The Good Life

Falling into Winter and Another Year

2011-12-17T10:03:00.000-08:00

From Fall to Winter, I am now realizing that time flies.

I have been enrolled at Prescott College since last August and still have another year to go.
And to be honest, I am feeling pretty excited about rolling along.

I am currently snuggled into a neat, old school room in the Warren District of Bisbee, where I can dive into work and school.

...and life.

This life, my life. The life.

The Good Life.

Continuing along.

Shelter

2011-04-01T15:14:00.000-07:00

There are doors
that want to be free
from their hinges to
fly with perfect clouds

There are windows
that want to be
released from their
frames to run with
the deer through
back country meadows.

There are walls
that want to prowl
with the mountains
through the early morning dusk.

There are floors
that want to digest
their furniture into
flowers and trees.

There are roofs
that want to travel
gracefully with
the stars through
circles of darkness.

~Richard Brautigan

Community Project Exploration - I

2010-12-02T19:37:00.000-08:00

Beginning
with friendship, dedication, trust and truth.

Inspiration
how to excite those around us? excite ourselves....

Community
when we gather and work and share and exist

Happiness
creating what you dream and dreaming what you create

"Jellyfish" by Andrea Gibson

2010-11-27T22:53:00.000-08:00

Plastic

2010-11-27T17:46:00.000-08:00

Watching the beauty of the desert become decorated with the pollution of consumerism. This is what can inspire.
Little plastic tapestries strewn across the natural beauty of pure natural life. Hard as stone rock and lush fauna can not compete with the forged fossil fuel. The ubiquitous symbol of what we've evolved into. What beauty can be seen?

how we begin to change...

What I See As Truth

2010-10-27T01:15:00.000-07:00

Looking at my desk which is filled with mostly books, a local hand made mug filled with pens and pencils a ball of wool yarn from Pennsylvania, my cell phone and random other trinkets, I had a hard time deciding what to choose. Then it hit me. My little zip pouch made from recycled bicycle tubes inspired me to look up where it came from and the company which made it.

Green Guru is a high quality, high performance outdoor and lifestyle gear line, using all recycled, reclaimed and sustainable materials. All products are manufactured within 18 miles of the Boulder office. They believe that the more products they manufacture the more carbon footprints they and others reduce. The reclamation engineers who have helped design this process claim it’s a true cradle to cradle, closed-loop one. My little 3” by 7” pouch is made from recycled bicycle tires. They also remake items with highway bill boards and vinyl banners, neoprene wetsuits and nylon climbing rope. All items which can not be recycled or are cost inefficient.

Ecologic Designs is a group in Boulder Colorado who is passionate about progressing the status quo of design and manufacture. They have helped design a model to follow for businesses to be sustainable. Green Guru works along side them to be connected with sustainable operations such as recycling stations, reclamation stations, etc.

I could go into detail about where the bicycle tires come from, but I think we all know this. Instead of focusing on the issues so deeply and pointing them out, my goal is to learn how to effect change within this unstable system.

Bisbee Bee Be blue.

2010-06-07T15:10:00.001-07:00

Picked up refreshments at the local food co-operative. Peaches, apples, tea and limeade. Stepped into my car along with a giant gust of breeze carrying the scent of sulfur and iron. The giant hole was whispering to me. Honest Tea insight for the day came from Samuel Taylor Coleridge. "Nothing is so contagious as enthusiasm." I think that may be how the hole ended up so giant. You get excited and keep digging. or going. or whatever.

It can tip either way. Like the snail on the razor blade. On one side, there is positive progress with a cradle to cradle theory holding it up. The other side is the path towards a giant hole in the ground. Greedy, unthoughtful action to a certain desired end. It's a delicate state....

So this is where I sit. The tiny town in the high desert hills of southern Arizona. Staring out into the pit of our deepest desires and deepest habits. Learning from the past how to move forward. This time, with respect and understanding.

Summer in the City

2010-05-26T09:18:00.000-07:00

The small city, in the mountains of southeastern Arizona, is full of pollen and sunshine and laughter.

Many of the snowbird travelin' folk are heading back north, or south, or east, and some west....leaving us desert rats here to soak in the sun and miss them all.

It has been one year since returning back to Bisbee from my trip across the country. I don't think I've actually reflected on it all since. It was a whirlwind year and I became distracted by the hustle and bustle of it all...

Now, as the town grows quiet and warm, I settle into my cool little home and look back..............

The Jade like jewel of my world gave me a comforting space to begin a journey into myself. Lithuanian travelers greeted me and showed me the world through their eyes. A beautiful home, where those who wander can rest their heads and hearts. Visions from a trip filled with inspiration and rejuvenation. I came back "home" searching for something lost, and began collecting and piecing together all that I had found while rollin' along the tracks.

My interdisciplinary, humanistic view on life began to take over. I began to long for my own clean slate. A place designed to be my home. Where I could grow and learn. New love sparked and the lion became the goats muse. It felt like life was happening in the moment of a wave breaking. Smooth to rough to smooth...catastrophe, necessity, developing beauty. The internal compass felt broken. I knew I was to move forward, but where and how and why and what-for...? Love presented itself in all shapes and sizes. Through little children, and baby chickens. The summer waned into fall and the struggle to keep hope alive depleted me. I worked hard. Between markets and lions and desert domes, the spirit within began to sink down. As if melting into a little blob of confusion and fear. The Fall fell hard, and with the desert dust I became dirtied and hardened...

Sustainability was the common theme. Learning how to keep alive and uphold all that is true. Be it rainwater, sturdy structures, or friends or relationships and love. When do you begin to decide to sustain? Is there a sacrifice to be made in sustainable movements, and when do we begin? The Fall waned into the Winter and all the emotions of the seasons combined. Months filled with efforts in eco-ness. Wearing the same dress or shirt or pants for all of October. It was difficult. The doubt and criticism and pity I received only pushed me farther into a little world filled with much passion and no release. The love I felt for the lion was returned with cowardly shuns and I fell into a pattern of regret and sadness. Maybe it was the seasonalities kicking in, or the experience of being on my own, or both. The reflection I was seeing while sharing time with an epic friend/lover/being was the most needed one yet. Fierce, honest, painfully truthful. The Winter began to take hold. Fire, Domes, Clay, Expression, Direction........

Fires to kick off the new year, the new time round the sun, the new age of twenty-something enlightenment. Fierce fires filled in with friends, and laughter and growth. An influx of energy around the new year. New faces, beliefs and arts. The months to follow were filled with excitement and healing. An epic affair between two animals who know no bounds, dissolved into the desert dust. The loss seemed unimaginable, but the pain was just a release from memories of long long ago. Tears, joy, and new discovery painted the backdrop. Wintery, wild, windy desert days flew past. Potato cannon shenanigans, free love, the new modernists versus the new millennials. Times are changing and sometimes they change too fast. The reflection from the fiery moons showed me what love and life are all about. A combustication of moments. Out of control, yet entirely contained. The path was slowly working through the wildness of life. A way to go, a way to grow and a way to bee....

