It's worth rising early in the morning to catch the mist.
Last year's tree clearing/trimming has made this season different, the openness is calming. Some brush clearing where the mist sits will happen soon enough. (sheep used to graze there once upon a time) This will offer a longer view and make it possible to do a bit of channeling of excess water. And bare some earth for a decent garden.
I am quietly stitching an April Stray. Inspired by Earth Day while considering all the damage that is being done. I whispered to myself...I have land here, maybe all I want to do is take care of it.
I have become diminished, in terms of health and energy, at least in my terms. I think I am in transition somehow, as I wonder about this world and where it is going. And so I slowly drift into a new way of thinking, still asking WTF?.
I ‘feel’ like I’m getting old, sometimes, but I still don’t ‘think’ I’m old, deep down. I don’t know why that is, but as long as I listen to how my body feels and don’t make it worse, it works for me, even if it is frustrating at times. (So many “rests” required to get anything done!) [I think that’s how my husband worked too. He NEVER believed he was old and didn’t even look old until about three months before he died. Being terminally ill, he went from looking and acting about 70 to his actual 96 almost overnight. ]
Anyway, I’m trying to keep going, keep moving, however long it takes these days. And I finally appreciate that my patch of green is fairly small. I can take care of it myself (though I wish the neighbors took better care of their trees-that-should-be-hedges that keep growing well into my yard). My little space is my sanctuary, inside and out, and I do my best to keep the “world” out.
I feel old when my health fails… and this year has been a series of setbacks. I really went through life with hardly any illness. Not used to navigating it.
The “world” is far from here.
I ran to the forest while I still could.
There is so much I’ve learned about listening to my body and acceptance over the last few months. Tending our corner of the world is what we can do in all this craziness, good place to put the energy we have. Love this stray…
Yes, and we don’t have to be plugged in to do it.
I’m about to acquire a very small piece of land. I want to plant more trees, make a home for myself and as many creatures that care to join me. I keep thinking, Sanctuary.
With age comes slowing, but I’m learning to embrace that as it helps me see and treasure what’s truly important.
Sanctuary, I’ll keep that in my mind.
What’s important has certainly been contaminated in this strange environment.
Love the bushcat!
Taking care of nature heals me.
Getting older comes with the pain and stiffness
I’m amazed how many ragmates react here with
Becoming older….we “know” each other and witness same problems
Still…love is the only answer ( Mo )
Yes, we’ve been through so many rounds of older.
Love it is…
Age and health issues have my little piece of land doing what it wants to now. I have happily resigned myself to it. All I want is to outlive my cats.
Ha yes, I think about the cat thing too!
Me too!
Right? ❤️
It begins by a sense of diminished
But then, more a peacefulness.
“In keeping…with ” ,
Being “of”
My 80th year
I’ve stopped fighting it.
Jude~ Living in an apartment is a whole different experience (for me, still), as I can’t just ‘walk outside’ and just be. We walk the neighborhood streets at times – paved and filled with homes. We get in the car and explore the city parks, trails and of course the bridge. But, on the days when health bumps into desire, health usually wins. So, it’s frustrating and I have to find other ways to escape the terror of the world.
I love your earth self! She is a real beauty and I love the view through the trees, misty as it is…it shows a promise beyond. Glad you have some flat and lots of space to dream, I know the importance of that. Sending grit for the hanging in and lots of love 💕
es, nature surely is a buffer, and now our precious land is losing the protection it needs. Making one’s world smaller for a few moments a day helps my sanity
our gardens nourish us as we tend them. sewing seems a smaller version of sowing… our needles act like trowels, poking thru our patchwork, creating patterns of color, texture ‘n connection. feelin’ the transition from indoors to outdoors also… it’s been a long, cold lonely winter… but here comes the sun, little darlin’… x
Yes, here it comes…
A garden is like a story.
I love this little narrative- very sweet and strong.
The land that I love ; True gifts for the human, teaching me the deeper things of life.
We need deeper…
Love the forest mists, which I suppose is pretty obvious from my work. I’m amazed at how flat your land is… would be good for me now that I have this numb foot. The only land here that is flat is the driveway, and a bit on the side and back of the house. Everything else is hummocky. The WTF’s… hard to navigate sometimes, but stewarding land in a good way is good medicine. Big wave west to your transitioning self (and all yourother selves) 🧡
This is the land between me and the road, its all up hill and jiggly toward the cabin and beyond. The flat land was once cleared and a sheep farm.
I too have land and I try to concentrate on taking care of it because I am overwhelmed by the much larger picture of death and destruction surrounding me and because land deserves to be cared for. I too am feeling diminishing energy as my age continues to transition into old(er) age but my health remains strong. I look forward to all of your posts. Thank you, Jude.
I wore myself out a bit this year.
Life is so difficult the older we get, particularly at the moment.
Yes, this moment is…extreme
Sending extra….in my 73rd year and too health-energy challenged in ways I didn’t imagine would happen at this stage, in these ways.
Too a spiritual exercise. To rise, honor, and rise to the day.
The grace of seeing the sun rise. Birds chanting. The garden dappled with light.
Yes.
To witness life going on.
And to bring light as we can.
‘Tis beautiful, and therefore, it suits you.
How a strong nation can go rogue. Keep creating. I’ll keep gardening. And we’ll see.💚🌱🪡
Yeah, we’ll see…
Ha! I just bought an electric pole trimmer to get at some things I used to get up on a ladder to do by hand. Just don’t want to do that anymore! Getting older.
And yes, whether we have a little land or a lot, be it urban or rural, we are the temporary caretakers aren’t we?
It feels good. Earth day greetings earthlings!
Getting old indeed. There’s a lot of work here. But I’ll try.
It does feel good, and right.
🌎!
Hi Jude! Your land is amazing. I am hoping you are feeling better. I am worried about the world too, I’m finding it hard to be optimistic. Not sure that helps but you are not alone. I hope your stitching will bring some solace to you. Take care.
I am a bit better, still, older, ya know? We should be very worried.
Taking care of the land is a great thing to do, and making a garden, despite the inevitable disappointments from snails slugs and deer, is a real life affirming quest. I have just enlarged two flowerbeds and the bare soil, warming in the spring sunshine is so exciting as the possibilities for plants flit through my mind 🙂. Your land is full of promise, Jude, and we are so lucky to have the chance to make a little piece of paradise.
I’ve always loved the gardening, but this place could be so much a paradise with a bit of attention. Still picking up debris left by the previous owner when they used it as an airb&b.