Elen of the Ways and the 4th of July

The day before American Independence Day seems an appropriate day to repost Door Number 17: Elen of the Ways. This afternoon brought a lovely synchronicity train of events leading me right back to this post and the door’s ongoing reminders of support. I already reblogged the original portal door entry once before, but here’s the link again. As we face down the “Agenda’s” in our own neighborhood, protecting our trees and our own sovereignty, it occurs to me that others may be feeling similar dynamics in their own lives — whether internal or manifested in the world “outside.”

Lately, I’ve found such powerful support for people saying “no” to any kind of abuse or manipulation. I’ve seen people formerly sucked dry by energy vampires regain their strength and glorious energy. As Rumi says, “There is a way. I have traveled it thousands of times.”

Blessed Be … and be the blessing.

Laura Bruno’s Blog

As I’ve mentioned in earlier posts, there have been times in my life when I’ve faced problems so tricky, so “impossible” that the only way out was in. Deeeeeep inside, through the inner rabbit hole, through the spiral and out the newly created portal. In those days, I’d paint a door, and you know what? It worked.

For the past three “doors,” I’ve taken to canvases that portray some sort of doorway or entry point — still portals, but not painted on actual doors. I usually select a local or personal issue as the initial point of need or emotional spark, but then I create the portals as offerings for how such issues play out across the world. “As Within, So Without,” and “As Above, So Below.” I’ve painted portals for healing Lyme Disease, for welcoming a return of the Divine Feminine and the Divine Masculine

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Lilies, Glads, Sunflowers and the Backyard Forest Garden

Mid-July has brought an explosion of white and color in the backyard (and front yard) forest garden. People keep asking about these white lilies — some of them taller than David — so I thought I’d share some of the abundance and beauty:

A peek at the edible ornamental backyard forest garden with black lace elderberry to the left, various currants and jostaberries to the right of the path, plus a potted lemon tree, and off frame to the right, hazelnut, aronia berry and apples:

You can see more of the raised beds that allow abundant growth over a yard full of juglone containing black walnut stumps. The beds are so full that you can’t really see the three beds of triple-tiered produce behind these green zebra tomatoes, bush basil, shiso, egglant, asparagus, beans, chard, and marigolds, but they’re spilling over with a mystery melon, tomatoes, Thai basil, cabbage and more:

The front yard has gone full on sunflower, gladiolus and lilies, so large that you can barely see the cherry and pear trees, blueberry bushes, hazelnuts, kale and kalette behind them:

The bees are very happy here, too, with skirret, chives, borage, calendula, black eyed Susan’s, zinnias and elecampane:

It’s difficult to believe or convey just how non-magical this yard originally felt and looked. Yes, it does take work to maintain, but I actually spend far, far less time in the yard than I did for the first two years of living here. This year, I have spent more time harvesting than anything else: black and red raspberries, blueberries, currants, aronia berries, strawberries, sea kale, lettuce, herbs, asparagus, peas, green beans, pears, sour cherries, tomatoes, basil, garlic, onions, cucumbers, parsnips, cabbage, eggplant, flowers for bouquets and loads and loads and loads of greens!

We eat well, and many of the trees and shrubs have only just begun to produce. We look forward to the extra thirteen asparagus plants I’ve added to the blue house yard, along with more fruit and nut trees and shrubs.

Anyone can add food to their landscape! You don’t need 1/3 of an acre like we have here (minus the houses and garages). Espaliered fruit trees take very little room along a fence. Fruit and nut shrubs and trees can take the place of more traditional ornamentals. Special colors of vegetable plants make them look unrecognizable as food plants, blending into more traditional flower beds. You can use raised beds, plant in the ground, a Garden Tower, “big bag beds,” or any and all combinations of these to fit your space, time and budget. Too much shade? Grow currants. They produce buckets full even in deep shade. No room? Experiment with vertical gardening through trellises, teepees and tiered raised beds.

