Swan Sanctuary

I often get frustrated by the meteorologists who predict our weather. I must admit that quite often they do get it right; but those times when they get it wrong can cause a gardener to lose plants to unexpected frost. The weather app on my phone is different from the one on my computer, and they are both different from the one on the television. I am never quite sure which one to believe. I have learned to err on the side of caution, though; and I have sometimes gone to the trouble of covering plants overnight, only to discover in the morning that the temperature was still above freezing. The desertification that is happening in so many areas is becoming increasingly evident. I completed some last minute chores in the garden on Wednesday while temperatures were in the low 70’s. Temperatures fell overnight and continued to drop throughout the following day, to freezing; but the gusting wind made it feel like only 20℉. This morning, just 36 hours later, it was only 15℉ at 6 a.m. Snow is expected tomorrow and Sunday with night time temperatures expected to dive into the single digits. If this weather continues – and we are less than halfway through Autumn – it will be a long winter indeed.

I am alarmed that people living in the Estes Park area of Colorado are under mandatory evacuation, due to the extensive forest fires. I am fortunate, and very grateful, that I have never had to endure that kind of upheaval, as so many have had to do because of hurricanes, floods,  fires, and in some parts of the world, because of racial and political conflict. I suspect that if we elect the wrong candidate for our next president, who refuses to address global warming, we will be seeing evacuations on a regular basis. I often think about wildlife and insects whose lives have been disrupted by our bulldozers and our encroachment on their habitat. It must feel to them, like a natural disaster feels like to us. Perhaps they know that their displacement is not caused by nature after all, but by humans. Could all of these devastating occurrences be happening as a kind of karmic equalization? Are humans now paying the price for the suffering we have caused to other plants, animals, and birds all over the planet, and life in the oceans as well? I believe that it is karma, and if we want to see changes for the better, we must begin now to do all the good we can – for everything.

This year has felt long, stretched out, with the end looming still far into the distance. I know that it will pass, as all things do; but because of the pandemic and too much isolation, I am ready to be done with it. No doubt, there are many who share this sentiment. My daughter deployed in February and she is now counting the days until she can return home. She recently informed me that instead of being home mid-December, her unit will have to quarantine for two weeks and then go through debriefing to prepare them for coming home. Now she will not be here until after the first of the year. 

Writing letters via snail mail is regrettably a thing of the past, but I wish I could receive letters from her, sharing her feelings and her hopes. Her company has been moved from one country to another over the past months, making it nearly impossible to send or receive letters or care packages. In many respects modern technology has made communicating with soldiers who are overseas, much easier. We have been able to converse through Facebook Messenger and once or twice have had face to face conversations on our smartphones. The downside of this, is that it is more difficult for the soldiers to leave their problems at home. My daughter has had to participate in court hearings over custody of her son using ZOOM and while she purchased an expensive smartphone for her twelve year daughter, her daughter does not want to communicate. The soldiers of previous times often did not know what was going on ”back home” until they had returned, or if they were fortunate enough to receive letters from loved ones. I am concerned for my daughter, knowing that she worries about things here at home, that are out of reach for her at the moment. I worry that the emotional distraction could compromise her safety.

We had one of our rare FaceTime conversations a few days ago. She looked tired and drained. As I searched her face for even the hint of a smile, I could see only weariness. The only thing worse than going through our own trials and tribulations, is watching our children go through theirs. I have had to witness suffering in all three of my daughters throughout their adult lives. The hardest lesson (for me) was realizing that I could not save them. They have had to live with the consequences of the choices they have made, as I have had to live with mine. My daughter made the choice to be a soldier. She has made many other difficult choices in her life. I look forward to the opportunity, in a few months time, to put a smile back on her face.

The only radio station that I listen to is NPR. I prefer to watch PBS for news, and because I like Nature and some of their other programs. However; I think the public is often misled to believe that they, and other nonprofits, are truly non profit. In fact, they have subtly begun squeezing in advertisements at the beginning of programs, in spite of the fact that they claim to be commercial-free. 

I subscribe to only two magazines, both of which began as advertisement-free, but one has succumbed to more and more ads through the years. The ads are limited to subjects related to the magazine itself. Both magazines have been in publication for decades, so they are apparently doing something right. I do not mind the few ads because the stories and articles are worth reading. The other periodical regularly asks for donations on top of their already steep subscription rates. The issues always have subscription cards tucked inside of them; and the publishers have put together book volumes containing the best stories from their many years of publications, which they also promote. I enjoy the articles and the interviews, which help me to stay abreast of important issues, so I don’t mind this bit of extra paper that I am forced to recycle. 