Winter held on....the fires continued with the full moon and the cycles were cycling. Social situations infiltrated the small town. Every day held something new. No bounds to the imagination of the people around. Music, life, circumstance and growth. A realization suddenly hit. Am I not here on this earth to enjoy it? What is life if not something meant to be lived? All moments we experience are precious and wonderful and fleeting. All of life moves through us and then beyond. Sometimes we become attached and feel empty when the moment has passed. Longing for the experience which is no longer ours, but forever into eternity experienced. New friends who pop in and out. Old timers who have left and realize now that they must return to the desert down they love so much. With the warming days, new relationships evolve. Seeds are planted and a community begins to grow. The love shuffle plays in the back ground, and we dance along to the tune of here and now and then. Orion began to set early in the evening over the majestic mules. Reminding me that spring had arrived and the days would grow longer and longer. Emerson said the earth laughs in flowers. I say she laughs in love. All the friends from the winter blow in are moving out. Like the sand hill cranes, they circle around and take flight. Out .... Away ... Goodbye party after goodbye party I realize it was this time last year, as all begin to leave, I arrived. And now, I exist. Not going anywhere....

Smut logs, poi, drums and discovery ushered in the warmth. Love's ability to re-arrage and exchange, yet always exist, no matter what, excites me. A year after the return from a journey around, I can finally look back and see what most of it was or is, all for. The summer is a time to soak up the sun and grow. The soil of the spirit has been amended and tended to. The falling seasons and wild visions turned a burnt out afraid girl into a true believer of the dream. Now, the seeds, which were planted long long ago, can begin to feel the warmth and start the journey upwards. While all the snow birds are away, and the town is quiet and slow, I will enjoy the big bright blue skies and imagine the future and all it's possibilities. In this copper mining town, where I begin to find my roots, I dive...............

to all the pioneers

2010-03-24T11:45:00.000-07:00

Permaculture Principles

✴☀✴

everything works at least two ways

✴

see solutions, not problems

✴

cooperation, not competition in work

✴

make things pay

✴

work where it counts

✴

use everything to it's highest capacity

✴

bring food production back to the cities

✴

help make people self-reliant

✴

minimize maintenance and energy inputs

to achieve maximum yields

~Bill Mollison

~water closet experiment

desert green

...to one or more interpretation...

2010-02-28T12:58:00.000-08:00

Oh My Ambiguity,

It is you who moves me. You, who I write to. Like the unborn daughter within, never finding a way out.

Moi qui n'ai pas connules hommes.

open

2010-02-21T20:59:00.000-08:00

intellectual philanthropy.

the beginning of a new dive.

here we go......

sometimes my implications seeem limitless.

Re: -

2010-01-27T08:17:00.000-08:00

~) Invention.

~) Localization.

~) Mediation.

(~ Creation.

Centuries Rolling

2010-01-14T07:03:00.000-08:00

Gold shiny ribbons.

Big bright balloons.

Beautiful, blue moon.

A new decade, a quarter of a century passing, and time always moving forward.

A new theme : slow. Like the snails and rabbits who always come out ahead.

A new age.

Who are the pioneers of the future? What are they, or we, supposed to do in times like these?

The lesson: keep growing.

November

2009-11-12T10:36:00.000-08:00

Keep falling.

Cool Me Down

2009-10-21T09:32:00.000-07:00

October is rounding up. Halloween is around the corner with opportunity for new, created existences.

This month has been spent testing out my strengths and agendas.

An attempt to understand consumerism and freedom and beauty.

The Dress Project. I'll be the first to admit I'm not totally a fan of the whole thing, but something about it hit home. The vision of simplicity and honesty is why I was determined to wear the same thing every single day. My failures within the project came when I realized the impracticality of such an endeavor and when I felt as though I was dressed in uniform. No different really than when I worked for the giant corporations, or local hometown folks who believe in conformity. I was conforming in a non-conformist way. So as the month goes, I try to create a new way of looking at the vision. I have come to understand my consuming and my clothing. The two key elements of our American Dream. I will give a full run down when the month is officially over.

The Home Project. Learning to live. This space is small. Glorious. Honest. Nice. Home. I have been facing the true test of my simplistic lifestyle. With my own place I can determine the events. I can decide what comes in, how it goes out and what it's used for while inside. A true test of my strength in sustainability. With good friends who have been examples I try to make decisions which will prove righteous and honest. The groceries I bring in. The essential utensils I have had to scavenge for and collect. (still collecting). Out of the things I bring in what then goes out as trash, recycling, or how it can be reused within. Everything from the beer I choose to the trash bags I collect. Everyday I see and think of something I can do differently. It's a never ending path. So I take what I have learned and keep going. Home Sweet Home.

The Life Project. It all comes down to this. Everything that I do is an attempt to just live a simple and pure life. No ideal too great, no vision to small. I just move forward. There are times when it seems as though I must be insane. Lost. Unknown. But I realize this experience is beautiful and exactly that, my experience. So I wake everyday in greater and greater appreciation of all that comes to me. The healing hands of autumn are here to cool me down. Bringing perspective and love along the way...

The Times Are a' Changin'....

2009-09-02T11:34:00.000-07:00

September is here. Fall is falling upon us. I am beginning the endeavour.
The 1st day of the month was spent healing myself. A hivey body is no fun when you dream of land and love. So I take these first few days of the autumn month to detox and begin again.

I begin with a huge focus on food. In preparation for the national day of action on Labor day, I dive into the realm of understanding healthy living. Weeding out all the toxic things which usually enter in, and developing a relationship with only things that are healthy and true. A new diet is in order. Eliminating excess sugar intake. Intensifying my fruit and veggie love. Becoming a happy, healthy person.

Monday, (the 7th) will be righteous. My first day of action. A project which comforts me whole heartedly and adds vibrance to my life. Food is huge. Food is everything. Food is truth and beauty.

http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/campaign/time_for_lunch/

The Countdown Begins...

2009-08-27T11:35:00.000-07:00

I have become inspired. Not by any one thing in particular, but by the accumulation of all that I experience. Walking through the library I picked up another new book written by a girl who mirrors myself in many ways. Vanessa Farquharson wrote Sleeping Naked is Green. A journal of how she let go and turned green in 365 days. Reading her honest words and following her experience I have become aware that I too can make this simple. Set a goal and begin...

I have already let a lot of things go. This journey began almost two years ago. So instead of letting go, I will be learning what to do next.... what to re-learn, how to re-skill and really dive into what needs to be done. Over the next few days I will be working on a strategic plan for what lies ahead in the next year.

The land! that is where our roots are. There is the basis of our phyisical life.

The farther we get away from the land, the greater our insecurity. From the land

comes everything that supports life, everything we use for the serive of physical life.

The land has not collapse

d or shrunk in either extent of productivity. It is there waiting

to honor all the labor we are willing to invest in it, and able to

tide us across any local

dislocation of economic conditions. No unemployment insurance can be compared to

an alliance between m

an and a plot of land.

- Henry Ford

I began this blog with the above quote. Now I begin to seek out land for myself. Preferably here in the southeastern corner of Arizona, but anywhere will do. For the greatest lesson I have l

earned, it's not where you are, but what you are doing wherev

er you end up...