For me it’s not just about the food. It’s about bringing beauty and nature to an otherwise industrial, impoverished and forlorn spot of earth. Birds, chipmunks, squirrels, rabbits and all manner of insects abound in our yards, delighting the eyes and senses … and most importantly, the heart and soul. In a world of chaos, gardens offer a chance to bring peace, abundance and delight, along with grounding and natural anti-depressants. As David likes to say, what’s not to love?

If you missed spring and summer produce, it’s not too late to plant for fall. Look into cool season crops like kale, brassicas, Lucullus chard, beets, carrots, daikon radishes, and even very short season warm weather veggies. Check your seed packs for days to harvest and subtract from your average first frost date to see if you can still get a harvest!

Wishing you and yours abundance and joy.

 

Free Replay: The Search for Sustainability Summit

Good news for anyone who missed November 2015’s inspiring and life changing Search for Sustainability Summit: series producer Nathan Crane decided to offer another weekend of free viewing from January 22-24th, 2016. Details and viewing options here.

You can find some of my earlier posts about this amazing collection of speakers, artists and teachers here and here. If you love our planet, want to experience more control over your own health and food, and/or if you feel an urge to become more self-reliant in our changing times, this series offers twelve inspiring episodes with interviews, tips, techniques, community and examples. Unlike many preparedness publications that focus on doom and gloom, I particularly like how Nathan finds people who bring joy to what they do — who recognize both the urgency and the opportunities facing humanity right now.

Free viewing from this Friday through Sunday.

(I have no stake in making people aware of this series. David and I just enjoyed the episodes, and I know or have at least met a fair number of the participants. I receive many questions about gardening, preparedness and Earth Healing from clients, friends, and blog readers, so I want to share an excellent resource, especially during this free viewing window!)

 

Free Replays of the Search for Sustainability Summit — All Weekend Long

I received a note from Nathan Crane this morning indicating that due to popular demand, the Search for Sustainability Summit will have all episodes available for free viewing this weekend. If you missed any or didn’t have time during the week to utilize this incredible resource, now’s your chance. 🙂 From Nathan Crane:

After receiving dozens of emails asking for access to watch all of the episodes one last time, we decided to offer this weekend as one final triumph of sustainable glory before we close out the series. Here is your link to watch all episodes this weekend until Sunday at midnight before they will be taken down indefinitely.   We have to take them down so we can finalize all remaining orders of the series on Tuesday and get ready to print and ship DVDs in time for the Holidays.  (In case the link above does not work simply copy and paste this link into your web browser) http://theselfreliancesummit.com/all-episodes   Here’s all of the episodes playing this weekend:  Episode 1: Searching for Sustainable Solutions Episode 2: Sustainable Food, Water, and Soil Episode 3: Sustainable Health Episode 4: Sustainable Education, Children, Families, and Parenting Episode 5: Social Sustainability – Community Systems and Communal Living Episode 6: Sustainable Medicine – Herbal Medics, Foraging, and Wild Edibles Episode 7: Creative Sustainability through Art, Music, and Media Episode 8: Urban, Suburban, and Rural Sustainability Episode 9: Sustainable Energy, Buildings, Resources, and Systems Episode 10: Sustainable Business, Economics, Finances, and Politics Episode 11: Sustainable Spirituality – Plant, People, and Animal Reverence Episode 12: Sustainability in Action – Where to Go from Here Episode 13: (Bonus) Closing Message and Performance with Peia Thank you for being a part of our community.  We truly honor and respect and appreciate every single one of you. To a Sustainable Future, Nathan, Luz, Luna, and Osha P.S. Due to popular demand, we have made the entire series and all 49 interviews available for ownership at 40%-off until Monday at midnight.  Your contribution goes a long ways towards supporting this mission and movement to continue forward.  Watch this video to learn all about ownership options and secure your dvds or digital downloads today.  Additionally, if you know which option you already want, here are the direct links: Gold Ownership Edition: http://theselfreliancesummit.com/the-search-for-sustainability-gold/ Platinum Ownership Edition: http://theselfreliancesummit.com/the-search-for-sustainability-platinum/ Thank you for sharing this with your closest friends and family. Together we truly can make a positive difference for the future of humanity and the beauty of our planet. Disclaimer; This is for informational purposes only. I am not a Doctor or financial adviser.  Use the information you receive at your own risk, with your own intelligence, and your own mindfulness consulting the Doctors experts in your life who you trust.  Thank you!

