up!
The slideshow was fun, and they have a website too, to help disseminate their info: http://sites.google.com/site/eurocommune/
Okey dokey artichokey, time to get dressed and go sign Validation cards. I've only 30 to go....
much love,
Kelpie
Yesterday we went to Acorn for Kassia and Sky's slideshow of their European communities tour. I hadn't been to Acorn in a while, not since we were having trouble with troubled teens, a couple of summers ago. Twin Oaks is such a lively place, it can swallow us up!
The slideshow was fun, and they have a website too, to help disseminate their info: http://sites.google.com/site/eurocommune/
Okey dokey artichokey, time to get dressed and go sign Validation cards. I've only 30 to go....
much love,
Kelpie
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Cats and Mice
There's a mouse in our kitchen, right behind the dish drainer. I don't mind mice, really, but I don't like their poop on the counter. I don't think they should be in the house. We don't allow animals other than our selves in the house. Oh, Valerie's cat can go in her room and the airlock, but that's on the far side of the building. That cat might be able to catch this mouse, if circumstances were right.
I'm pretty happy these days with my own circumstances. The weather's been warm, the food's been good, my boys are happy and healthy and I'm getting out of the labor hole pretty easily. Soon we'll have Validation Day, and I've been busy signing cards. Last night, someone in my dreams was telling me I wasn't writing enough specifics in them. I'm at least indicating positive feelings, though.
I've found that I must sometimes consciously maintain positive feelings towards certain people and circumstances, otherwise the negative will collect in a pile and bury me. I hate that when that happens, ack! So, I've started labeling complaining, as in "can I complain?" when I'm talking out loud, or watching when I'm feeling complainy. It works pretty well, because there's usually something I can do to remedy the situation, or at least fantasize about remedying it.
Can I complain about the mouse? I'm feeling less positive towards this mouse and its family. Its presence is an insult to our housekeeping. I could get over it by thinking happy thoughts about how cute it is (it's not), or I can ask Keenan to set a trap. I tried to set it yesterday and nearly snapped off my finger, so it's time to ask for help.
How can I be setting traps in a "non-violent community" you might be thinking. Come here to my house, then, and catch this mouse. Or think back on what you do with mice in your house. Or mosquitos. Or flies. Or spiders. Or, if you're not into killing things, then think back on who does the killing in your house and how it's done. Personally, I wish we had a mousecatching cat.
okey dokey artichokey,
Kelpie
I'm pretty happy these days with my own circumstances. The weather's been warm, the food's been good, my boys are happy and healthy and I'm getting out of the labor hole pretty easily. Soon we'll have Validation Day, and I've been busy signing cards. Last night, someone in my dreams was telling me I wasn't writing enough specifics in them. I'm at least indicating positive feelings, though.
I've found that I must sometimes consciously maintain positive feelings towards certain people and circumstances, otherwise the negative will collect in a pile and bury me. I hate that when that happens, ack! So, I've started labeling complaining, as in "can I complain?" when I'm talking out loud, or watching when I'm feeling complainy. It works pretty well, because there's usually something I can do to remedy the situation, or at least fantasize about remedying it.
Can I complain about the mouse? I'm feeling less positive towards this mouse and its family. Its presence is an insult to our housekeeping. I could get over it by thinking happy thoughts about how cute it is (it's not), or I can ask Keenan to set a trap. I tried to set it yesterday and nearly snapped off my finger, so it's time to ask for help.
How can I be setting traps in a "non-violent community" you might be thinking. Come here to my house, then, and catch this mouse. Or think back on what you do with mice in your house. Or mosquitos. Or flies. Or spiders. Or, if you're not into killing things, then think back on who does the killing in your house and how it's done. Personally, I wish we had a mousecatching cat.
okey dokey artichokey,
Kelpie
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Breakfast and CMT
Happy dreams! Mala and Ezra and Zadek come down and have coffee every morning, and sometimes we talk about our dreams. Mala says she had a great dream with food and coffee and a library and New College. Ezra's discovered the comic books of Bone, which Rowan had checked out from the library (again). We've been Bone fans for a while, now. Libraries are great. I think I could live in one and be quite happy, as long as I was given food.
What did I do yesterday? I worked a lot, but didn't milk cows, and so got to wear pretty clothes! I spent the day in meetings; first, an interview with a visitor, and then a membership team meeting (Community Membership Team). I've been on the membership team for years, and it's my third stint. I do sometimes wonder if it's time to get off the team, but mostly it's ok. I don't like it so much when we forget little details. There are six of us, and we've all got busy lives, and I have ideas about what we should be doing, but then oops, the laundry the boys the cows, and I lose focus. The team's pretty lively, too, and of course we've all got our own ideas about how things should go. Fortunately, we don't mess up very often. And we're not entrenched (well, maybe I'm entrenched) and there's lots of turnover on the team. But we do have a dizzying array of policies to follow which we have to interpret. Fortunately, they're not written by me!!