The next few days I am preparing. Setting goals, researching, and planning. The process begins on the

first of September. With hopes that 365 days from that day i will be harvesting the fruits of my land!

Here's to vision.

Make Yours a Happy Home...

2009-08-04T16:31:00.000-07:00

I have been many places....seen many faces....and now I begin to reflect on it all...

I begin to fine tune my opportunities. Beginning a beautiful dive into independence, awareness and truth.

Existing simply, wholly and true. Ignoring the destroying fear which could take over if allowed.

I have purpose. I have focus, and I move forward...

Now, many emotions flood in. Pain, Understanding, Loss, Joy, Vision.

Everything is what I feel and what I need...

Into the home...Into dreams and preparation of beginning, living and loving.....

Desert

2009-06-29T17:30:00.000-07:00

Greetings to the Natural World

2009-06-21T19:41:00.000-07:00

The Sun

We now send greetings and thanks to our eldest

Brother, the Sun. Each day without fail he travels

the sky from east to west, bringing the light of a

new day. He is the source of all the fires of life.

With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to our Brother,

the Sun.

now our minds are one.

Most of us need the eggs....

2009-06-08T11:06:00.000-07:00

It has been one month since arriving back in this little high desert town. Many moments have happened, many dreams have been understood, many laughs, and tears and sighs. A focus for my intention is rooting. The grass roots spirit of my longing is taking hold to life and all that it has to offer. The beauty keeps reminding me of the need to always climb. Higher and higher. Into the deep essence of what I am and what I have.

I have been riding on the bicycle around this hilly town. A core is finally found. There has also been much observing of these random surroundings. While riding I take it all in. I see the truth, I see the facades, I see love. Opportunity.

The gardens tempt me. Like lovers waiting to be loved. I envision the chance to take up shovels, prepare for the water and grow. So many chances to learn more this season and give a little more back to the earth. I have been paying attention to the rhythms around me. In the clouds. In the wind. In the bright blue sky. The smiling faces which always pass by. Backyard connections are what I look forward to. Helping. Growing. Giving. Recieving. Sharing. It's all happening.

One Worth

2009-06-01T22:33:00.000-07:00

We made it a rule that the youngsters should

not be asked to do what the teachers did

not do, and therefore when they were asked

to do any work there was always a teacher

co-operating and actually working with them.

Hence, whatever the youngsters learned they

learned cheerfully.

~Gandhi

Growth

2009-05-25T20:28:00.000-07:00

Good To See You Again...

2009-05-11T10:12:00.001-07:00

Little town of my longing. Oh, how I missed you.

Climbing up desert mountains, viewing the world from the top of it all.

I have come full circle.

Contemplation

2009-05-11T09:36:00.000-07:00

Past

Present

Future

Here

Now

Time Travels

2009-05-11T09:30:00.001-07:00

Earth Day...

2009-04-27T09:53:00.000-07:00

...every day.

I have been contemplatively thinking about all the beauties this earth offers. Earth day was almost a week ago. I was impressed by the amount of people who actually spoke out about it, or acted in a specific way. The masses are coming around and figuring things out. If only they could take these lessons and apply them everyday. Then there would be no need for an earth day. We would all be practicing the good life.

Spring snow fell on the front range last night. The cold rain turned into large white fluffy flakes and I awoke to a good three inches on the ground. My time here on the front range has been filled with much meditation, many lessons, reconnections and love.

I leave for Bisbee Arizona at the end of the week. An old friend who has randomly popped up will be giving me a ride. My roots are tapping. I am finding understanding in my home land.

Things I have learned: Lessons are never ending. Life is ever moving. Love is forever Free.

Ganja

2009-04-19T22:21:00.000-07:00

Cannabis.

Here in Colorado, the weekend has been spent in many ways. A Communiky Techno Arts Festival was rockin' Boulder while people were being educated on the righteous herb. Tomorrow, the infamous 4.20 will bring all the stoners into the streets to profess their love for the magical plant.

My love for this plant is not only based in the excited state of consciousness it offers but also in the powerful diversity it holds as an enduring weed. A weed which has the potential to provide us with so much. We sit and subsidize type 2 corn and deplete our soil. Yet we could be growing hemp and supplying ourselves with all kinds of products. Anything that is not glass or metal can be made from hemp, (cannabis). We could be producing oil from it, plastics, food, clothing.

Instead of being a random stoner and focusing on apathy...tomorrow I educate. i advocate. the future is in our hands.

Paint the Town

2009-04-12T16:04:00.000-07:00

radical |ˈradikəl|

adjective1 (esp. of change or action) relating to or affecting the fundamental nature of something; far-reaching or thorough. characterized by departure from tradition; innovative or progressive.

Paint the Town

Insurgent Theater

Energy

2009-04-09T11:59:00.000-07:00

machine |məˈ sh ēn|noun an apparatus using or applying mechanical power and having severalparts, each with a definite function and together performing a particular task. A machine is any device that uses energy to perform some activity.

The Rocky Mountain.

The Necci.

To create, to roll, to move forward.

The difference between the two machines, as of now. One is powered by me. The other .... fossil fuel.

The new step is to learn how to convert the energy I can produce on the bike, into the sewing machine.

And then into anything I want powered.

Energy. The new ideal.....

To Watch...

2009-04-08T08:12:00.000-07:00

....the sunset behind the trees.

To enjoy the mystery.

Looking Forward.

The Burden of Change

2009-04-05T10:14:00.000-07:00

adapt |əˈdapt|
verb [ trans. ]
make (something) suitable for a new use or purpose; modify.

modify |ˈmädəˌfī|
verb ( -fies, -fied) [ trans. ]
make partial or minor changes to (something), typically so as to improve it or to make it less extreme.

What is everyone holding on to? Why is this new century being bogged down by addictive laziness?

Change is not something someone will show you how to do. Change is only accomplished from within.

Once one discovers the freedom which comes from "alternative" living they are uplifted. A new light is shown on how to live. We see through the lenses of a new paradigm and life seems refreshed. Yet, there is still struggle. Like walking up a stream, or even more so, a street full of zombies. (Not the eat you kind, just the monotonous, lame kind.) A current which is against everything you think about and strive for. A current which is flowing blindly into self destruction. A waterfall into pity and regret. Why can we not let go? Why can we not move forward thoughtfully and consciously?

Some say truth will set you free. But it will make you miserable at first. I say why? Why not go ahead and allow the truth to be righteous and precious? Let it be the exuberant celebration of newness. When you are able to let go of all that you are addicted to then you are able to shine and live freely.

We heal ourselves when we are sick. We take vitamins, pills of any kind to "cure" our problems. Yet when some are still so addicted to the manufactured happiness which comes from the system we are shy of happiness always. They wont drop the addictions to heal themselves. They just make excuses. If only we could all realize what true health is. What to heal really means and how to adapt and move forward into the new....

FREE SUNSHINE

2009-03-29T15:17:00.000-07:00

Finding Truth

2009-03-25T11:44:00.000-07:00

Here or there? Now or then?

Where to go, what to do , who to be.

ME.

Seeds of Inspiration

2009-03-21T15:54:00.000-07:00

Sun shine. Blue sky. Wheel barrows. Shovels and rakes. Bare feet. Dirt. A community garden being born......