If you listen to NPR or watch PBS, you have to put up with their twice yearly fund drives. It can be tiring to listen to and I frequently turn the program off during those times. I cannot help wondering if it is really necessary for them to do this. Nonprofits still have to make a profit, so the term nonprofit is really a misnomer. They have overhead and employees to pay, so clearly, they would not survive if they did not profit. They rely heavily on volunteers, who are willing to work for free. Other businesses rely on desperate people who are willing to work for a minimum wage that keeps them trapped in poverty. The nonprofits are really no different than those other companies that seek to exploit others for their own gain. The only difference lies in their right to be tax exempt. They are as much a contributor to capitalism as are the big corporations. I cannot help wondering why we have allowed capitalism to grow like a great tsunami, which is now heading straight towards us, where all but about 1% of the population (the obscenely rich) is about to be swallowed up.

Business people will tell you that it is imperative to advertise if you are to succeed. Consumers, aptly named, are persistently bombarded with promotions on the radio, on television, on their computer screens, and on billboards. Vehicles on the road are often painted with advertisements. They are on buses and in shop windows; and during elections, they are in neighbors’ front yards. We have telemarketers and junk mail that show up in our mail box on a regular basis. One of my daughters recently got her first credit card and now she gets at least two offers a week in the mail, for more credit cards.

No one wants to pay more than necessary for the things they buy, so if we want the best deals, we must download the app and become a “member” at each store in which we shop. I recall some years back when a few people would spend endless hours cutting out coupons with scissors, to save on groceries. It angered me to have to carry all of those tiny pieces of paper and then have to remember to present them at checkout. When stores began offering exclusive memberships, you had to carry numerous cards on the ring with your car keys in order to get the “sale” prices. The competition became fierce. I knew people who would go to all of the different grocery stores in their area so that they could get the best price, which often was no more than a penny cheaper than at another store. 

We are now living in the days of smartphones and apps. I have a choice of only two super markets in this town. I shop at only one of them because the other does not carry any natural or organic products. I do not like the store that I regularly patronize because they do not have self-checkout lanes and I prefer to bag my own groceries. Many of the weekly sale items have the stipulation “digital only”. I resisted downloading the app for a long time; but eventually I acquiesced. I still must take the time each week to “clip” the coupons. My receipt always prints how much money I “saved”. They award points when you have spent X amount of dollars in their store; which you can then use to save 10 cents per gallon when you put fuel in your vehicle. I resent that I have to do this. Most of the things are overpriced to begin with, so it is a mind game that they play to make you believe you are saving money. 

I sometimes wonder how much less stressful our lives would be, if they weren’t consumed by capitalism. Imagine simply being able to browse a local farmer’s market each day, where prices were about the same and you could choose something based on its quality, presentation, and the friendliness of the vendor. Imagine having the time to prepare fresh, delicious meals from these local offerings, rather than having to clip coupons for products that have been shipped from miles away. The capitalism that controls us will not go away without a fight. Imagine everyone having enough, instead of only the greedy scrambling to have it all. If we want to make a better world, we must first imagine it. Can we imagine a better world where the only business was people caring for each other, for other species, and for the planet?

Gardening has been steadily gaining in popularity since the 1970’s. I am certain that it has taken another giant leap in recent months due to the pandemic. Health and fitness have become a priority for more and more people and they are beginning to make the connection between gardening, and the quality of nutrition in the food that they eat. I dabbled in gardening in the early 1970’s; but I did not become a serious gardener until the early 1990’s, mostly because I was lacking in knowledge and experience. Everything that I learned was through reading and trial and error. In 2005, I took a master gardening course, which put me well on my way to becoming a proficient gardener. Those who are just beginning to take up gardening are fortunate. We now have information at our fingertips and YouTube videos to demonstrate and to answer every question we might encounter.

My biggest challenge has been the frequency with which I have had to move. I love growing flowers and herbs, which often take two or three years to really make an impact. It pains me to think of the peonies, rose bushes, and small shrubs that I have planted and had to leave behind. Still, I know that the space was greatly improved and has probably made many birds and insects happy. Someone else is enjoying the asparagus and the rhubarb that I had planted, but in spite of my personal loss, I will continue to strive for a garden that I can grow old with. I cannot NOT garden. 