Episode 12 of The Search for Sustainability Summit

The final episode of the 12-day Search for Sustainability Summit has a free replay until 9 p.m. East Coast time tonight. Click here to watch this very positive piece, which shares things anyone can do from wherever they are right now. I listened to the first 11 episodes and will catch this one later today. I’ve really enjoyed the series, and learned a lot of exciting new and helpful things. I’ll share more in another post, because I’ve got a busy day of sessions here. Just wanted to make everyone aware of this last free episode.

If you’ve considered purchasing any of the series, I definitely recommend episode 11, which I loved! It talks extensively about communicating with plants and animals, and I learned so much surprising and really encouraging information about bees. I think that was my favorite one of the bunch, but I’ve not yet watched episode 12. A huge thank you to Nathan Crane and all the many speakers for putting together this wonderful resource! Nathan indicated the series received 93,000 viewers. That in itself makes me happy, because the information contained in this series was extremely life giving, practical and inspiring.

I had mentioned some issues earlier with music overlaid too loud over people talking. Nathan and his crew either tweaked that volume ratio, or I grew so used to the song that my brain was able to tone it down to a level at which it no longer distracted from the conversations. (Maybe a bit of residual brain injury preference on my part.) In any case, episode 11 includes an interview with the singer, Piea, and she’s just so lovely! What a gentle, loving spirit! Apparently, episode 12 includes a concert.

The Guardian ~ A chef’s manifesto: let’s tackle food waste with good fare

David sent me this great article from The Guardian, in part, because I’ve been making delicious veggie broths before tossing scraps into the compost bin. Why spend $4.50 on a prepackaged, non-recyclable organic veggie broth or use perfectly new veggies to make broth when we’ve got all sorts of garden fresh scraps each week? I make broth now, but in the past, I’ve also used juice pulp to make dehydrated veggie crackers or salad toppings.

Our friends in Elkhart go even further — dumpster diving for anything they can’t grow in their garden. I’m personally not ready to do that, but this Guardian piece shows what’s happening at even the highest levels of elite eaters, including at the recent NYC UN meal. I’m heartened that at least someone at that top down sustainability conference looked towards waste streams rather than SMART technology, toxic fluorescent lights, and carbon taxes. As chef Dan Barber said, “[I]f you think not leaving your plate full of food is the way to deal with this issue, you’re letting yourself off too easy. … We can transform the food system and get to a place where we need to be for the future, before the future’s going to force us to do it.”

Here’s the link to an article that really makes you think — especially if you’re an American.

The Search for Sustainability Summit

For those people who recognize that humanity and each of us as individuals need to change our ways and soon, this new “Search for Sustainability Summit” offers personal steps, tools, and techniques for shifting away from planetary crisis and towards harmony and increased self-reliance.

Unlike top-down “solutions” forced on us via carbon taxes, SMART regulated everything, and nonstop surveillance, this series of talks from November 1-12 shares how true sustainability comes through tuning into and working with Nature, not allowing ourselves to become further isolated from our land, food, air, and water by cramming us into mega-cities and adding even more computerized algorithms to our already AI dominated lives. Things like permaculture, green-living and self-reliance help us to get back in touch with cultures that recognized their own part in the cycles of life and that looked towards the future by nourishing the present and honoring the past.