To work hard, in the earth with confidence and pride. To know that creation is taking place in the moment. Happiness.

The Louisville Neighborhood Community Support Garden. Transitioning into truth.

All Together Now.

2009-03-19T07:58:00.000-07:00

unison |ˈyoōnəsən; -zən|
noun
1 simultaneous performance of action.

The need to travel and provide light and love to all I meet is ripe. Like the coming of spring brings opportunity to exist freely and openly in the wind. We must take chances and dive into the new paradigm of spirit. All who care should stand. All who envision shall step out with barefeet and begin to grow. Grow in every way imaginable. There is room for a diversity of ways and paths. Let us find grace in moving forward. Be respectful and have deference. As Bob Dylan once said "A hard rains a gonna fall"... Stand under the umbrella of wisdom and watch the seeds grow.

Keep on Rollin'

2009-03-16T12:33:00.000-07:00

These are the moments.

Baltimore Beauty.

The visions have been filled with truth. I have been enlightened, focused and centered. The gears have been wound and the project is moving on.

Making bags in coffee houses.

Singing songs of love in the parks and streets.

Walking and viewing it all.

Tomorrow the train heads back west. I jump on and go with the flow. Back home. Back to the Rocky Mountains.

Currently focused on the issues at hand. HR 875 is the fire roaring beneath me. The role I play is to spread the word and to help the world grow. GROW GROW GROW!! The time for change is at hand. My path is more clear than ever before. The time here in Baltimore has shown me what I am and what I am capable of. The opportunity to live the Good Life is in front of our noses.

Go ahead and B-More Baltimore. Show your strength and resilience. I will be helping from afar and will return to get dirty!

To Share and to Love

2009-03-13T08:39:00.000-07:00

BAGS!!!!

20 Shirts

8 hours

31 BAGS!

An evening sitting in the Daily Grind Unwind in Fells Point Baltimore.

The next morning, wound on coffee and love : sew sew sew!

To be the change. To create a new paradigm in the moment.

Whole or Hole Foods?

2009-03-09T09:11:00.000-07:00

On Friday evening I headed out into the wild streets of Baltimore to get some dinner fix-ins. It was an adventure slipping through the hustle and bustle of the city. People were out. They were all dressed up. They were all looking to have a good time. I was out looking for food. Good whole food.

The nearest market to the boat is Whole Foods. The corner it sits o

n is busy and surrounded by clothing shops, shoe stores and fancy restaurants. When you walk in the smell of food hits you hard and you instantly crave everything they have to offer. Hanging from the ceiling is a chalkboard sign. It reads: Number of Organic Items Today - 209. It hasn't changed in the three weeks I have been here. I take off my back pack and grab a little black basket and begin my search. I started in the produce department. An overly stocked corner with organic and traditional fruits and veggies. The signage is hard to follow and the organic is hard to find. Everything is labeled as to what kind of fruit it is and where it comes from. Only generically speaking. USA, California, Mexico. nothing directly from the east. I was in search primarily for Dandelion Greens. So I asked the clerk stocking oranges. He led me to the packaged herb section and really had no idea what I was talking about. He wanted to grab someone who knew, I told him not to worry about it. So i kept looking. I got some spinach. (not in season) I got a garnet yam from California. As opposed to the jewel yam from the US. I grabbed some snow peas, which was bad because they came all way from Chile. And finally found the Dandelion Greens from California.

After getting my produce I wandered around, looking at everything. I began to feel a little lost and overwhelmed. My brain was thinking about everything which was passing in front of me. The "organic" farm companies who are producing and packaging all these products on a massive scale. The false awareness the store offers. The dull apathy which consumes the consumers. Frustrated by the lack of local and irritated with all the plastic and pretension of the packaged foods I took the veggies I had and headed to the self check out counter. I picked up the Mother Jones magazine as impulse. I saw the farm girl cartoon on the front cover with the caption "Let's Grow America". I made my purchase, packed everything up in my back pack and left.

Instead of feeling whole I felt hole. There was a void. There was something lacking. My simple purchase took so much energy. My simple diet was stifled by the amount of oil and time it took to get it to the box store and then into my bowl. I learned many lessons. While walking back to the boat I passed all the party people and felt above it all. I had fresh greens on my back. They has cigarettes in their hands and alcohol waiting inside.

The life of the lonely hippy. The life of the girl who strives to live simply and purely. It's all worth it in the end.

A Personal Dive

2009-03-09T08:53:00.000-07:00

From Baltimore to Portland with Denver in between.

I have learned more than I could have ever imagined. The emotions are thick and come in crazy gusts. A still peaceful moment can be blown away by the the insanity of awareness. In one moment I am free and filled with joy, in the next, fear and frustration take hold and I feel lost. I want to say that in the end there is hope. But I have lost faith in hope. It has been mangled into propaganda and no longer holds true. The only thing that keeps me going is the resilience of the human spirit. The beauty which still surrounds and holds strong in the brink of utter destruction. It is the constant fight against conformity and the power of self to not give in to the greedy hand.

This path that I am walking along holds so many surprises. Just when I think it's all over, or that there could be no more, beauty steps in and surprises. A new journey is always unfolding. New opportunities are constantly evolving and while everything is happening my only requirement is to stay true and be the change.

The answers to all the questions are known but the signal is fuzzy. The addictions are strong and the fear is overwhelming. To overcome, one must let go of so much...And then grab onto reality. trade one lust for one true love. Loose the material, hold on to the eternal. Redefine relations, find meaning within the things that really matter -- Believe.

Love for the People

2009-02-22T08:46:00.001-08:00

Ideas to change the world.

Currently working on a project to create bags.

Bags for the People is a non profit based out of New York. While staying in Portland I learned about the folks who started this beautiful project to eliminate the one staple of american excess and consumer waste. The PLASTIC BAG. A beautiful project which makes bags out of old used clothing (t-shirts mostly) and hands them out for FREE! The goal here in Baltimore is to stand outside the Whole Foods and give away bags to those who were just going to use plastic (or paper). To educate people and inspire them to rethink and begin creating change. The average american family uses 700-1200 bags per year. The average store sends out more than 7000 bags per day!!! Which then adds up to over 2 million bags per year!! Remember that is just one store. It is approximated to take over 1000 years for one bag to disintegrate in a landfill. Probably longer. How insane are these numbers? How over consuming have we become? If one family had just 5 bags that they took with them to the store every time they would never use another plastic bag again. It's that easy. It's that simple.

Simple Solutions. Radical Revolutions. Here we go.......

Farewell to the West

2009-02-14T09:27:00.001-08:00

On this grey Valentines Day in the Emerald City I prepare for my departure.

I have seen and felt so much while resting in this little city. Met many new faces, connected and learned about a new dear friend.

Dove into my inner being and figured out what I want in life and where I want to be.

I head north out of Oregon. Through the Gorge and then East.

My mind will be filled with views of Glacier and the Northern States. Beauty Incarnate.

The Next stop...

Baltimore and a Sailboat.

love.