While I have some disappointments from my most recent garden, I am in awe at some of my successes. This year, for the first time, I started many herbs and flowers from seed. I have clumps of both flat leafed and curly parsley. One flat leafed clump is nearly a yard across! What makes it so gratifying, is that I started it from seed. I also started rosemary, of which I dug one up and brought inside for the winter. (It is a tender perennial.) The dozen lavender plants, that I also began from seed, will grace this property for coming years, whether I am here or not. Besides the personal sense of pride that comes with starting plants from seed, there is the savings. Purchasing a small, 4 inch potted herb will usually cost a minimum of $4. A quart sized perennial from a reputable garden center costs around $13. For a well designed garden, you need to plant perennials and bulbs in groups of 3 to 5. If you are buying annuals, they last for only one season. From a practical standpoint then, it makes sense to start as many plants as possible from seed. If you save your own seeds, you can save still more monetarily. 

If you have a greenhouse or a room with a lot of south facing windows, you are fortunate, as light is essential for the germination of most plants; but if you do not have this luxury, many seeds can be started outdoors in the fall. Some can be tossed out after a hard freeze and they will come up the following spring. This provides the stratification needed before many seeds will germinate. My next endeavor is to grow trees from seed. I have been collecting juniper seeds and pinecones when I go for my walks, for that purpose. Nature has provided us with millions of seeds for free and nature needs our help now. I am already excited about the plants I will grow from seed for next spring.

For several months I stopped listening to the news altogether. I did not want to listen to one more thing about COVID19 and besides, I had a garden and chickens that required my attention. Things have slowed down outside now, so about a month ago I began listening to the 6 o’clock evening news on PBS. It feels strange with many newscasters broadcasting from home, either from their home offices or their living rooms. I especially enjoy listening to segments with Lisa Desjardins, political journalist for the PBS NewsHour. I must admit, it is because I am often distracted by her cat that is often sleeping on the sofa behind her. It is a black and white cat and having had a black and white cat of my own, I am curious to know the name of her cat. Sometimes, it will get up and stretch, reposition itself, and lie back down. Sometimes it will jump down or lie on the floor. I have watched other reporters whose cats walked by during the middle of their interview. It is truly heartwarming to see that these are not just reporters, but real people with pets, just like us.

It feels almost wrong to be looking into these peoples’ homes and to be privy to their personal tastes. Often, they have bookshelves in the background and you can occasionally read some of the titles. Many of them have artwork on their walls and family photos, giving us a glimpse into their personal lives. Our world has changed dramatically and I believe that working from home will be a trend into the future. This is a good thing. Too many people have made fortunes and had the ability to buy big, beautiful homes; but since they were always working, they had little time to maintain or to enjoy them. I think many have forgotten how important home is. “Home is where the heart is.” Even as in my own case, where my current home is only temporary, I make it mine by the way in which I arrange furniture and display my favorite pictures. I care for the property, plant flowers, and feed birds where I live, because creating a home where we can feel safe is really just a basic requirement for all living things. 

As we shelter in place, we do not have to feel isolated. Thanks to our modern devices we can stay connected to as many, or as few others, as we like. Our need for shelter is hard wired; but connecting with others is optional. You may find, as I have found, that there can be a kind of intimacy through digital communication when you see not just another human being reporting the news, but a real person with a contented cat.

I have spent the past two and a half days digging and dividing iris that were growing on the sunny side of the house, which faces mostly east. I want to make a cold frame there so that I can grow spinach, kale, and lettuce through most of the winter. I may be able to grow carrots and keep some of my herbs going, as well. The iris, most likely, have never been divided and I suspect that they have been growing there for many years. It was a formidable task, but I was grateful when it was accomplished and I was able to share the iris with two other women.They were thrilled to get them and it was gratifying for me to have worked so hard and to know that I made others happy in the process.

