personal column

  By

Jules Dervaes

PART FOUR

The new lords-of-evolution would seek, by way of demand, after the luxury commensurate with sovereignty. Opulent, lavish lifestyles bespeak royalty, with exquisite, upscale surroundings replicating palatial settings. Having a household full of techno-servants attending to needs and providing comforts means living like a star. When there are minions to perform menial work, the elite become delicate. Our societal evolution toward privilege has yielded soft bodies and spoiled spirits in need of extensive pampering. Our giant, 'noble,' cultural leap has landed us in a quagmire; for, we now bear the malady of inclusive, 'blue-blooded' fragility. What always brings about extinction in a species is fragility.

So far nothing has changed the fact that, acting the prima donnas, we are determined constitutionally to keep and defend our newfound, liberating status. We've gotten comfortable; we aim to get more and more comfortable until we die. For, it is the narcotic comfort which we are craving. As conveniences have proliferated, our growing dependence on them has led to an increasing need for better grades and to an insatiable hunger to score with the boulevard's trendy comfort of choice. Once used, amenities become addictive, as evidenced by the classic withdrawal symptoms caused by just the thought of doing without them: anxiety, trauma, anger, and depression. 

When, on the field of battle for subsistence, we were matched against a fitting foe nature, we could contest for superiority. A wholly focused, worthy effort was rewarded with the chance to stand for another round the next season in the never-ending fight to retain the 'championship.' Putting out anything less than what nature demanded meant never surviving to 'answer the bell.' It was the perfect education: nature with its hardships, the most outstanding teacher of the year and of a lifetime. Daily tasks which tested physical and emotional strengths allowed for no letdown. The result was a strong backbone together with a teachable spirit.
 

to be continued....
 

In this issue...

Roof Top Gardening - Herbal Vinegars  Homemade Bread - Living Mulch

Thrifting Like A Pro - DIY Corner

    Interested in doing things yourself instead of relying on outside sources for basic necessities? We are personally not as self-sufficient as we would like to be, but we believe that many are on same the path, some further along than others. 

   We hope this newsletter will be a source of inspiration and information to those who want to break-free from the modern environment and culture we are subject to.  See you along the path...

Words of Wisdom

featured websites of the month Institute For Appropriate Technology  - A great collection of DIY articles brought to you by the folks of  famous Farm in Tennessee. The Permaculture Activist  - A leading permaculture periodical offering articles on permaculture design, edible landscaping, bioregionalism, aquaculture, natural building, earthworks, renewable energy, and much more. «Check out new links» Know of a website that you'd like to see featured?  Contact us

And Finally...

We're looking for a few good articles for the BACK TO BASICS section. Check out the SUBMISSION FORM if you have an article that you would like to share with our readers. For your valuable contribution we are offering a SURPRISE packet of seeds. Thank you!

ramblings...

Friday 9/27

A time for change... First day of Fall came and

went with no sign of that crisp, nippy Autumn feeling.  Just scorching hot temps -- 105º in the shade!

Even though the garden didn't produce as expected we were still {and are continuing} to be blessed with a constant supply of healthful food for our table.

Already received our fall/winter seed orders.  So the days are now spent preparing and planting in anticipation of cooler weather.

We had quite a lot of 'to do' projects--accomplished some, tacked on more and haven't completed many--and still have a ways to go, *sigh* checking them off a little at a time.  One of the projects we'd like to tackle soon is to put in a greywater recycling system. 

We are harvesting our first passion fruits now...  they're delicious!  Will be looking forward to all the fruit trees bearing fruit next season, God willing.

Our hens have started to lay.  Since they are bantams, the eggs are a bit smaller than regular {you have to use 2 for 1}.  It's wonderful to see the chickens doing well and enjoying themselves in the garden.  Each has her own personality and we have a blast watching them going about their business in the yard.

The weather this year has been very strange, so strange that, the other day, we spotted daffodil bulbs coming up in the yard and the plum tree setting blossoms again.  Talk about weird... we had to do a double take.

Editor & Staff of PTF

~ PostScript ~

We were pleasantly surprise on Saturday with unexpected and unseasonable rain showers... could Fall be just around the corner?

« Read SEPTEMBER entries»