personal column

  By

Jules Dervaes

PART FIVE

All that changed when we decided that we'd had enough of the unforgiving strictness, the unchangeable standards, and the 'absolute' judgment. So, we attacked the teacher; and we began educating ourselves differently. We set out to make the tools necessary to force nature to change and not us. We struck the blow for liberty in our revolution to overthrow the tyrant who would tax our existence without our approval. Heard round the world is the cry to be free, to be our own masters. Casting off all chains that inherently bind us is confirmation of our ambition for supreme power. Intoxicated by deep-seated passions, we're unable to discern that beneath the proud chimes of freedom toll the sober knells of requiem.

Ever haunted by the primal specter of dearth, we're obsessed with stockpiling extras upon extras. Excess soothes our fears of want. Large closets, bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, houses--big makes us feel safe. The bigger, the safer; the safer, the happier. Getting more than before feels so naturally good we cannot grasp that, when it is easy and lasting, abundance kills. Scarcity, that old-fashioned, feared harbinger of death, has long ago been replaced in our supermarket world by surplus, the chic twin of a different color. 

Today, we go to the grave afflicted by the modern plagues of plenty; but, with stomachs bulging, we go smiling. Corralled and fattened up, we serve as prime choices for slaughter. To avoid panic and prevent revolt among us dumb cattle, our 'messianic' medical industry dispenses its bewitching drugs to take the sting out of a cursed, abortive deaths, making them savory for victim and for viewer alike. It's a 'kinder, gentler' holocaust.

Yes, we are heading into an abyss; but, there is a way out. Yet we can not deal with the impersonal, the disconnected, the segmented, or the fragmented. We are who we are, existing in synthesis, forming our integral system; from that there is no escape.  to be continued....
 

In this issue...

Harvesting Herbs - Oh Honey!  - Winter Squash Wake Up Your Garden - Brighten Your World   DIY Corner - Fellow Traveler - Far Out!

    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 Idaho Freedom - This site is for anyone who is interested in a more independent lifestyle. Suite 101 Self-Reliant Living - Suite 101 Information, articles and links related to living simply; permaculture, homesteading, self sufficiency, natural living, and homeschooling. «Check out new links» Know of a website that you'd like to see featured?  Contact us

And Finally...

ramblings...

Tues 10/29

Autumn's turning into winter far too

quickly...

 Everyone else -- those out East, I mean-- are having a glorious display of colors, while Fall in SoCal is really a non-season. The only significant change is that it's darker earlier.  But in the past few weeks, on most days we have barely seen the sun... so dreary and gloomy.  *yuck*

I had an unfortunate incident: all the articles and websites that I had come across these past couple months to be posted for this issue of the newsletter were accidentally deleted and so I had to start all over. *urgh*

As I mentioned in the recent blog entries, we had two loads of wonderful horse manure that's offered by a local compost guru.

In the couple of weeks since covering the whole yard, we can see a big difference: worms have  moved in, the soil is soft and spongy and retains water, and the plants seem healthier.  It's amazing and truly a blessing to have found this guy! 

We visited his little urban jungle the other day and I took along my camera.  His place was so beautiful and peaceful ... take a peek. 

We spent a very pleasant afternoon... even exchanging some seeds and plants.

The bantam hens are a small blessing and have been giving us more than a dozen eggs a week now.  And that is just from three hens laying out of five so far.

So, this month, I didn't have to buy any eggs at the store--saving more money! We even have leftovers to sell!

In the garden, things are constantly changing and evolving--it's really exciting to watch the continual transformation.  This year we hope to reach 4,000 lbs {presently at 2,900 lbs} harvested -- and are striving to one day reach --6,000? Perhaps?

With a little bit of hard work and whole lot of ingenuity, we hope to to grow as much food as possible on our little "urban homestead".

The guys are still busy designing and planning more vertical growing space--the ground's all taken, but there's still the air "up there".

On another subject--this is So.Cal's driest season in 100 years.  Due to a recent destructive forest fire, the authorities closed the entire National Forest in fear of more fires and they won't re-open until we get at least 2" of rain.  In other words no more weekend hikes in the mountains for awhile.  *sigh*

I hope you'll have time to pull up a chair and enjoy taking your time reading this latest newsletter

Wishing you a peaceful and bountiful fall season!

Editor & Staff of PTF

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