Perpetuating Portland

2009-02-09T17:41:00.000-08:00

Bikes, Street Cars, Aerial Trams. What does sustainability mean? Rethinking. Moving Forward.

I have been inspired here. This little town and the man I am staying with have provided new insight to what it means to be progressive and forward thinking. Tiny city parks where street poles used to be, green roofs and unconventional transportation.

"The Land of B's" Bikes, Books, Beer, Beauty, Baristas, Bluegrass.

There is beauty all around. I will take it all with me as I head back east next week. More inspirations to come......

Together We Will Live Forever

2009-02-04T21:42:00.000-08:00

The Load is Heavy

The path, hard to follow

and Midwinter wonders flood my soul,

into canyons and peaks

of emotion and love.

Melancholy moments

nestled and nurtured next to

the monumental mountains.

A day

spent in appreciation

to the tradition of love.

An unending journey.

Embedded with the solid

reassurance of truth.

Happiness

Where is Love?

2009-01-30T14:27:00.000-08:00

Journey's through half of the country.

The world whizzing by the train.

Me flowing through every emotion and feeling known yet.

Baltimore was amazing. I felt so much love and felt so at peace while resting in the city. leaving put a heavy feeling on my soul and while I'm now in colorado I wonder about this whole trip.

Baltimore Boats

2009-01-27T12:27:00.000-08:00

inspiration.

rejuvination.

the sounds begin to take flight.

here we sit on the edge of it all

and forever exist the way we might.

Sail Away, sail away, sail away........

2009-01-26T13:38:00.000-08:00

Trains Across the South

2009-01-20T21:38:00.001-08:00

Sunsets in Texas.

Southern Swamps.

Mississippi River.

Thoughts on traveling across the southern part of the country.

The last two days were beautiful. I am sitting on the bottom bunk of my hostel room reflecting on it all. New Orleans is sending me good vibes and I'm a little saddened that I didn't get out to see the city. But i've had a warm evening inside this little space and have met many great new people. Tomorrow I depart for Baltimore. To see the eastern part of this country is something I have been craving for quite some time. The journey countinues..........

Fridays at Mimosa Market

2009-01-16T15:58:00.000-08:00

The smell of Ralphie's Rotisserie Chickens permeates the town.

People wander in and become hungry.

Candy is bought with food stamps and love is shared in each transaction.

I opened the New Yorker, like I do when it's slow, and on the inside cover was an advertisement for Monsanto.

I was disappointed instantly and couldn't even finish reading the magazine.

It thrust me into my frustrations with society and the systems which control this rat race maze of a culture.

I am leaving on Sunday.

The "goals" or intentions behind the trip:

To reconnect with those I love most.

To see this country through the slow movement of the rocking rails.

To learn about myself.

To learn how to actually begin helping and making change.

The trip ends in California open ended. An adventure to Portland maybe?? A trip back to Baltimore??

Or home to Bisbee.

We'll see where the wind blows the dandelion seeds...........

Adventures in Longing

2009-01-11T14:20:00.000-08:00

Birthdays filled with Fire and Freedom. The mama goat turned 29. The goatgirl turned 25. And now the year has officially begun.

The adventure is around the corner. The week is filled with preparations and anticipation. The love I want to share with those I will see is exploding within me and I almost can't take it anymore. There is a pensive tone lingering over my day. I awoke from a refreshing, deep sleep and have been searching all day. I have prepared myself for a town meeting of sorts this evening. A Sustainability, Green Building, Relocalization event for the city of Bisbee Arizona. Such progress, such confusion, and such love.

I choose every day to see the world in a new light. I choose to sit here in the coffee house with my own mug. I choose to walk when i'm in town, and only drive in when it's an absolute necessity. And all the while, I question and contemplate. How to shine the light for those who are in the dark.... How to live happily while walking against the current.... How to see and love.

Distractions will come in and I will struggle, but I am ready. The adventure begins...................

Growth and Discovery

2009-01-07T10:46:00.000-08:00

The countdown begins. The time has come. One quarter of a century later and I find myself sitting in Bisbee, waiting to head out on a grand adventure filled with growth and discovery. I am off to relearn about myself. Experience new things. See dear friends I miss and ones I hardly know. My family will be in the middle of two separate love affairs. Today is the Mama Goats birthday. She is inspiration incarnate and has shown me what it means to be a strong woman! HAPPY BIRTHDAY GOAT LADY!!!!!

New Years and Beautiful Cheers

2009-01-02T16:08:00.000-08:00

New Years.

City Park.

Ballons.

Laughter.

Love.

I ran around the whole town. Experiencing different moments and enjoying all I could. This year brings many opportunities. 2008 was a test of my strength and a rite of passage into adulthood. Hearbreak, love, discovery and understanding. I am ready for what 2009 will bring.

Winter

2008-12-28T12:39:00.000-08:00

Winter is upon us. The season is beginning to ripen and I feel blessed to be apart of it all.

There are times, especially around the holidays when I feel a little bummed and frustrated by this society.

Consumerism, greed, regret. They flood into the jolly spirit and trample anything beautiful.

But I managed to hold on to a few pieces of greatness. The grace of my steps over the last few weeks have placed me into new opportunities. I was given beautiful gifts in honor of the christmas spirit and I am forever thankful for them. I will cherish the moments spent with the wee tikes until the day I rest. They have come to mean so much to me.

My time now is spent catching up with the year. Realizing I'll be 25 soon and preparing for the largest journey I've ever been on. A trip around the country, by train, all my myself. An expedition of the 21st century. A journey into society and it's corners. A soul searching endevour. I am blessed this season.

Leonard Cohen Christmas Moments

2008-12-25T23:01:00.000-08:00

Among the garbage and the flowers.

there are children in the morning.

they are leaning out for love, and they will lean that way forever

and you want to travel with him
and you want to travel blindly
and you know you can trust him
cause he’s touched your perfect body
with his mind.

Burn One Down

2008-12-21T16:56:00.000-08:00

Little houses on little hills in the high desert of this southern land.

The fire is burning in the stove and I am feeling comfortably warm on this solstice.

I feel alive and filled with wonder. This short day has been spent relaxing and believing in the possibilities. My intentions have not changed in the waning months. To learn how to grow is the key desire. Even though my fingers have been out of the dirt and in the air I have still learned what growth means. On an even deeper level, I have learned about growth within. The personal journey is as beautiful as the evolution of the seed. It is a seed in its own sense. A seed of life, awakened and growing, learning and developing. Only it is special. It has the choice. The choice to grow more and more and live in each moment.

I believe this solstice is special in many ways. I believe we are in the cusp of change. I believe change is happening in my life in these very moments. A growing up process is taking place and I am in love with everything about life. This year has been a wild ride. Filled with deep emotion and true love. I look back and listen to Ben Harper in this mining shack of old. And when I rise with the morning sun, I know that the journey is just begininng. The sun will gain strength and so will I. The coming year brings joy and understanding and especially growth and love.

Relocalize

2008-12-12T11:21:00.000-08:00

i'm working on it.

learning how to strengthen my localvore ambitions and grow the vision throughout.

how to relocalize in a town surrounded by a toxic mine? how to decide weather to stay or go?

I look at the power of growth in this town and envision what beauty could take place.

