Such a great reminder to let it be and lower the expectations so we can be present and enjoy the process. Just like the plants show us but somehow it's hard to listen sometimes. Love that you tidied up the work bench- sometimes that is the best medicine! Can't wait to see what blooms on your farm, so exciting and thank you for sharing the journey with us!
My friend David Anderson sent me this Mary Oliver poem not long after I wrote this post:
How quietly,
and not with any assignment from us,
or even a small hint
of understanding,
everything that needs to be done
is done.
So true! so very silly to act like nature is not going to unfold without me - ha! Still lots of work to do over here (I mean on myself! the yard/garden is another story!). Thank you Polly!
i get this for the voyuerism of vineyard summer when i was 15 hitchhiking tenting near lake tashmoo the nude beach towards gay head 1972 but find soothing your work and it could be anywhere wendell berry-land...blessed and also small suggestion: you can grow plants, buds... and love chocolate why not a combination there that unhinges that conveyor belt....just a little ha
Hi Diane - ain’t that the truth! It is literally never done. Good luck with all of your spring prep and let me know how things go on your Island as the season (inevitably) goes by.
As a small farmer on another small island 3000 miles to your west, do I ever get this. We love this life but April and May are prime time for high anxiety - so many tasks competing for limited hours; it never all gets done. Making peace with that is a life lesson for sure!
Oh gosh, I feel this so much in spring. The weather gets warmer and suddenly everything has to happen at once, or at least that’s how it seems. I love your comparisons elsewhere of gardening and sobriety, though, and both seem to be about better discerning the limits of a given season, and ourselves. So hard to do as food writers though, huh? Don’t we always just want one more?
Oh man, that’s the perfect metaphor for the wild craziness of spring. We made a plan this year, tried to start earlier than last year…but then life intervened and the conveyor belt went unattended. But it’s all beautiful anyway.
That’s a great point david! It’s all beautiful anyway! Nature keeps doing it’s thing - silly of us to think that we’re so important that it will wait for us -ha!
And who are you... Ethel or Lucy! Thanks for the belly laugh and reminder to stop and smell the flowers.
Such a great reminder to let it be and lower the expectations so we can be present and enjoy the process. Just like the plants show us but somehow it's hard to listen sometimes. Love that you tidied up the work bench- sometimes that is the best medicine! Can't wait to see what blooms on your farm, so exciting and thank you for sharing the journey with us!
My friend David Anderson sent me this Mary Oliver poem not long after I wrote this post:
How quietly,
and not with any assignment from us,
or even a small hint
of understanding,
everything that needs to be done
is done.
So true! so very silly to act like nature is not going to unfold without me - ha! Still lots of work to do over here (I mean on myself! the yard/garden is another story!). Thank you Polly!
So beautiful! Been thinking of Mary alot lately x
i get this for the voyuerism of vineyard summer when i was 15 hitchhiking tenting near lake tashmoo the nude beach towards gay head 1972 but find soothing your work and it could be anywhere wendell berry-land...blessed and also small suggestion: you can grow plants, buds... and love chocolate why not a combination there that unhinges that conveyor belt....just a little ha
no doubt you have that covered too
Suggestions always welcome - anything to unhinge the conveyor belt! Glad you were able to enjoy the Vineyard during that very special time...!
Hi Diane - ain’t that the truth! It is literally never done. Good luck with all of your spring prep and let me know how things go on your Island as the season (inevitably) goes by.
As a small farmer on another small island 3000 miles to your west, do I ever get this. We love this life but April and May are prime time for high anxiety - so many tasks competing for limited hours; it never all gets done. Making peace with that is a life lesson for sure!
Oh gosh, I feel this so much in spring. The weather gets warmer and suddenly everything has to happen at once, or at least that’s how it seems. I love your comparisons elsewhere of gardening and sobriety, though, and both seem to be about better discerning the limits of a given season, and ourselves. So hard to do as food writers though, huh? Don’t we always just want one more?
I wrote about this too, here: https://open.substack.com/pub/ryanroseweaver/p/7-watching-the-light
Oh yes it is always about wanting more! And not being able to limit ourselves! I like your essay on light...nature is such a great teacher!
Thank you so much! Honored to be learning and growing alongside you here.
Oh man, that’s the perfect metaphor for the wild craziness of spring. We made a plan this year, tried to start earlier than last year…but then life intervened and the conveyor belt went unattended. But it’s all beautiful anyway.
That’s a great point david! It’s all beautiful anyway! Nature keeps doing it’s thing - silly of us to think that we’re so important that it will wait for us -ha!
Yes it was 90 on the mainland, 80 on the Island! It is crazy!