Patrick Whitefield, author of The Earth Care Manual

Inspiration is everywhere. I was reminded of Patrick Whitefield's words as I researched a soil remediation last night. The Earth Care Manual is a marvelous resource. His words follow:

"This book is much more about solutions than about problems, more about what we can do in the present situation that about how we came to be in It in the first place. Yet there's no escaping the fact that the Earth is in a dire state, and getting worse. In the twenty-three years I've been actively involved in the ecological movement almost every aspect of planetary health has got worse.

This raises the question: Is it all worth it? If we do out best to heal the Earth and make our place in her a sustainable one, is there a good chance that we will succeed? Or is it a forlorn hope? It's a big questions, and one which can lead to depression if we look at the facts honestly and dispassionately. But to my mind it's the wrong question. Evening if we could answer it - and we can never know anything about the future for certain - it would beg the question, How do I want to live my life?.

Here I find the teaching of Mahatma Gandhi very useful. One of his precepts was that of non-attachment to the fruits of our labour. All we can do in life is to make sure that we play our own part in it the best way we can. Much as we would like to, we can never do more than that. Everything we do is so complex, and relies for its ultimate completion on so many different people and natural forces, that we can never take responsibility for the final outcome of our actions. We can only take responsibility for our actions themselves.

So my answer to the question, How do I want to live my life? is that I want to be part of the solution rather than a part of the problem."

His words are beautiful and inspiring for me. May I do a good job living this way to show my children how.

Love, light and laughter.

Jae

Living WITH nature.

The creekside remediation project with Villa San Ramon has been both challenging and deeply rewarding. Perhaps most beautiful for me are the dialogues we have with the residents of the community, sharing their memories - of time in their home gardens, of their favorite flowers, of the lush colors and aromas - and expressing their appreciation for our work.

Last week, I toured the site with the Executive Director and the Vice President of Operations for Vintage Senior Living. As we walked, it was noted that the trees now in lush flower had only few flowers in the year prior. And, Virbunums previously with limited flowers are now with abundant flowers.

It is, simply, providing the opportunity for abundant diversity within the community of soil microbes that results in this kind of plant health. And love, I think.

We continued our work on the property and discovered the marvel of Nature in the parking lot. Within the deep cover of Boxwood in a parking median, lay a mother Mallard on her nest. I captured two snails and dropped them to her as an offering for her trust in us. And, as we have worked this site, the Canada Geese, Snowy Egrets, Peregrine Falcons and Cooper's Hawks have graced us with their presence as we apply compost, plant natives (e.g., Penstemon pseudospectabilis), and broadcast wildflower seeds.

It is a gift to do the work of healing soils. Truly. And so much more to share...