“I know but one freedom and that is the freedom of the mind.”
~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery
“Freedom is nothing but a chance to be better.”
~ Albert Camus
Namasté!
I hope everyone had a great Independence Day!
By the same token, I didn't forget to put the word 'day' in the title of this entry. I meant just that, as well: happy independence. Happy freedom. And, while I love the USA & think it's the best place on Earth to live, I don't mean liberty in the patriotic sense, either. I'm talking about the freedom afforded by an overall balance between mind, body, spirit & environment, which in turn fosters equilibrium in a greater sense.
Sustainable Living is all about being more independent, self-reliant & self-sufficient, even as we become increasingly aware that everything is interconnected. To be in harmony with that web of life, we must become more independent of another web - the general technological network colloquially known as 'the grid'.
“Freedom is the oxygen of the soul.” ~ Moshe Dayan
“Freedom lies in being bold.” ~ Robert Frost
My garden is coming along nicely & I believe the dill & the amaranth are sprouting up. The beans are already wrapping around the supports. My passionflower vine is growing quickly & I put up a trellis next to the fence (it’s a privacy fence, so there wasn’t a lot of places for the tendrils to grab onto). It’s one of the 4 trellises I used to keep the dogs & squirrels out of the garden when it was still a compost bed. Remember that sustainable living is all about:
v Reducing
v Recycling
v Reusing
v Repairing
v Re-imagining
v Recreating (both definitions!)
A friend of mine brought up a good point today that I’d like to address. She said something to the effect that I was putting a lot of effort & expense into a rented yard & garden (it’s really been more effort than expense, which isn’t saying much. And both decrease in time).
Of course, I’ll reiterate from previous posts; another characteristic of sustainable living & part of the whole Permaculture © philosophy is about least effort & biggest return.
Each of us has to choose our battles & prioritize in the way that is most harmonious for our own unique circumstances. In my case, I feel the trade-off is well worth it. I’ve mostly used material that was already here & not being used for anything else. And if I don’t have food with this first crop I’ll certainly have some with the next. When I leave this place I’ll have made it better & easier for the next steward(s). And I’m doing my part in my little corner of the world to heal, balance & harmonize our Earth, as well as mySelf. These actions reach out to the world-at-large in concentric rings. It’s a win-win situation. Besides, we’re all just ‘renters’, when it gets right down to it.
My freedom is in the joy of knowing I’m doing my part & cultivating peace & harmony.
You’ll know you’re doing the right thing when it feels good & makes you happy.
I’m hoping for, & it’s looking like we might get, some more rain this week. Again, I’m wishing I had a rain barrel. Here are a few sites that have good instructions for making them:
http://www.cityofbremerton.com/content/sw_makeyourownrainbarrel.html
http://www.naturalrainwater.com/make_rainbarrel.htm
http://www.epa.gov/region3/p2/make-rainbarrel.pdf
http://www.instructables.com/id/Need-Free-Water%3F--Build-a-Rain-Barrel/
If you decide to buy one new I’d try Amazon.com before anyone else. Just make sure you buy directly from them. So far the most reasonably priced model I’ve found is the Smart Solar RB6000 Smart Rain Barrel with 60 Gallon Capacity. This site has a good description of the product:
http://www.smarthome.com/33455/Smart-Solar-RB6000-Smart-Rain-Barrel-with-60-Gallon-Capacity/p.aspx
It’s also collapsible, which may be a convenient feature or it may be something that limits the durability, but I haven’t read any reviews on it. As with all of my posts, input is welcomed & appreciated. I don’t think anyone reads this blog, though! LOL!
Free to good home: I have 3 little pecan tree saplings. These are the large papershells. I also have an abundance of garlic-flavoured chives. And I also am willing to give my first indoor vermicomposter & the pioneering book ‘Worms Eat My Garbage’ by Mary Appelhoff to the right person. I am happy to help you set up & maintain the worm bin until you’ve got the hang of it yourself. But please, only the serious need apply. Handling worms & their poop is a prerequisite. Anyone who wants any of the above can call me; 817 920 7593.
Sending Love & Light to All…
Take care & be well, be grateful & be blessed. Remember Who You Really Are & that
WeR1…
Ashé!
kel

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