I have never had a cold frame and not being a carpenter (as I learned when making the coop for my chickens) I do not know how this project will turn out. I have a small roll of plastic left over from the coop windows, which I will use instead of glass. I Googled for some information this morning and learned that I can actually use styrofoam coolers, rather than having to build a frame from wood. People often want to give these away, as they are not recyclable; however, even if I have to purchase them, they are relatively inexpensive. I have been making compost all summer long, of which some is now usable; so the only thing that I will have to buy is a thermometer. It can get too warm in a cold frame on sunny days, the ideal temperature being around 70℉. While I have not yet completed the permaculture course that I am taking, I realized that I have been employing many of the principles for my entire life, which are reusing, recycling, and repurposing. My cold frame project may prove to be challenging, but I am up for the challenge. I hope to keep my sage alive to use in turkey stuffing for Thanksgiving. I want to eat fresh salad greens without having to buy them from the store, when they are already several days old. I need to keep my cat happy by growing fresh greens and catnip for him; so he will not eat my houseplants. And, I want to ensure that my parsley survives through December so that I can make tabbouleh salad for my daughter when she returns home from her deployment.

This is a terrible place to live for a gardener; however, building a cold frame is one way that I hope to make the best of my situation. I am looking (and gardening) on the sunny side!

I only just learned about some preventative measures that we can take to protect us from contracting coronavirus. It is simple and inexpensive and it can be included with your regular hand washing regime, whenever you return home from the store, or when you have been around other people. Mix, in a 1:4 ratio, one part hydrogen peroxide to four parts water, into a small glass or cup. Gargle this, getting it as far back in your throat as you can. Then, using a Q-tip dipped in the same solution, swab the inside of each nostril. If you do not go out during the day or have visitors, it is still a good idea to do it once or twice a day during cold and flu season. I frequently use a saline nasal spray to clear my sinuses whenever they are irritated from dust and other allergens; which is probably helpful as well. The one that I use is called Xlear. 

There are supplements that you can take to build your immune system. I took a combination herbal supplement of echinacea and goldenseal for a couple of months in the spring. I began taking it again about a month ago. You are not supposed to take echinacea on an ongoing basis as it is taken only to boost the immune system. Apparently zinc is very effective in fighting COVID; and so is vitamin D. I like to spend as much time as possible outside each day in order to get my daily dose of vitamin D, although it must be absorbed through bare skin. I would also stress the importance of taking probiotics regularly. You can eat yogurt, drink kefir or kombucha, or take an actual supplement; whichever you prefer. I am certain there are other natural means of ensuring that your immune system is doing its job; but I am not a nutritionist and I have no medical training. I wanted to pass this along; however, as I trust the source of this information. I hope that we can all stay safe and healthy in the coming months!

I have been practising sustainable gardening methods for decades. I have always refused to resort to the use of herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides; but I fell short whenever it came to explaining why this is so important. I was grateful then, when I watched the recent documentary, Kiss the Ground, because it not only makes sustainable agriculture easy to understand; it also gives me hope. The film makes it clear that if the entire world would adopt organic methods, we could reverse global warming in a short time. By never allowing soil to lie bare and exposed, and by planting trees, carbon is sequestered in the soil, instead of being released into the atmosphere.

I have written in previous blogs about how much I dislike this town that I have been living in for over two years now. The hurricane force winds, coupled with low humidity and dust, are exacerbated by the extremely cold winters and the brutally hot summers. I have been puzzled as to why nearly every time rain is heading towards the town, it suddenly changes direction, and misses the area entirely. After watching the documentary, I realized that this is a prime example of “desertification”. This part of the country is literally being transformed into a desert. This is happening all over the world. It is scary, but it can be reversed. Unfortunately, most of the people who live here adhere to their old ways – especially the farmers and ranchers. They continue to till their fields and douse them with chemicals, depleting the soil and adding to our already polluted air and water. They are manipulated by politics and the greed of unbridled capitalism.

People need to open their eyes and look around at the disasters that are occurring all over our planet. They need to stop sticking their heads in the sand and pretending that climate change isn’t happening. It is happening at our very doorstep, but we can stop it. We should be boycotting the use of these dangerous chemicals. We should be demanding that farmers stop tilling their fields and cease spraying them with deadly poisons. Moving away from our dependence on fossil fuels is important. Adopting solar and wind power and creating electric cars will help; but those things alone cannot do enough to affect the changes we so desperately need. We must change the way agriculture is growing our food. Whether we are omnivore, vegetarian, or vegan, we must treat animals as kindly as we can. (For some reason, I do not like the word humanely, because humans, frankly, can be quite cruel.) 

We are all in this together. It will take all of us together, to make life livable for all. Please, watch this film. It will leave you feeling hopeful, instead of hopelessly despairing about the direction our world has taken.