Okey dokey artichokey, time to go sign Validation Day cards!!
much love,
Kelpie
What did I do yesterday? I worked a lot, but didn't milk cows, and so got to wear pretty clothes! I spent the day in meetings; first, an interview with a visitor, and then a membership team meeting (Community Membership Team). I've been on the membership team for years, and it's my third stint. I do sometimes wonder if it's time to get off the team, but mostly it's ok. I don't like it so much when we forget little details. There are six of us, and we've all got busy lives, and I have ideas about what we should be doing, but then oops, the laundry the boys the cows, and I lose focus. The team's pretty lively, too, and of course we've all got our own ideas about how things should go. Fortunately, we don't mess up very often. And we're not entrenched (well, maybe I'm entrenched) and there's lots of turnover on the team. But we do have a dizzying array of policies to follow which we have to interpret. Fortunately, they're not written by me!!
Okey dokey artichokey, time to go sign Validation Day cards!!
much love,
Kelpie
Monday, February 9, 2009
Pump and Poop
Yesterday was a gloriously warm day. I had a lot of work scheduled, with a break in the middle. Fortunately, when I'm milking, I'm in and out of the barn, so I was able to be in the sun for bits of time. The morning milking went very well. That's different than the day before, when the milking went just "well." The pump had gone out again, and we had to hand milk. I don't mind hand milking, but I was the one who discovered that the vacuum pump wasn't sucking, and that sucked. We finally called the Surge tech (and I'll do that first thing instead of last, next time), and found that a tiny piece of ice was keeping the pump from creating a seal. There's a pvc tube with a rubber flap on it that lets water trickle out when the pump's not going, and has to close and seal when the pump's on. Though it was warm outside the day before yesterday, it wasn't warm enough for the pump on the north side of the building, and the trickle condensation made ice, a teeny weeny bit. Easy to fix, once you know what to look for.
So I milked again in the morning yesterday and was happy, and then ate a lovely brunch with Rowan at the diner at Tupelo, did some sewing on fabric beds in the afternoon, (with less success), and then another milking in the afternoon. The whole time I was sewing, I felt a pull to the barn, and quit early to find that there had been no barn clean, and so did most of it myself, and then milked. That went mostly well, but good ol' Beru had to let loose with a splatter poop of the worst kind, in the barn. Yuck-ola. Fortunately none got in the milk (it got on me, instead).
Okey dokey artichokey, that's cows!
Kelpie
So I milked again in the morning yesterday and was happy, and then ate a lovely brunch with Rowan at the diner at Tupelo, did some sewing on fabric beds in the afternoon, (with less success), and then another milking in the afternoon. The whole time I was sewing, I felt a pull to the barn, and quit early to find that there had been no barn clean, and so did most of it myself, and then milked. That went mostly well, but good ol' Beru had to let loose with a splatter poop of the worst kind, in the barn. Yuck-ola. Fortunately none got in the milk (it got on me, instead).
Okey dokey artichokey, that's cows!
Kelpie
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Day In the Barn
I spent practically the whole day in the barn yesterday. Ok, not the whole entire day. I left to eat and say hi to my kids and greet the new family that's going to move to TO... someday. I milked the cows in the morning, cleaned the barn, and then milked the cows in the late afternoon, and made it to dinner, and what did I do after dinner? I watched a movie with Rowan and Keenan, called "Stranger Than Fiction." It was ok, although I found it a bit shallow. Lots of timeless themes and whatnot, but no character I really could connect to. Oh well, it was good to veg on the couch after a day of lifting and hauling. "Barn clean" includes finding enough cans and making sure they're all washed for the next two milkings. There's a lot of milk these days, with four cows fairly recently freshened.
Our new family's from Kansas, and they aren't really ours yet, they're Little Flower's, the Catholic Worker Farm a few miles away. It's a very long involved process for a family to join TO, and I'm guessing that from the family's point of view, it's a two year process from idea conception to settling in to TO with the rooms you like. Our family's got a mom and dad and a sweet baby, and I hope they like Little Flower and vice versa. I'm sure everything'll work out one way or another. Holy spumoni. ("Spumoni" is a flavor of ice cream -- it's one of the striped kinds, with nuts, yum).
Okey dokey artichokey, I need to go make some labor credits.
much love,
Kelpie
Our new family's from Kansas, and they aren't really ours yet, they're Little Flower's, the Catholic Worker Farm a few miles away. It's a very long involved process for a family to join TO, and I'm guessing that from the family's point of view, it's a two year process from idea conception to settling in to TO with the rooms you like. Our family's got a mom and dad and a sweet baby, and I hope they like Little Flower and vice versa. I'm sure everything'll work out one way or another. Holy spumoni. ("Spumoni" is a flavor of ice cream -- it's one of the striped kinds, with nuts, yum).