I meditate on this semi cloudy day and find power in the moment.

Thank You

2008-12-01T09:44:00.000-08:00

Our Moments. Talking it all out. Sharing. Experiencing. Loving. I enjoy our friendship. I enjoy your children and I am forever

Thankful!!

Is This Love?

2008-11-29T12:32:00.000-08:00

Chiricahua Wilderness. Lovely. Perfect. In love.

An Affair.....

2008-11-27T18:42:00.000-08:00

......with imgaination.

Seeds were planted. Seeds are forever planted. Things grow. Things don't. Life flows....

I sit atop the town which I have grown to know and love deeply. Music floats in and out of my soul now, and I feel free.

On this grey day I daydream upon reflection and anticipation. The future holds forever. I hold the future in my hand, and

blow........

Glorious Nature

2008-11-25T20:49:00.001-08:00

beauty.

Humble Awareness

2008-11-14T13:19:00.000-08:00

The ocotillo of the southwestern desert brings peace and serenity to my soul. As they begin their slumber into spiny stick mode, I too fall into the hands of winter and begin to rest up for whatever lies ahead.

Gandhi has been inspiring me lately. To act in non violent, love filled ways towards goodness and greatness. The quote on the inside of my honest tea cap read "An eye for an eye makes the whole world go blind." Words spoken from truth.

My mantra for the summer and fall months has been....

"live simply that others may simply live"

-gandhi

Everyday I say this to myself as an affirmation to why I am doing what I am doing. The lifestyle I have chosen brings me face to face with intense issues and massive choices. I struggle while walking upstream in this society based in fear and sadness. The currents flow against me and at times I feel so alone, even while in amongst it all.

I find strength within myself while living here in the desert. I see what sustainability really is all about and I'm learning the life lessons of my time which will thrust me into the future. The goals are set. To live the good life is the fuel which energizes my intention. To help create a good life for others to live is where I find happiness.

Learning how to make a home. From the ground up. What it means to live and grow and learn. That's what is next.

Season to Love

2008-11-01T18:43:00.000-07:00

And Harvest.

I am back. It is the Day of the Dead and the year is coming round to a finish.

These last three weeks I have been traveling along the western coast.

California Dreamin'.

Indeed it does feel like a dream. A dream which came to me as only dreams do.

A wanderlust which was sitting within aching to come out.

A journey into lands I've never visited, and into the corners of my soul, which needed nourishment.

I learned about the plant which inspires me deeply.

I witnessed community in action. The fruits of humanity in lush abundance.

Friends,

love,

family,

life.

The Sierra Nevada's were beginning to blush with the color of autumn.

The trees spoke to me. Wisdom only attainable by sitting and being one with all around you.

A wisdom based in truth.

Growth.

The Next Bold Move is still being played out in my mind. Thoughts of Portland, Seattle, Baltimore and De

nver fill my head.

Home, Tomorrow, Yesterday.....Today.

L.A. Times

2008-10-29T08:20:00.000-07:00

Sitting in a fancy hotel in a fancy city.

The Standard hotel. Upside down standard.

I'm having a blast. Remembering everything I experienced these last weeks.

Refreshing my soul within this smuggy city and feeling the happiness of it all.

More to come when I have better connection to the wonderful web.

Stay tuned..............

San Diego Blues

2008-10-10T21:27:00.000-07:00

on the road.

visions of the future and sorrows from the past.

sand dunes, water, wind, and sun.

The drive was beautiful, hot and bright.

In the car I longed for clouds.

Once arriving near the ocean,

I was blanketed by a gray lingering.

The somber coolness of this california evening has put me into a trance.

The dance of life is happening all around me.

I sang stronger than ever in the late hours of yesternight.

Tonight, I meditate on travel.

Tomorrow I head north.

Off I Go

2008-10-06T16:15:00.000-07:00

The adventure begins. The new chapter starts. I am ready.

The summer is officially over. Fall has set in and the town is preparing for winter. Last night was cold and I slept hard and well. The scent of autumn reaches my nose and I look forward to the harvest. California dreamin'. Can't believe it's real. A trip to San Diego with a dear friend and a train ride up the west coast to gain perspective and peace. Life is funny. Yet beautiful. I will sit and work for 3 weeks.

I will be happy to leave this town once again. To travel places I've never been and have a great time doing it. The inspiration is flowing and once I'm on the road I'll feel the freedom of what life really is.

A saturated community filled with growth and love. The northern California region is filled with progressive farms and sustainable living experiments. To see people working towards the good life will be inspiring. I am thankful for this opportunity and look forward to all that is about to be.....

Mule Mountain Love

2008-09-29T08:01:00.000-07:00

These are the hills I see every morning when I rise. The house I live in is nestled in the tiny valley below. It is glorious to be where I am.

I have been living with a beautiful family and helping them out in anyway I can. Little do they know how deeply they have touched me and have helped me through this transitional time of my life. Thayer, the glorious seven year old who surprises me daily with her insights and direction. Jhrma, the almost three year old who blows me away and inspires me to love deeper and deeper. Hazel, the bundle of joy who is now two and a half months, she is my definition of life itself. The mamma goat who has brought these three joys into existence has become a great friend and partner.

In one week I will be leaving for California. My adventurous ego is kicking in and I feel the need to explore a little and live on the edge. I will be harvesting and saturating myself with knowledge. The people in the area which I am headed think like me.....or at least somewhat like me, so it will be inspiring to experience them and share everything we all know. The intention is to be back by Halloween. To party in Bisbee and then be with the people who I love most. The path continues on and in each moment a new surprise pops up and I am blown away by life's magnificence.

moments of inspiration

2008-09-14T11:34:00.000-07:00

I take is as it comes in this town. It's all I can do.

Currently, I'm busy. Busy missing the kids, busy taking care of chickens, busy worrying about what the hell I'm doing.

Busy living.

The bike plan is coming along. I have a gig out in California to harvest and make money in October. Once there is cash in hand and a good time under the belt, I will purchase the soon to be love of my life. My bicycle. It'll either be a Miyata or a Soma. It will fit me and provide the freedom I have been lacking.

The train will be taking me to Davis California within the next four weeks. I will ride along the tracks and meditate and contemplate about the why's in life. It will be a good time.

These next weeks will be improvised and filled with many activities. I will be sleeping well in the night time. I will be living hard in the sunlight. I pray for more monsoons to refresh me a little more. I look forward to the coloring of the leaves and the rich harvests which are almost upon us.

Struggle

2008-09-08T08:13:00.000-07:00

This week was hard and filled with truth.

Living in this town again provides me with insight and memories which come no matter what.

The sorrows of broken hearts and the joys of new friends and love.

I become so deeply effected by everything and usually find myself struggling.

The struggles come because I find resistance while walking against the currents of society. The dreams I have seem unattainable. Not because they are difficult or I am incapable, but because they do not fit the "norm".

Hemp farms, sustainable living, off grid existences, weeds for food, bikes for transportation, love.

