A New Year and Common Ground

L'Shanna Tova Tikateivu - Happy New Year!  May all living things and all creation  be written in the Book of Life for another year of life, health, happiness and prosperity!

Okay, I have to admit that my fingers slowed on the keys as I typed the foregoing. I hesitated because I had in mind the Republican presidential candidates and other equally scurrilous forms of existence.  Do I really want to wish another year of life, health, etc. for Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, et al?  I guess I do.  How often we tend to forget that we do not sit in judgment over who will live and who will die.  Or we should not and should not seek to do so.  This week a 41 year old husband and father, nephew of someone in my synagogue, died on Rosh Hashanna of complications of diabetes.  Perhaps while I was chanting the words, "who will live and who will die," he was dying.  We will never know why, will we, who will live and who will die.  So the only thing to do is to fervently wish, pray and hope that all of creation should thrive ... and that we, creation's sleepers, may soon wake up.

Morning walk with Ella this week

I spent a lovely Rosh HaShanna with Helen.  I missed being in my little synagogue here, but it was good to hear the familiar melodies and see old friends.  And it has been good to be home, taking Ella for our morning walks, cleaning up the garden - only a couple of tomato plants remaining and very tired basil; the carrots still thriving though.   I moved my rosemary from the raised bed to a pot in preparation for bringing it inside this winter.  It smells heavenly:

Looking ahead, I am upset that the Rockland Library has scheduled the Maine Poet Laureate, Wesley McNair (who happens to be MY favorite poet) to speak on Tuesday night next, which is Erev Yom Kippur.  That means that I, and just about every Jewish soul in Midcoast Maine will be in synagogue for Kol Nidre, probably the most widely attended service of the year.


I understand that we Jews have A LOT of holidays, but Yom Kippur, and even more so the evening before Yom Kippur, are to Jews - even to pretty secular Jews - at least what Christmas is to Christians - even to pretty secular Christians. The Library would never schedule an event on Christmas morning, why on the eve of Yom Kippur?

I went to the Library to see the programming director.  She was out.  I left my name and phone number with a request to be called.  She has not called.  I'll go back tomorrow.  I will also write to Wesley McNair directly.  And possibly a letter to our local paper.  I love Wesley McNair.  I have all of his books.  David and I have driven to nearby towns to hear him speak.  Even so, I will be in shul on Tuesday evening.  Shame on the Rockland Public Library!

On a happier note, beginning next Friday is the Common Ground Country Fair, organized I believe by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association.  We have not been able to attend previously but plan to go this year.  Despite my leftist and hippy-ish past and tendencies, respectively, the Common Ground Fair may be too much even for me.  Here is a list of the events offered between 9:00 am and 11:00 am on just 1 of 3 days:

9:00 am

• Easy Tyre Repair
• Common Ground Zero Waste 2016
• Beginning Seed Saving for the Home Gardner
• Vegetable Companion Planting with Herbs
• Developing Safe Havens with Horses
• The Pros and Cons of Disbudding and De-horning
• Q&A: Organic Certification - Drop by & Ask the Experts
• Edible and Medicinal Plant Walk
• Felting Demo
• Oxen Demonstration
• Cart Demo
• Donkey & Mule Show
• Highland Mary Morris
• Women’s Sacred Music
• Blacksmithing Demonstrations
• Farm Activities with Kids: Grind Grain, Make Butter, Cider and Bread; Play Chess Too!
• Spinning
• Art Hunt
• Antique Windlass
• Earth Loom Weaving
• Fiber Demonstrations
• Fleece Sale
• Highland Cattle Farming
• Stoneworking Demonstrations

9:30 am

• Sock Poi Make and Take with Zoe Cat & Bridget
• Choosing Livestock for Your Needs
• Directional Tree Felling with a Chainsaw
• Tree Identification & the Maine Woods
• Maine Energy Education
• Paper Bull Puppet Company Touch Table
• Music and Magic Maine: Instrument and Craft Activites
• The Spark Artists’ Collective

10:00 am

• Ecological & Food Systems Skits and Songs
• Canning and Freezing Basics
• Mowing with and Sharpening the European Scythe
• Gardening Astrologically
• Advanced Seed Saving
• Home Orchard Spraying for Beginners
• Wet & Dry Seed Saving
• Spinning with Support Spindles
• The Native American Wool Project
• Home Firewood Production
• Harry S. Truman Manure Pitch - Basket Fill Toss
• Sahaja Yoga Mediation
• Herbs to Enhance Vitality
• Raising Guinea Hens for Food and Fun
• Raising Heritage Pigs for Meat
• Sheep Dog Demo
• Teach your Riding Horse to Drive
• Sorcha Cribben-Merril
• Women’s Sacred Music
• Restorative Justice in our Communities
• 100% Maine-Made Renewable Energy
• Biodiesel 101: Heat and Transportation
• Processing Acorns into Flour Demonstration
• Nia
• Poetry Slam
• Weave Like it’s 1699 Class
• Bread on a Stick Workshop
• Various Bicycle Demos
• Arts, Crafts, Canned Goods & Dried Foods Juding
• Fleece Show Judging
• Horse Drawn Rides
• Powing and Manure Spreading Demonstrations
• People Powered Bike Parade: Celebration of Wheeled Mobility

What do you think?  The Pros and Cons of Disbudding and De-horning?  I would say that depends on whom will be disbudded and/or de-horned.  Personally I'd like to see horses taught to drive.  What car or truck is big enough for a student horse driver?  How do they modify the seat to fit the horse?  Steering wheel for use by hooves?  Hmmm...

May we all be written and sealed in the Book of Life.

Peace.

