Friday, August 3, 2012

Summer Magic


 Chief Seattle tried to remind us that, "humankind has not woven the web of life. we are but one thread within it. whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. all things are bound together. all things connect. (1854)

when we slow down enough to enjoy the present, we can all realize the grandeur that makes life possible, let alone stunningly amazing. it's sometimes tough to 'be here now'. recently i took the time to stop and smell the roses (actually i was in awe of the artichokes). what i saw inspired me to capture my appreciation for the buzz of life. being involved with a home garden is gratifying in a multitude of ways. a tasty portion of any home cooked dinner is the satisfaction of edibles moving from the garden to your plate (mmm yellow string beans with dill). wonderment only grows with each journey taken.

     beauty is all around us, the size & scale of which range from the largest creatures to the smallest insects. the natural world never ceases to amaze me. on any given day the artichokes will be brimming with bees, lace wings & arachnids, pretty cool.
     California has a gluttony of environmental splendor. recently a friend & i were privy enough to have seen 3 blue whales migrating along the pacific coast. the next day we were standing amongst the ancient redwoods.
     the blue whale is thought to be the largest living animal ever, that's right ever! once mature they can reach 98 feet in length while weighing up to 180 metric tons. then you're dwarfed yet again by the coastal sequoia which ranks as the tallest living organism on earth. forty-one living trees have been measured at over 360 feet. the current record holder is the Hyperion tree, stretching toward the sky at over 379 feet. west Sonoma county is one of my favorite native playgrounds. the natural beauty of this region is pretty ridiculous. i'm blessed to call it home...

time may be the barometer for human life, yet ecology & the environment need not such a device. if we as a species wish to thrive for generations to come, we ought to respect the natural systems that allow us all to breathe, eat, drink & inspire us to survive, let alone live.
   
"when all the trees have been cut down, when all the animals have been hunted, when all the waters are polluted, when all the air is unsafe to breathe, only then will you discover you cannot eat money."   ~ Cree prophecy

there is a poignant proverb that relates to the polarization of man made modernity and convenience versus mother earth and the reality that life is impossible without her...

"I do not think the measure of a civilization is how tall its buildings of concrete are, but rather how well its people have learned to relate to their environment and fellow man."
~ Sun Bear of the Chippewa Tribe

enjoy the outdoors
~eightychoices