Spring

The SE U.S. was inundated with snow but here it is a totally different story. Fifty degrees, some sun, and bulbs revealing life. Susan and I went on a walk up the old logging road (the initial segment we christened newt run- after the newts we've seen there). The wild irises are revealing themselves, the willows are budding (Pussy Willows), and many of the domesticated bulbs are showing leaves. An interesting fact about pussy willows: some Christian churches in the northern latitudes use branches of these plants on Palm Sunday because palms don't grow in the northern reaches. (Palm Sunday celebrates Jesus riding into Jerusalem and is celebrated just before Easter).


How much do we alter our landscape and how much do we just let it do its own thing? The forest along the stream is mostly ash and oak. These trees are on the west side of the stream and this area we are leaving to the vagaries of nature. If a tree falls it will become part of the detritus of the forest floor. It will become home to all the microbes, insects, spiders, worms, beetles, and other creatures that are a part of the micro-ecosystem of that tree. However, the rest of the property is a place of cultivation. It also brings to mind a personal question about my own health. How much do we intervene and let the immune system take control and how much do we use medicine? When do we just let ourselves heal and when to go to the doctor? There is no operating manual for the human condition. We all make our own judgments about this. (If one doesn't have health care benefits, this is answered in an unfortunate way. But let's not get started on the ludicrous state of affairs around health care in the U.S.)



Earlier this morning two men come out to trim dead limbs off the large pine. It was fun watching the one guy move among the limbs- brought back memories of climbing. These limbs were dead and a hazard to people who might be underneath and to the water storage shed. I got up into the tree this winter using the 18 foot ladder, but decided that a chain saw in one hand and my limited use of them, well...it was a wise choice to turn it over to the professionals.


Another sign of spring are the bulbs that are showing themselves. We planted these in November to have some beauty along the road for ourselves and people driving by. It is wonderful to be driving along a road and see where someone has planted daffodils, tulips, crocuses, or irises. We didn't plant tulips because they are great appetizers for deer. These emerging plants are another sign that the winter is coming to an end. I won't make the mistake from last year with the vegetable garden. I planted the vegetable starts one day in April and the next night a frost killed them all! It is misleading to think that winter is over and hopefully the trees and other plants won't suffer too much when it turns cold again.


For now we will bask in the warmth of the sun and the fresh smells of almost-spring. It is remarkable how much lightness such days can bring to the spirit. I think for those of you who live in the northern hemisphere- you can appreciate the joy on days like this. Be well.

Energy, First Flowers, and 9 year old boys.

My niece came to visit today with her 9 year-old son. Have you ever noticed how much energy a 9 year-old boy has? We went exploring and he loved the loft at the cabin, he thought the tree platform (an almost tree house) was pretty cool... he also saw his first Rough-Skinned Newt. He was busy telling me about his friends, then walked across our small seasonal stream. Then he was telling me all the things he would do if he came and stayed this summer. Truly a remarkable amount of energy. I have to admit to being a bit tired and in awe of parents and teachers who spend their waking days with these energy balls.



Earlier today my contemplation was about energy. This is the first flower of the year. Don't know what it is, but it was making its way into the world. My contemplation about energy was wondering about those plants that choose to make their way into the world when it is still winter. What advantage does this give them? A curiosity. Yesterday was a wonderful break in the storms and it was absolutely clear. Even though it was in the low 50's, it was warm. Maybe the flower started to make its way up and the sunshine helped it to burst out.

What would it be like if our medium of exchange was actually a measurement of energy? We could judge what we buy by the amount of energy it takes to make it (and get rid of it) and then we pay with the amount of energy that we have created. How much energy did we get by the work we put in this week? It would be a very complex system, but with our modeling capabilities, it doesn't seem out of the realm of the possible. It would also be a universal mode of exchange, rather than dollars-pounds-marks-yuan. I wonder who could create such a thing- beyond the concept?

There is also the inner energy that we have in this life. There is a Tibetan meditation practice called Tummo. This is about generating inner heat. Here is an article about it and some actual laboratory measurements that have been done. What would it be like if we expended the amount of energy that we do for our material goods toward our inner world?

In some ways, most of it is about energy. The land around us takes in solar energy and converts it to their growth and development. They mix in nutrients and water- then we get the fruit of their lives. It gives us energy and then we excrete it to provide a source of energy for other beings. How much energy do we really need?

Dalai Lama, Robins, and Survival of the Fittest

I spent most of last week in a retreat and staying in the little cabin on our property. It was a wonderful time. Even though it was foggy and gray the whole time, it wasn't too cold and the fire in the cabin really heats it up. One day I was sitting and looking at the door when I saw three birds: a Red-shafted Flicker , an American Robin, and a Varied Thrush. They were within a few feet of each other looking for similar types of food. That same day I was reading a book by the Dalai Lama: The Universe in a Single Atom It is about his interest in and work with the Western scientific community and his views on science and spirituality.

In one of the chapters he writes about Darwin, natural selection and survival of the fittest. His point is that there is more cooperation than there is competition. Even in my research around the brain, the conclusion is that trauma, violence, and conflict are the anomalies. There is so much cooperation and nurture, that we fail to see it. The conflict is so rare that it stands out because it is such a "threat" to our survival.

The three birds could easily work side-side because there are plenty of insects and worms. They weren't having to compete for their food. I wonder if survival of the fittest is more appropriate when you put it into the context of limited resources? I've often wondered if there are too many people on the planet for the amount of resources that we have. People say there is enough food to feed everyone, just that it isn't distributed equitably. But there are many other types of resources to attend to: metals, water, clean air...

A bunch of rambling tonight.

May you find all the resources that you need.