25 February 2009
Thurman sez...
Check out the nice comment Thurman gave me yesterday at Random Abstractions "Is Anyone Else Having Trouble Posting Comments?"
Mardi Gras Should be the New, New Year's Eve
Oh come on, let's face it, very few people keep their New Year's resolutions. By the time January 20th rolls around, many people have abandoned the ridiculous attempts to keep in line with those resolutions. Making New Year right in the dead center of the Dark Days needs rethinking.
Traditionally, the winter was a time for rest. When we lived in a more tribal time in tune with Earth, the dark cold winter days and nights sent us indoors. The ground and animals rested. We rested until the light of day grew longer then we emerged like sleepy hungry bears ready to begin the cycle again.
The Dark Days begin after Halloween when, suddenly, the days are markedly shorter. That's when the debauchery begins with the feasting of candy on Halloween. Next we move into the gluttony of Thanksgiving which marks the beginning of the holiday season, and for another month, we spend our time gorging.
By New Years, we may be ready for a change. So we try to set resolutions in motion, but our cell memory of a different time is still too strong. Many of us fail.
Mardi Gras happens anywhere from the middle of February to the middle of March depending on where Easter falls in any given year, and the parties begin about three weeks before the actual day of Fat Tuesday. Around Groundhog Day, February 2, the days are markedly longer.
When the days grow longer and Spring emerges, a new sense of renewal arises. We could mark New Year at Groundhog Day, but even sometimes the groundhog is too sleepy to admit that Spring is encroaching. Besides, at that point, Mardi Gras celebrations are beginning. Many of us just aren't ready to let go of the Dark Days.
Mardi Gras is a time of full on debauchery. Having lived in New Orleans for two years, I can attest to this from first hand experience. It is a time to truly get it all out of your system. It is one last gluttonous blow-out before the season of Lent begins. For those of you who may not be familiar with it, Lent marks the 40 days before Easter, not counting Sundays for reasons listed on Wikipedia, of which I don't recall learning. I can't speak for other faiths, but Catholics, who started it all, have to give something up, abstain, for those 40 days before Easter. I was always taught that it was to show God how much we revered Him. It's also supposedly to represent the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert fighting of the temptations of the devil.
But I'm not here to try and find or give an opinion on the true history of Lent. I could care less.
What I am saying is that the start of lent, after a season of rest and or debauchery ending in the big bang of Mardi Gras marks a much more sensible time to begin resolutions. Seasonal depressions lift as the days grow longer. Longer days mean that it will soon be warming up which makes it a hell of a lot nicer to go outside and get out of the cave. In the natural world, everything is changing. It's a good time for us to make changes, too.
That's my intuitive opinion.
As always, thanks for reading.
Traditionally, the winter was a time for rest. When we lived in a more tribal time in tune with Earth, the dark cold winter days and nights sent us indoors. The ground and animals rested. We rested until the light of day grew longer then we emerged like sleepy hungry bears ready to begin the cycle again.
The Dark Days begin after Halloween when, suddenly, the days are markedly shorter. That's when the debauchery begins with the feasting of candy on Halloween. Next we move into the gluttony of Thanksgiving which marks the beginning of the holiday season, and for another month, we spend our time gorging.
By New Years, we may be ready for a change. So we try to set resolutions in motion, but our cell memory of a different time is still too strong. Many of us fail.
Mardi Gras happens anywhere from the middle of February to the middle of March depending on where Easter falls in any given year, and the parties begin about three weeks before the actual day of Fat Tuesday. Around Groundhog Day, February 2, the days are markedly longer.
When the days grow longer and Spring emerges, a new sense of renewal arises. We could mark New Year at Groundhog Day, but even sometimes the groundhog is too sleepy to admit that Spring is encroaching. Besides, at that point, Mardi Gras celebrations are beginning. Many of us just aren't ready to let go of the Dark Days.
