New Beginnings

Having been inspired by qkslvrwolf and alcarwen, I've decided to try my hand at sending my thoughts out into the blogosphere. It's a strange sensation, both anonymous and intimate in a paradoxical way.

Within my life, there have definitely been seasons that were appropriate for one activity but not for another. Sewing and handwork, for example, were satisfying when my children were young, but the time for doing them has passed (at least for now), and other activities occupy my time these days. Gardening, always an interest, is now a main focus in my life. In many ways, it's not just gardening that interests me. It's gardening within the genius of the place, gardening that celebrates the local flora and fauna. And I want to encourage others to learn to honor the place they live in, too.

I have lost my passion for strident activism (if, indeed, I was ever truly stident!), but I still feel a need to gently cultivate a cooperation between people and nature. We humans are so often needlessly combative in our relationships with plants and with other animals. I'd like to share and model a softer way of approaching the natural world around us. And in helping keep the small slice of Earth that we each manage healthier and more balanced, I believe that we can keep ourselves healthier and more balanced as well.

In this blog, then, I'll be sharing my successes and failures as I tend our little suburban plot along the Gulf Coast. Since gardening works so well as a metaphor for living, along the way I expect to be looking for ties to philosophy, politics, literature, and any other subject that "crops up." I hope to hear from others who are similarly involved...or even just interested in the process.

And, so, without further ado, I'll begin....