Everyday there are bumps in the road. Jolts of awareness and stimulation. Sometimes I feel inspiration and motivation. Other times I feel regret, sorrow and frustration. Since I've been living outside of town I have been using a car to get around. I carpool in as often as I can and have been mentally training myself for the bike ride in and out of the tunnel. Because of this vehicle usage, I find myself in states of contradiction and embarrassment. The only excuse I have is the same I used while working for the corporate menace Starbucks. "Use the system to screw the system". Only now, I'm not coming from a place of anger. It's a place of awareness. Use the system to change the system. I can not deny the awesome power of the motorized vehicle. I will use it for as long as I need in order to attain the means to move forward in a positive, clean direction. These next few months will be spent in contemplative movement along the path towards the good life.

The Method

2008-09-02T14:17:00.000-07:00

Man on a bicycle can go three or four times faster than the pedestrian, but uses five times less energy in the process...Equipped with this tool, man outstrips the efficiency of not only all machines but all other animals as well. Bicycles let people move with greater speed without taking up significant amounts of scarce space, energy, or time. The use of the bicycle...allows people to create a new relationship between their life-space and their life-time, their territory and the pulse of their being...

Energy & Equity/ Ivan Illich

When I was a child, my favorite afternoon activity was to pedal around on my bike. To invent new places traveled and take "friends" along the way. I would ride for hours up and down the couple of streets around whatever house I lived in at the time. The freedom which I felt while riding in the open air was indescribable.

I look back and wonder why I allowed the temptations of "normal" life to take over the simple beauties. Instead of riding my bike to school I rode the bus and dreamt of the day I could be behind the wheel of a massive four wheeled "beauty" of modern technology. I dropped the simple ideals and worked towards a more established well off "style". The bike was forgotten. Years have passed and I think of all the lost time spent in a typical life. I miss the bike rides, I miss the freedom. The annoyance of consumeristic america has rocked me off the boat and I am swimming against the current, ready to be free.

My next step is to find a bicycle. Because so much time will be spent with her, and so much will be placed upon this endeavor, I must be wise in my searching. A good bike which fits and flows with the ways of this path. A bike which will take me wherever I want to go.........

THE PLAN!

2008-09-01T15:54:00.000-07:00

To ditch the conventional typical way of this consumerist modern society.

To learn how to love and grow and be where peace and serenity flourish.

To leave Bisbee using only the energy I know how to produce to move forward.

To travel and experience life.

I have begun the beginning stages of planning an epic adventure. The emails have been sent out, the course has been plotted and the waiting and training begins. The winter will be spent living consciously and intentionally eating locally, supporting this community I live within and planning how to walk and ride in grace in the future times of my life.

As each moment passes I will keep an update on the adventure through this handy little blogging device.

Right now my energy is in making contact with various farms/communities and spreading the web of opportunity.

If you have any ideas, or would like to be apart of the farm tour please let me know and we can grow from here.

Saving the Santa Ritas

2008-08-24T14:38:00.001-07:00

The Santa Rita Mountains.

I recently became stuck inside these glorious hills. The vehicle which to

ok me into the mountains acted up on the fresh dampened dirt and left my friend and I stranded. The paper which was brought to start fires had a little snippet about the Rosemont Mine and how large it is proposed to be. I was unable to read the real article which was in the paper that came out while I was stuck, but when I returned and was at work I read the article on the front page of the Arizona newspaper. The Santa Rita Abbey's nuns had me captive in hearing about their attempts to fight this insane endeavor.

The Rosemont Project is a copper mining project aimed to use about 4,500 acres and produce more than 230 million pounds of copper per year. 3,330 acres of Forest Service Lands will be disturbed in this open pit

attempt to satisfy our "needs".

I had and still have my issues with the mine which sits in my backyard. However, I would much rather see the old tailings be re-examined than see the virgin earth become raped and pillaged. The little road and campsite which we sat in would be filled with dust and smells and sound pollution from the mine just a few miles away. The serenity of the wild no longer peaceful, but

irritating and sad. I will remember my brief moment in this little wilderness and use whatever powers I have as a decision making human to work against the destruction of the beauty I love so well.

Please visit www.scenicsantaritas.org to help keep these lands in their naturalness.

Back In Bisbee

2008-08-04T10:32:00.000-07:00

I have arrived in the random town of Bisbee Arizona again. The smiles which greet me as I sit in the coffee shop bring me peace and happiness. It feels good to be somewhere were people look forward to seeing me. I have been on an adventure of great grandeur and learned many lessons on the human condition.

My time on the land was rejuvenating, refreshing, difficult, immense and poetic. I learned more than ever imagined. How to plant seeds and how to keep them going. How to maintain weeds, and how frustrating bugs really are. I learned what it means to be human and experience love and life within families which are not your own. I learned what life really is.

Now I sit and ponder my next bold move. Is it to stay and make a difference in a town which drives me mad? Is it to run to the next town and fix whatever problems I can there. Is it to head off into the wilderness and fix the only problems I really know how? (the ones within myself) ? Where do the answers lie and within what questions do we focus our energy?

I have landed here again for reasons which are making themselves clear as each moment passes. It feels like it was just yesterday I was sitting in this same seat imagining the possibilities of the summer. Now as the summer hits her most fruitful moments and begins to wane I wonder the same things as I did then. Only this time I have something under my belt. I see a little more clearly and i have a little more understanding. I am ready to move forward.

Sunflowers

2008-07-21T05:58:00.000-07:00

This morning begins as all mornings begin. Only this time I am feeling a little more aware of each moment. The sun seems to come up a minute later everyday. To wake up with the sun feels like home. She knows all there is to know about how the earth works and comes when she is supposed to. She also heads off to sleep in the evening at just the right time. In these last days of ripe summer I will take full advantage of the suns bright rays. For it wont be long before she hibernates in the winter and blesses us with her shining beauty a little less each day.

I can see the sunflowers that we planted a couple of weeks ago are already acting in proper sunflower fashion. Even though there are no flowers, the broad leaves are rotating back and forth soaking up the energy which is coming from above. The plants have grown to an enormous size in such a quick length of time. It is one month into the new season of fading sunlight, and all our work and efforts are proving fruitful. The lessons being learned each day vary from water to bugs and directly inside to how we as humans work. At times it feels as though I am learning too much. The dreams and visions flow freely. Each moment a new vision comes through and the inspiration is almost blinding.

For now, it's dealing with the moments within this day. Inspecting the insects and figuring out how to handle the situation. Cleaning the garden and removing all weeds we can get to in one day and following the garden path of randomness to whatever new moment pops up. In my mind I will be focused on water, and homes. I will take heed of the sunflowers awesome power and direct my attention to the one light in the sky which outshines them all. Tonight, I know I will sleep well.

Sustainable Summer Rains

2008-07-14T16:29:00.000-07:00

The road runner outside my window reminds me of our prehistoric neighbors in time. I am once again amazed and awed by the extreme diversity which is this southern desert. With the monsoon season in full swing I see what sustainability really means. The seeds which have been dormant in the clay packed earth are being brought to life with the nitrogen rich gift from the heavens. The birds are singing with more glee and the sun seems to shine even brighter.