Okey dokey artichokey, I need to go make some labor credits.
much love,
Kelpie
Monday, February 2, 2009
Ponzi and Fire
Mom asked me on the phone, "hey! What's the calf's name?" Ok, the calf's name is Ponzi. We'll never forget what year he was conceived and born in! I do feel sorry for all those folks who lost money in the latest Ponzi scheme... hope they all get enough to eat and adequate housing. I could say more about it, but then I couldn't write about the fire.
Yup, another fire. And waaaay too many firetrucks, but of course, you never know. We're very grateful that the fire dept. gets here quickly. This fire started in the carcass pit, and we've been doing a lot of slaughtering lately -- oops, guess I should've given the Gruesome warning. Too late. Anyway, the pit's right to the right of the hay barn, and we were all worried about that catching fire, which it could've done if the wind were coming from the right direction. Fortunately all that was burned or damaged was about 2 dozen bales of mulch hay, and Casey, Rusty says, will be able to tell us more about hay needs later in the year.
I managed to help out a bit -- just enough to get in the way. I drove a car around the block with Rusty to find Casey on the tractor, which we did. We also found a lost pumper truck, looking for 138 Vigor Rd. Oops. That address does not exist. Well, I managed to put the car between that truck and two others, with Casey behind the pumper with the tractor pulling the auger. Did I mention the auger? It's a big thing for getting beans out of a silo. It was pulled by the tractor. And the poor fellow doing the traffic directing was bamboozled, so I jumped out of the car and let Rusty drive, and walked to my meeting, and made it there on time. Ez and Bucket didn't -- they were helping with the fire.
Okey dokey artichokey. I'm glad we live where there's not a water shortage and it's going to rain maybe soon,
love,
Kelpie
Yup, another fire. And waaaay too many firetrucks, but of course, you never know. We're very grateful that the fire dept. gets here quickly. This fire started in the carcass pit, and we've been doing a lot of slaughtering lately -- oops, guess I should've given the Gruesome warning. Too late. Anyway, the pit's right to the right of the hay barn, and we were all worried about that catching fire, which it could've done if the wind were coming from the right direction. Fortunately all that was burned or damaged was about 2 dozen bales of mulch hay, and Casey, Rusty says, will be able to tell us more about hay needs later in the year.
I managed to help out a bit -- just enough to get in the way. I drove a car around the block with Rusty to find Casey on the tractor, which we did. We also found a lost pumper truck, looking for 138 Vigor Rd. Oops. That address does not exist. Well, I managed to put the car between that truck and two others, with Casey behind the pumper with the tractor pulling the auger. Did I mention the auger? It's a big thing for getting beans out of a silo. It was pulled by the tractor. And the poor fellow doing the traffic directing was bamboozled, so I jumped out of the car and let Rusty drive, and walked to my meeting, and made it there on time. Ez and Bucket didn't -- they were helping with the fire.
Okey dokey artichokey. I'm glad we live where there's not a water shortage and it's going to rain maybe soon,
love,
Kelpie
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Groundhog Day???
Today's Feb. 1!! Happy Feb, everyone. According to my calendar, tomorrow is Groundhog Day, Candlemas, Imbolc, Brigid, ... and a lot of other things I haven't found out yet. I like groundhogs, although I've watched them roll cantaloupes down the road so that they can take them home to their babies. Candlemas... well, I'm not Catholic, but I do understand the need to consecrate candles. Imbolc is something I start to understand, but I call the holiday Brigid, myself.
We had a good ritual last night, here in Chesterfield, south of Richmond. It's traditional to make a pledge on Brigid, so I did. I'm getting better at making pledges that won't tie me down too much. My pledge was, "more music!" and I let go of fear. These are ongoing projects of mine, so they won't be too hard to remember. I used to make pledges like, "I'll clean my room!" but it's harder to keep that one. My room is full of clutter, and it's all mine... where does it REALLY go? The real question is: How can I get a room that doesn't hide my things when I need them? There's a few lost treasures in there... and I'm glad I know where my musical instruments are. Mostly.
I'll be home this evening, after another ritual (I seem to be a ritual junkie). It'll be good to be home, and I'm glad I'm here, too. Looks like the weather'll hold for awhile. I haven't seen a groundhog all day, nor a cantaloupe.
much love,
Kelpie
We had a good ritual last night, here in Chesterfield, south of Richmond. It's traditional to make a pledge on Brigid, so I did. I'm getting better at making pledges that won't tie me down too much. My pledge was, "more music!" and I let go of fear. These are ongoing projects of mine, so they won't be too hard to remember. I used to make pledges like, "I'll clean my room!" but it's harder to keep that one. My room is full of clutter, and it's all mine... where does it REALLY go? The real question is: How can I get a room that doesn't hide my things when I need them? There's a few lost treasures in there... and I'm glad I know where my musical instruments are. Mostly.
I'll be home this evening, after another ritual (I seem to be a ritual junkie). It'll be good to be home, and I'm glad I'm here, too. Looks like the weather'll hold for awhile. I haven't seen a groundhog all day, nor a cantaloupe.
much love,
Kelpie
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