Sometimes it’s the little things that keep us going, giving us considered pause and dare I say hope- like mini care packages and handmade postcards, and long waited for squash shoots (I had given up on them!) and spring bulbs popping up, like cleaning out the garage and working on new garden beds. Is it wrong that I am a little excited about the semester being over so I can Spring clean? Beltane is upon us, also as Workers Day – ever so important to acknowledge this year. The former as a pact of humans and nature to work together (look how much healing has been happening without us, who at this point is not convinced that as a species we are doing more harm than good – we can do better), the latter as a realization of how important ‘essential’ workers are and how they need better protection and care.
Meanwhile, it’s still the little things that get us through like saving my banana peels for the tomato garden, watching my little gal grow like a sunflower, hearing the peepers reach cacophony by the evening, seeing beautiful Spring birds return. And pickling seasonal goodies like asparagus, dandelion buds, and setting up spicy and seasonal kimchi. We are working toward a ‘foraged’ line of flavors and foods – we’re not interested in being necessarily ‘competitive’ with other great makers/growers/bakers but to add to the variety and magick that is already out there. And to shrink the locality of things New England just does as well (if not better) than many of the places our ‘normal’ grocery stores get product from – I remember last year seeing dandelion greens from far away in the produce department, as if we didn’t/couldn’t grow them abundantly here! I am not saying I don’t appreciate the ability to get exotic foods but we should do better about our choices, keep food sovereignty and enjoy food from other places responsibly. For more information on the impact of monocultures, globalized food systems, and earth integrity – see Vandana Shiva and Dave Chapman (The Real Organic Project).
Back to some other little things around here – like attention to ‘doing the work’, getting up every day with the desire to make good choices, make art and creative decisions, make love not war, and whatever better slogans you can come up with to get up in the morning and function as a changing magnificent being. Thinking is the key – making the connections that keep us open to thinking and to each other, as really connected (not distracted by another zoom meeting or newsfeed). Check in with each other, kindly and often. Be safe, sane, and healthy.
Rock Bottom Homestead 