Rather than completing the communist and fascist top-down tyranny creeping into our lives in the name of “sustainability” initiatives funded by Monsanto and Big Banks, the ideas, information and inspiration in this summit encourage individuals to remember and develop their own skills and capacities to change in positive, productive ways. If you’ve felt discouraged by my various posts on the BS of Pope Francis’ encyclical, Agenda 21, Agenda 2030 and the co-optation of the word “sustainable,” you’ve got 12 days of encouragement and education to remedy that disappointment.

I’m not involved in this summit, nor an affiliate — just spreading the word, because there are some fabulous speakers, movers and shakers participating. If you live on and love our planet, or if you want to blast beyond the current insanity that passes “for the common good,” into territory that instead makes corporate and governmental tyranny irrelevant, then do check out The Search for Sustainability Summit. (Trailer and free registration available at that link.)

Sarah Anne Lawless ~ The Song of the Land: Bioregional Animism

I just landed upon another deep and inspiring post by Sarah Anne Lawless called “The Song of the Land: Bioregional Animism.” This post comes from February 2014, back when she still lived in the Pacific Northwest, but the article includes food for thought wherever you live. In fact, that’s the whole point! To find ways to immerse ourselves into whatever bioregion in which we find ourselves — to root deeply, and to live in sync with the natural cycles, flora, fauna and beings who share that spot with us. Sarah’s material is copyrighted, so I’ll just provide a short teaser and a link to the full article:

“The goal of bioregionalism is self-sufficiency and sustainability within a bioregion – of both people and nature. Bioregionalism differs from environmentalism in that it seeks to have humans and nature living together in harmony, with humans as active stewards of nature, rather than seeing humans as harmful and needing to be removed from the equation.

…

“Within bioregionalism is the belief that the most important thing to learn when you move to a new bioregion, or are born into one, is to learn everything you can about it. …

“Such knowledge used to be intrinsic to basic human survival, but today you will seldom find a person in a city or town who can even list the names of five native trees. How can we be self-sufficient without knowledge of the resources around us and how to use them? How can we be good stewards of the land we live upon if we know nothing about it? How can we fix what we humans broke without first knowing what the local ecosystem looked like when healthy? Through awareness, through knowledge, through hard work, and through truly caring about the land under our feet and all who live upon, under, and above it.”

I always appreciate posts that encourage people to connect or reconnect with the land outside their door and under their feet. All land is sacred. When we remember this fact, when we know it in our bones, we treat our planet like the sacred being She is — and through that loving care and honor, we help Her heal as She heals us. Here’s the link to Sarah’s full article, “The Song of the Land: Bioregional Animism.” Anyone who likes Avatar or permaculture will especially enjoy this piece. You don’t need to live in a resort area or on a ley line to connect with your bioregion. As Sarah says, “…the line between the sacred and the mundane is invisible. Bioregional animism is not a spiritual path, it is not a denomination or a tradition, it is the way you choose to live your life every day and the conscious choice to interact ethically with nature.”

The Truth of the Matter …

…lies somewhere between this:

The United Nations 2030 Agenda decoded: It’s a blueprint for the global enslavement of humanity under the boot of corporate masters

by Mike Adams …
And this:

Yes, pun intended. Truth upon lies upon truth upon lies — a mise en abyme. Yes, I agree with Mike Adams (except his comment that only male energy can save us — imho, we need a return of the Sacred Masculine, as well as the Empowered Feminine.We’ve got plenty of patriarchal BS, thank you very little, but we need the Male Principle to get back in touch with the sacred, and we need women to become empowered in ways beyond putting on a pantsuit and out-aggressing all the men. We also need to recognize that masculine and feminine energies are bigger than sex or gender, and that we each have some masculine and some feminine begging for expression. The manner of expression also makes a difference in terms of empowerment, compassion and effectiveness).

