I hear you ask. Or am I just a literary tease? It appears that there has been a dangerously long gap in my blogging. Not as dangerous as the Darian Gap but still verging on very sketchy. If you are still out there and even vaguely interested then I will resume after the long paws.
So what has happened in these past two and a half months? Quite a bit really so I think this will be the abridged version. I think I may have got tired of the sound of my own (writing) voice and therefore had little to say. Rather than envelop myself in the mantle of a dullard I withrdrew into the corridors of my mind, a la Tricky, and took a long and rambling walk. It's amazing how far you can go when motivated. Rotivated that's how I felt. Like stuff needed to be churned for the good of the fields but that the process was a bit uncomfortable. Some of the rooms of my mind were a little dusty, some were dark and onerous and others quite frankly better left off the map. I decided to throw a few windows open too, rattle off the dust sheets and re-arrange some furniture whilst trotting about. I recognised there are too many rooms to visit and like the queen its the having them that counts, who needs to use them all anyway. Some are just for show and some are for amnesia. Some are for laughing and some are for crying. All are for exploring. Maybe.
So a spring equinox and a beltain have rattled by. For the first time in a few years I did not set intentions. I decided to jump in the 'ole river of life and see where she flowed. The winter never came to anything too harsh and despite sparkling frosty nights on occasion and many layers worn in bed, I trundled steadily through. It never felt as extreme as camp Cornwall.
The weather has now kicked back a bit by dumping ridiculous amounts of preicpitation on our heads, creating an unsettling stream running beneath my bed and puddles everywhere. Construction of the new buidling has halted as the footings have turned into a swimming pool. I told a group of 4 year olds today we were making a water park. One looked at me and said it looked like a building site. Yes indeed little one. Not even a Steiner kid. I think I am getting old.
I have been watching our birds singing and nesting and following the activities of the bees. I recently completed a natural bee keeping course and will be establishing some hives wherever I go after my time here. My bushcrafting skills are slowly improving and we spent a couplf of days recently creeping through the woods walking with deer feet, identifying trees blindfolded and using peripheral vision to sense differently. Our team of ewes have all recently lambed. We have a "lamb team" making two hourly checks and I was lucky enough to see one's waters break and then wait with two others in the wind and the rain fro it to happen. When it was slow we had to help. It turned out to be twins and I delivered the second black lamb. I felt really moved and all sorts of emotions went through me around the little guy. I rubbed his side with John, one of our volunteers, to make sure he breathed and cleared his little mouth. I heard his first bleat and then saw him struggle to his feet. It was a windy blustery day and we had to man-handle the mother into the next field with the new mums (expectant mums can try to lay claim to the new lambs). They are all now strong and well and some will end up for the table so the journey of this will need to be witnessed and explored by everyone.
I am also recently returned from an adventure with my three colleagues, we hitchiked England with no money for a week, exploring the idea of gift economy. We slept out unde the stars, got treated to fish and chips, cooked for some urban permaculturists in a community space, got a free breakfast at a roadside cafe and hitched with a man who'd spent 20 years researching 2012 and let us stay at his home. It was a real eye opener and people's generosity was astounding. Our lifts included an ex consultant surgeon, a barrister an a local councillor. Interesting conversations all around.
I've also worked with several school groups, been part of a project to design and build tables for our dining area and completed a week long self development programme. Much has changed and much has stayed the same. Just like life.
So what has happened in these past two and a half months? Quite a bit really so I think this will be the abridged version. I think I may have got tired of the sound of my own (writing) voice and therefore had little to say. Rather than envelop myself in the mantle of a dullard I withrdrew into the corridors of my mind, a la Tricky, and took a long and rambling walk. It's amazing how far you can go when motivated. Rotivated that's how I felt. Like stuff needed to be churned for the good of the fields but that the process was a bit uncomfortable. Some of the rooms of my mind were a little dusty, some were dark and onerous and others quite frankly better left off the map. I decided to throw a few windows open too, rattle off the dust sheets and re-arrange some furniture whilst trotting about. I recognised there are too many rooms to visit and like the queen its the having them that counts, who needs to use them all anyway. Some are just for show and some are for amnesia. Some are for laughing and some are for crying. All are for exploring. Maybe.
So a spring equinox and a beltain have rattled by. For the first time in a few years I did not set intentions. I decided to jump in the 'ole river of life and see where she flowed. The winter never came to anything too harsh and despite sparkling frosty nights on occasion and many layers worn in bed, I trundled steadily through. It never felt as extreme as camp Cornwall.
The weather has now kicked back a bit by dumping ridiculous amounts of preicpitation on our heads, creating an unsettling stream running beneath my bed and puddles everywhere. Construction of the new buidling has halted as the footings have turned into a swimming pool. I told a group of 4 year olds today we were making a water park. One looked at me and said it looked like a building site. Yes indeed little one. Not even a Steiner kid. I think I am getting old.
I have been watching our birds singing and nesting and following the activities of the bees. I recently completed a natural bee keeping course and will be establishing some hives wherever I go after my time here. My bushcrafting skills are slowly improving and we spent a couplf of days recently creeping through the woods walking with deer feet, identifying trees blindfolded and using peripheral vision to sense differently. Our team of ewes have all recently lambed. We have a "lamb team" making two hourly checks and I was lucky enough to see one's waters break and then wait with two others in the wind and the rain fro it to happen. When it was slow we had to help. It turned out to be twins and I delivered the second black lamb. I felt really moved and all sorts of emotions went through me around the little guy. I rubbed his side with John, one of our volunteers, to make sure he breathed and cleared his little mouth. I heard his first bleat and then saw him struggle to his feet. It was a windy blustery day and we had to man-handle the mother into the next field with the new mums (expectant mums can try to lay claim to the new lambs). They are all now strong and well and some will end up for the table so the journey of this will need to be witnessed and explored by everyone.
I am also recently returned from an adventure with my three colleagues, we hitchiked England with no money for a week, exploring the idea of gift economy. We slept out unde the stars, got treated to fish and chips, cooked for some urban permaculturists in a community space, got a free breakfast at a roadside cafe and hitched with a man who'd spent 20 years researching 2012 and let us stay at his home. It was a real eye opener and people's generosity was astounding. Our lifts included an ex consultant surgeon, a barrister an a local councillor. Interesting conversations all around.
I've also worked with several school groups, been part of a project to design and build tables for our dining area and completed a week long self development programme. Much has changed and much has stayed the same. Just like life.
