Sunflowers

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

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

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