Thursday, October 29, 2009

Yes I can


I remember when I was teaching my now 15 year old niece to climb trees. It was late spring in the budding forest and we were crossing a thick patch of mud. The only way to get across without getting dirty was in the trees. So we went up. I saw the fear in her eyes as I encouraged her to go to the next tree. "I can't" she whined.

It was in that moment when I realize 'can't' is the only thing that could make her fall. 'Can't' was the only thing that got in the way of her making that confident swing from one tree to the next. I knew she could, but it was in the face of her knowing that she could not. I explained to her that when one takes risks such as climbing trees one has to believe in themselves otherwise gravity will win. When you reach your small hand over to grab that branch and you do it with trepidation, you will have a weak grasp and may lose it. You have to grab the branch and swing your foot over with confidence, trusting that it will land where you want it to and the next tree will hold you just as this tree has. If you second guess any of that, in the mud you will go. I showed her how I do it and encouraged her to follow. She made the leap and we made it home tracking little mud behind and a new word in our conversation. Can.

But 10 years later and I find myself forgetting that word. The bees have mites, they are being robbed and any attempt of feeding them seems to be causing more harm than good, the hive is not tight, the bees, pollen and nectar are in too many different areas. I go in to help them with treatments for mites and they sting like a colony of killer bees. I can't. I just can't do this. Beekeeping isn't meant for me. I am a woman...too sensitive, too weak. I think too much, I don't do enough, I anthropomorphize, I just cannot do this!

There is a rush that happens when I crack the propolis seal on the inner cover over the hive. The ladies come up and greet me. Sometimes calmly, often with a bit of 'what the hell?!' My hands shake and my body trembles. My heart beats in my head. I feel my insides being exposed as I expose hers. "Am I doing this right? Am I hurting them? Am I smart enough, good enough, sure enough?" They smell fear. They smell doubt. They insist with their piercing poisoned stings that I am not. "Go Away!" they insist.

And so I do. The belief of 'I can't' has permeated this hive. In beekeeping one has to make split second decisions and be confident in them. Like climbing trees or rocks. Angry bees are the gravity of the situation ready to take you down and swell you up if you do not move with stealth and care.

Consciousness of my body and their body, care for each movement and each split second decision is of utmost importance when working a hive. Last week I had to go into the hive and tighten it up. I took a lot of deep breaths and listened to their responses to my attitude. When They got worked up ('what the hell are you doing moving my home around?!') I breathed deeply and moved within the resistance. They were very calm when the hive was put back together minus one box. Love and vulnerability made the work possible. Can is a word that is being remembered again as I work with these amazing bugs!

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Farmland


Revealing the beds to see what lies beneath

Will turn the soil (meh) and top them up with old compost that has been waiting for me for a couple years. Then probably build some more beds. It is a flood plane here (the passaic river) and very much clay soil, so I want to avoid drowning root systems.



Apparently it is black gold!
Artemisia is the weed of the land here. weeding mugwort is a delicious intoxicating day!

Tuesday, October 13, 2009




The unexpected always arrives.

"HEY! I didn't expect you!"

We have been doing things a certain way for so long that we have just come to assume that this is the only way to accomplish anything.

No other way
No other choice.

Possibly building on false
presumptions


false presumptions sometimes crumble away slowly and
sometimes collapse quickly

Let's take grade school presumption #1 for example

One plus one
One plus one is based on the premise that everything is separate and will stay that way. But take a drop of water for instance (of which the earth is 70%).
One drop of water plus one drop of water equals?....

...yes, that's right! ONE drop of water!
One drop of water turns into an ocean.

We presume we know things
We want to feel (or be) in control

I went into an active beehive 25 feet off the ground in a centurion kentucky coffee tree the other day. I pulled out a ladder, secured it in place and climbed up to take a peek. Hundreds of honeybees flying in and out looking for food. The lovely ladies were coming in with bright and pale yellow pollen loaded in their pollen baskets to feed the babies. The hole, their entrance was big though. I could fit both my hands in there. Would they survive the cold of winter. My mind says no way, they are too exposed. They have a really sweet little home. Winter is the time of dying. I hope they prove me wrong and make it through. I hope they can figure it out. A way to keep warm and survive.