David and I listened to Mark Bittman’s talk last night, and I found myself agreeing with him in a lot of spots, but then pausing the video and interjecting a lot of “yeah, but’s,” mostly me adding a permaculture approach to food, which implements sustainability by creating closed systems and stacked functions. Permaculture works with Nature, not in spite of or by completely controlling Nature, including Human Nature. It’s permanent culture, but also permanent agriculture, and true permaculture puts people back in touch with the living planet and all Her beings in ways that corporate and globalist controlled “sustainability mandates” have no intention or possibility of generating. You don’t improve human-planetary relations by completely isolating people from Nature!

I also cringed when Mark Bittman made a huge point that he’s not saying to eat organic food, “just eat more veggies.” Ummmmmmm, when environmentalists start plugging for GMO’s and negating that pesticides, herbicides and the patenting of life have any impact on the environment, it takes a great deal of discipline for me not to say:

(image source)

On the other hand –yep, I feel quite punny all of a sudden — clearly, we cannot continue down the current path. When will “environmentalists” start calling out geo-engineering as one of the worst impacts on the environment? When will sustainability “experts” start recognizing permaculture, organic home gardens, off grid living, and on-site recycling of manure (including humanure) as the way forward instead of the things to be destroyed via global regulations? When will humanity change because saving our planet is the right thing to do rather than needing a natural (or military-industrial designed) disaster or excessive taxation to coerce change?

I think I offended a friend the other day while discussing politics — something I rarely do, because my views are both radically right and radically left, so far afield that I’m guaranteed to offend someone with pretty much every comment. Basically, I said, I’m a compassionate anarchist, but I do recognize that the current system and the current iteration of humanity are so broken and dysfunctional that barring some kind of divine intervention or Act of (Earth) Goddess, I can see why it will likely take the route of a global crackdown on individual rights. “We live in a culture filled with babies and narcissists. Until the babies learn how much power they have and take responsibility for that power and the choices involved in wielding that power, the babies will always fall prey to the narcissists.”

By way of explaining why I would not attend a local political function this week, I emailed my friend: “I really don’t do well with politics. I am way too radical for pretty much everyone, but if I befriend them, empower them, help them get in touch with their inner guidance, then they do tend to have breakthroughs and find creative ways to work around the BS. It just takes a long time of underground, behind the scenes, friendly ‘work’ on my end. If I just try to explain stuff to people without first raising consciousness and empowerment, then I come across as rude, or I leave with smoke coming out of my ears. 🙂

“At least I know this about myself, and my way does get results — just not in any kind of normal way!

“Have fun, though. Glad you can keep your sense of amusement with these things. When I witness political speeches, it makes me momentarily give up on humanity ever making it beyond this or the next generation. Best for me just to garden and secretly throw pixie dust and Reiki.”

And so I conclude where I began … the truth of the matter lies somewhere between the Mike Adams “translation” of Agenda 2030 and the urgency of change and potential strategies expressed by Mark Bittman. It might be time to paint another portal door, though. Magic and Mama Earth are quite the wild cards!

Reskilling for Sustainable Living: Ways to Learn New Skills

As we approach that time of New Year’s Resolutions, you might want to consider reskilling — moving forward by looking backwards, acquiring old fashioned skills that are “new” to you. David and I and many of our local friends have been consciously reskilling for years. We find the process both fun and empowering. This post tells you how to get started if you feel led this way.

The Druid's Garden

Everyone, to some extent, is a product of their culture. Our culture’s formal education system teaches a set of skills that are claimed to be beneficial and practical for functioning in present society. Certain sets of skills are privileged, and others are simply not taught, and in some cases, skill sets that are deemed no longer relevant are lost from the collective knowledge of many communities and families. Unfortunately, many of the skills of the past that are needed to help us transition to a lower-carbon and lower-fossil fuel society have been lost as newer generations weren’t interested in learning them or because these skills are no longer part of any community or family educational system.  This is where the concept of reskilling can come in.

What is reskilling?

“Reskilling” is one of the terms that often comes up in the sustainability and permaculture communities. The concept of reskilling is…

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