One month, a paddling vacation and a "super moon"

We are back a week-long course in "Elements of Coastal Kayaking" at Woodenboat School in Brooklin (Maine).  During the week I realized I had reached the one-month anniversary of my retirement.  It went by fast!  So far, so good.  We were busy and so was the world.   A highlight of that month was the arrival at the end of July of beautiful Maya Eva, first grandchild of our dear friend Helen.  Welcome to the world, Maya Eva.  May you always be happy, healthy and more loved every day, and may you live a long and joyous life!

I think the thing that has surprised me most about this month has been how quickly and painlessly I have "let go" of a "career" and all it entailed.  I miss my regular contact with a few specific individuals, but that's it.    I've been trying to be in touch with one person who has been so furiously busy, she hasn't been able to connect with me until this morning.  Then I hear the stress in her voice, and I wonder ... is that how I used to sound?  Is that how I spent the last 15 years - if not even more - of my life?  Anyway, I was afraid that I would find it hard, emotionally speaking, to "let go" of something that I spent 10-12 hours a day for 15 years being more or less obsessed with.  But it is basically gone.  Except for caring how it continues to affect a very small number of co-workers I consider friends, I'm done with it.  

Our "kayaking" vacation was wonderful.  We had 2-3 hours of paddling every morning and another 2-3 hours of paddling every afternoon for 5 days. We practiced different paddling strokes.  We would generally paddle to a nearby island, land on the island, discuss what came next, get back in the boats, practice turning, backing up, etc. Then we would paddle back to the school for lunch.  Afternoon, paddle to another island, perhaps further away, maybe circle the island, sometimes get out and hike a bit, and so on.

One day we loaded all of the kayaks on a big rack pulled by a school truck and drove to a freshwater lake.  There we practiced "wet exits" - which I think is pretty self-explanatory (flip the kayak over, clamber out underwater, and come up breathing if spluttering!)  Also "self rescues" - which involve - while outside of the kayak in the water - putting a foam flotation device on one end of the paddle, attaching the paddle at right angles to the kayak, throwing a leg over the paddle (!), hoisting yourself up onto the back deck of the kayak, then squiggling and wriggling your feet and legs down into the cockpit of the boat - face down - and flipping over to be right side up, all without falling into the water ....  I actually managed to do this ungainly procedure several times without flipping myself back into the lake, and with only bruises up and down both legs to the worse for the experience.  Still, I'm hoping no one in the class has any photographic evidence of the utter lack of grace involved in my own "self rescues." 

Our instructor - the main reason we took the course - was wonderful and our class mates were interesting and fun.  We plan to stay in touch and perhaps all take the course again in the future.  Another interesting person we met was a man from Buenos Aires, Daniel.  He is an expert kayaker and newer woodworker and was taking a boat building course.  He was great fun to talk to, and at the celebratory dinner on the last evening he asked someone to take a photo of himself, David and me, which he sent to me.  Here it is:

That same evening was the beginning of the "super moon" and I took this photo:

From the sublime.... I haven't posted local "events" listings much lately, and it appears that I've missed quite a number of ... fascinating happenings, including but not limited to:

• Dialogue about Fermentation and Art, 7 p.m., Art Salon at Waterfall Arts, 256 High St., Belfast. Discussion between artists, fermenters, audience. Complements “Fermentation” exhibit, running to Sept. 11, in which artists were paired with fermenters who make bread, beer, sauerkraut, etc. Free; donations welcome.

• Dudley Zopp Hosts Open House at Beech Nut, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport. She’s on hand to discuss her “Stones on the Move” installation.

• Walk with a Geologist at Porter Preserve, 1-3 p.m., Kimballtown Rd., Barter’s Island. Henry Berry points out traces of 470 million years of geologic history. Limited to 15. Registration: thall@bbrlt.org or 633-4818.

• Mediums’ Gallery Demonstration, 5-7 p.m., Temple Heights Spiritual Camp, Northport. With Sandra McFadden and Colin Hall. They put on another demo Sat., Aug. 29, from 5-7 p.m. $15 for either. FMI: TempleHeightsCamp.org, 338-3029.

• Talk on Maine’s Wild Turkeys, noon, Tuesday Talks at Merryspring Nature Center, Camden. By microbiologist Dr. Peter Milligan. $5/members free.

• “The KKK in Maine: A Flame That Flamed Out,” 7:30 p.m., Old Town House, off Union Common. Free talk by author Mark Alan Leslie. Refreshments.

• Silent Worship at 1885 Chapel, 9:30-10:30 a.m. Sundays in summer, St. Paul’s Union Chapel, Dutch Neck Rd., Waldoboro. FMI: 832-7001.

It's hard to decide what to do, so many choices.  But now that I'm retired  I have more time, so perhaps I could attend several of these events.  I admit to being intrigued by the concept of a talk on fermentation and art (with free bread, beer and sauerkraut!)  Who knew?  But I think I'll skip that one. I like the name "Dudley Zopp" but is that the artist?  I was thinking that maybe her talk about "stones on the move" would be of interest to the geologist leading the discussion of 470 million years of Maine geologic history.  That would involve rocks, right, i.e. "stones on the move" - but very very slowly.

I include the "Medium's Gallery Demonstration" as a follow up to my recent post about the Temple Heights Spiritual Camp.  David and I have been busy doing "consecutive things" but we might take time out for a demonstration by mediums (grammatically speaking, that should that be "demonstration by media," shouldn't it?).  Just would would be "demonstrated" do you think?

I actually would like to hear the talk on wild turkeys.  David and I passed a flock of 15-20 wild turkeys on the way home from Wooden Boat - beautiful.  However, I fear this event has already taken place.  The KKK flame out talk sounds interesting, but even if the KKK flamed out, racism is alive and well up here in Maine.  

The bottom line seems to be that I am left with the "Silent Worship" event.  Silence is something I'm comfortable with.  I think I'll go there now.

Peace.