The water can be monster like and when not prepared can take you away and mess up all sorts of things. The garden has been very vulnerable and I learned a lesson in what it means to be prepared for this summer season of rain. Yesterday I hiked into the Chiracahuas and was blessed with the sight of fresh rain water filling the bone dry creek which flows down the mountains. It was a sight of immense proportion and glory. While driving home, the sight of a massive water wall and sharp bright lightening bolts left a feeling of insecurity. I've never seen anything like the cell which flooded our landscape and created ponds all over the land. The frogs were barking so loud I couldn't even sleep.

To harness the power of these rains seems to be the way to exist here i

n the desert. To capture all this rain would mean only using a small amount from the groundwater aquifers which we use all too often. A lot of work and research still needs to be done, but I feel reassured in living in the desert. I feel like it's worth it all for the epic differences which occur in this natural world of wonder.

Summertime

2008-07-03T20:31:00.000-07:00

And the livin's easy.

The hot summer month of June has come and gone quicker than expected. July is upon us, bringing temptation of epic rain showers to cool the land and refresh the parched desert earth. There have been a few small spittles of rain in the last week or so, driving the thirst and intensifying the craving. The desert earth and I both yearn for these showers to bless us with refreshment and rejuvenation.

The garden is beautiful. The amount of growth I have seen in the short amount of time on this land astonishes me. I'm blown away by the epic beauty of what the desert has to offer. The seeds I planted on the first day I was here have grown up out of the ground and are now beautiful foot tall stalks of corn. Seeing the earth dusted with green is inspiring and joyful. I look forward to harvesting that which I actually planted. There is nothing like harvesting fresh veggies and fixing them for that evenings meal. I look forward to seeing the whole process, from planting all the way to eating. The cycle is beginning to feel like a real circle, almost complete and whole. These last few weeks have proved that this is the life I want to live.

The Good Life

Planting Goodness

2008-06-12T14:52:00.000-07:00

The tomato (Lycopersicon lycopersicum, syn. Solanum lycopersicum) is an herbaceous, usually sprawling plant in the Solanaceae or nightshade family, as are its close cousins tobacco, chili peppers, potato, and eggplant. The tomato is native to Central, South, and southern North America from Mexico to Argentina.

Today I planted around 120 tomatoes. The seeds were propagated so they sprouted healthfully. I then took the little baby plants and laid them into the ground. The dirt on my hands was stimulating and refreshing. My two favorite parts about working on the farm are planting and weeding.

Energy In Energy Out

New Ideas

2008-06-11T16:53:00.000-07:00

What is the ultimate fear, horror or catastrophe or problem we humans face? What is it that are most afraid of? Total loss? No more existence? A non-free alienated life filled with fleeting desires? Degradation of the soul...

How do creatures sustain their existence? Existing is what we fundamentally do. The beautiful choice we have is to exist sustainably. A journey which never ceases to more forward and will always grow. Aggrandize existence...

Fresh Thinking

http://www.verticalfarm.com/

http://www.21acres.org/

* The capitol of The United Arab Emirates , Abu Dhabi, launched a Sustainability Strategy to deliver the world’s greenest city.

* Urban homesteading is beginning to take hold.

Families are taking it into their own hands. Growing and learning, and creating and Being...

Keep thinking in the new paradigm and evolving and growing.

La Buena Vida

2008-06-03T19:27:00.000-07:00

As the cool breezes sweep over the heated dry desert, I look in the direction of the clouds. where they’re headed. what’s in store.

East ward,
Into the desert.

I have found a new appreciation for the desert.
It tells the tales of time.
It proves life.

The Intention is still, to sustain life and live with love.

The open mind I left with last Thursday allowed the wind to blow me back. While driving home through the mule pass tunnel, I felt peace sweep over my body, and I understood more about myself in that moment than ever before.
Monday was spent driving north east. Listening to the wind blow into the car while driving 55 miles per hour. The desert holds many surprises. I couldn’t take my eyes off the mountains which grow up below Portal and turn into the Chiricahuas. The memories of that little canyon passed Paradise were delightful and full of love. I felt at home while on the land beside these glorious hills. The earth is being loved and the food is beginning to grow. Thoughts of the rains fill the heart with excitement. How to harness the lush waters sent from what seems could only be heaven. Free love maybe.

I will learn how to become hardy and true. I will take heed from what the sustaining life of the desert has to offer.

I will grow and become strong.

Fond Farewells

2008-05-28T11:30:00.000-07:00

May 28th, 2008

Today, the sky is blue and the sun is heating this small town with love and light. People are running around, taking pictures, talking about weekends and laughing.
Tomorrow, the road will be underneath me and I will be headed north.

The last seven months have been joyful and inspiring. The lessons I’ve learned and the glorious beauties I’ve seen will never leave my heart. I have become closer to whole while being in this intense environment and I will take it all with me wherever I go.

I am on a grand adventure, learning so much and trying to balance and feel it as I go.

Bisbee has taught me about love, loss, the mother earth and man as an animal.
I see the scars of the greediness in man. I have felt the pain from the natives and the earth.
The mining has been ringing through my soul since the day I landed and traveled in along side the pit.

I also see the love and the intentions of those who are so deep and strong. The beautiful work of those who feel love and produce life with their hands. In the paintings, and sculptures and jewelry and all. Within it all I see love and life. It has inspired me to move forward and keep creating in the ways I know how.

Victor is the new destination.
I’m heading “home” to the majestic Rockies I’ve grown to know and love so deeply.
The Tetons.
Mother’s bosom.

I am taking with me only what I think I need : an open heart and mind.

The intention is to learn how sustain life and live with love.
All the while, sharing.

There is nothing to prove,
Growth is the only reason I move.

There is no other choice
or existence
Then the one I live and know.

And so I choose to grow.

Let the World Change You

2008-05-24T21:15:00.000-07:00

And You Can Change the World.

"When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall — think of it, always."
--- Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

As the Wind Blows

2008-05-20T18:52:00.000-07:00

The dandelion.

I am HERE
THERE
EVERYWHERE.

The seed is sewn from the wind. Blown out to eternity to live forever free.

I find inspiration in the beauty of the weed. The glory of the never ending flower which grows forever true.

Back to the Land

2008-05-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

Only the mistakes are ours. In this world, beauty is common.

                        - Jorge Luis Borges

Men are like plants; the goodness and flavor of the fruit proceeds from the peculiar soil
and exposition in which they grow. we are nothing but what we derive from. The air we breath,
the climate we inhabit, the government we obey, the system of religion we profess and
the nature of our employment.

                        - Letters from an American Farmer -
                        J. hector St. John De Crevecour

The land! that is where our roots are. There is the basis of our phyisical life.
The farther we get away from the land, the greater our insecurity. From the land
comes everything that supports life, everything we use for the serive of physical life.
The land has not collapsed or shrunk in either extent of productivity. It is there waiting
to honor all the labor we are willing to invest in it, and able to tide us across any local
dislocation of economic conditions. No unemployment insurance can be compared to
an alliance between man and a plot of land.

                        - Henry Ford

I am taking on what Abe Lincoln once described the greatest fine art of the future.
I’m moving towards growth, life, land love and community.

The path is set.
The outcome unknown.
From this point forward all actions are for this movement. All love is given equally and shared joyfully.

Growth and Love