Mardi Gras is a time of full on debauchery. Having lived in New Orleans for two years, I can attest to this from first hand experience. It is a time to truly get it all out of your system. It is one last gluttonous blow-out before the season of Lent begins. For those of you who may not be familiar with it, Lent marks the 40 days before Easter, not counting Sundays for reasons listed on Wikipedia, of which I don't recall learning. I can't speak for other faiths, but Catholics, who started it all, have to give something up, abstain, for those 40 days before Easter. I was always taught that it was to show God how much we revered Him. It's also supposedly to represent the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert fighting of the temptations of the devil.
But I'm not here to try and find or give an opinion on the true history of Lent. I could care less.
What I am saying is that the start of lent, after a season of rest and or debauchery ending in the big bang of Mardi Gras marks a much more sensible time to begin resolutions. Seasonal depressions lift as the days grow longer. Longer days mean that it will soon be warming up which makes it a hell of a lot nicer to go outside and get out of the cave. In the natural world, everything is changing. It's a good time for us to make changes, too.
That's my intuitive opinion.
As always, thanks for reading.
24 February 2009
Garden Jitters
It's that time of year when gardeners begin to feel edgy. The long winter nights have finally turned as the days are noticeably longer. We begin to feel that the time is near to begin in the garden. Knowing that timing for planting is an essential key, the anxiety starts to build. For beginning gardeners, timing can seem like a daunting task. For experienced gardeners, timing can seem like a daunting task.
Hopefully the seeds have been ordered, and if they haven't already arrived, are soon to be in the mailbox. If seeds haven't been purchased, there is still a little time before the early spring crops go in the ground. When I first started gardening, I sat down after receiving my first seed order and worked out a chart as to when to plant. Then when I worked at Beardsley Farm under Sabrina DeVault, I benefited greatly from her years of farming experience.
I have compiled a chart of planting and starting dates for this area, Knoxville, Tennessee which is technically agricultural zone 6B, but in recent years, it has been more like 7A. If you are someplace else reading this and you don't know your zone, the Arbor Day Foundation can help. You will then need to adjust the dates for your zone. These dates are approximated. I encourage each gardener to keep a journal and find what works best for your area or yard.
Everything revolves around the last frost date which is around April 20 for THIS zone. This date is not written in stone. Plants that go in the ground before last frost shouldn't be effected, but it is especially important for transplants that may suffer severely if the temps drop too low while they are in the ground. Plants that are started indoors should be planted after last frost. You just have to keep a careful eye on the weather.
I have split the chart into two sections; direct and indirect sowing by date of activity. Direct sowing is when you put the seed directly in the ground. Indirect sowing is when you start the seed indoors (or in a greenhouse) before the last frost. If I haven't included something, that is because I don't grow it or haven't had much luck with it. The Chart is a Microsoft Word Excel Chart.
SEED STARTING CHART
Hope this helps with the gardening jitters.
Thanks for reading.
Hopefully the seeds have been ordered, and if they haven't already arrived, are soon to be in the mailbox. If seeds haven't been purchased, there is still a little time before the early spring crops go in the ground. When I first started gardening, I sat down after receiving my first seed order and worked out a chart as to when to plant. Then when I worked at Beardsley Farm under Sabrina DeVault, I benefited greatly from her years of farming experience.
I have compiled a chart of planting and starting dates for this area, Knoxville, Tennessee which is technically agricultural zone 6B, but in recent years, it has been more like 7A. If you are someplace else reading this and you don't know your zone, the Arbor Day Foundation can help. You will then need to adjust the dates for your zone. These dates are approximated. I encourage each gardener to keep a journal and find what works best for your area or yard.
Everything revolves around the last frost date which is around April 20 for THIS zone. This date is not written in stone. Plants that go in the ground before last frost shouldn't be effected, but it is especially important for transplants that may suffer severely if the temps drop too low while they are in the ground. Plants that are started indoors should be planted after last frost. You just have to keep a careful eye on the weather.
I have split the chart into two sections; direct and indirect sowing by date of activity. Direct sowing is when you put the seed directly in the ground. Indirect sowing is when you start the seed indoors (or in a greenhouse) before the last frost. If I haven't included something, that is because I don't grow it or haven't had much luck with it. The Chart is a Microsoft Word Excel Chart.
SEED STARTING CHART
Hope this helps with the gardening jitters.
Thanks for reading.
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