jabel

Economic theory tells us the stock market is a future earnings prediction machine. But have you ever seen anything more wildly distractable as the stock market? If it was actually pricing the future, it would not flail about with every bit of breaking news.

The Green Man’s Patch That, by the way, is the name Rachel and I have settled on for our yard/garden/micro-homestead/thing. Thanks to John for the “patch” inspiration. All the serviceberry trees are now planted. The one to the right is in the former location of an ornamental sand cherry tree we planted several years ago in our normie yard period. I kept a chunk of the sand cherry trunk to see if I can carve something from it. Firewood I’ve mentioned before that we’ll be getting a woodstove in…

This morning, Rachel and I were talking about home. We often talk about plans and projects, and what we’ve built here over the years; sometimes, though, we talk about home in its hidden sense, the feeling that lies behind our patch of ground in the plain light of day. What is home in the hidden sense for you? Does it align with your patch of ground? When the two senses of home align, that is a sign of an integrated life. In such a life, there is no need for somewhere else. Other places may be…

One of the prettiest dogwoods I’ve ever seen, across the street from the credit union.

Rachel got a nice picture of our chives in bloom. Edible and pretty!

A survey of the fruit on the Green Man Micro Homestead (just made that up! maybe a bit overstated?): Concord grapes. This will be the third year of grape harvest. The first harvest was great. The second, not so much, probably due to 1. too much rain and 2. not enough pruning. Strawberries. We’ve scaled up the strawberries this year, using a milk crate vertical growing method that allows for many more plants than we’ve had in the past. Serviceberries. New this year. Two of the three trees are...

So they’re remaking Little House on the Prairie. Come on, guys, we already have a bad version of Little House on the Prairie: the whole second half of Little House on the Prairie.

When you situate yourself in a nexus of relationships–ancestors, community, spirits, nonhumans, and more–your role in the intergenerational gift economy becomes clearer. When this role becomes clearer, your responsibility as both inheritor and steward becomes clearer. Your responsibilities become your sacred task. They are no less tasks for being sacred, but the context matters. There are some responsibilities I have that are not easy. When I settle into the nexus, though, the clarity keeps m...

Nate Hagens has put out an excellent three video series on the role oil plays in our modern world system, and how this might play out into the future. 1 | 2 | 3 Rachel and I aren’t preppers but at this point it’s looking like good sense to stock up on some staples.

A few small tasks completed on the F150 this week: Sticky tailgate handle just needed some WD-40. Bolts for the tailgate mechanism access panel are marinating in Evaporust. Door panel clips replaced on the passenger side. Door striker replaced on passenger side. I had hoped that replacing the door striker on the driver side would fix the not-fully-shutting problem. It didn’t. Looks like it may be that the door hinge pin and bushing are worn out, making the door sag. Thankfully the replacem...

If therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. Many times over the years I have heard that there must be a necessary delineation between spouses. They each must have their own identity, interests, and ways of seeing the world. We are warned that a complete identification would annihilate one’s own self-identity, which is essential for well-being. This is the language of psychological safety. There is no safety in love. If Rachel dies before me, the loss will be total...

Garden phlox is always one of the first things to bloom: Bleeding Hearts. This is a plant passed down through three generations of women in my wife’s family: Lilacs are just starting to bloom. In the next day or so there will be enough for me to harvest for syrup. Honeysuckle. This was one of my requests for the garden because I associate it with summer in my childhood. We got this gooseberry three years ago but it never seemed to take off for its first two years in our front yard. Last f...

David Orr, as quoted in “Prophetic Possibilities": The increasing velocity of knowledge is widely accepted as sure evidence of human mastery and progress. But many, if not most, of the ecological, economic, social, and psychological ailments that beset contemporary society can be attributed directly or indirectly to knowledge acquired and applied before we had time to think it through carefully. We rushed into the fossil fuel age only to discover the giant problem of climate destabilization....

You know, drinking straight milk kefir isn’t bad. As an adult I’ve never been a milk drinker (though I’ve been called one in Skyrim) because I don’t care for the aftertaste. Milk kefir just tastes like a drinkable, tangy yogurt.

Today I’ll be driving through southwestern Indiana’s coal country and then up to the Terre Haute area to visit St Mother Theodore Guerin. As is my tradition with these trips, I will be listening to old episodes of Weird Studies. Sets the right mood, since these trips are almost always centered on some religious or “weird” place. 8:12am First stop of the day at Camp Olivet. This creek is where I was baptized. It’s where many (most?) of the area’s Holiness folks were baptized. They baptisms al...

A neighbor cut down what appeared to be a perfectly healthy, mature maple on Tuesday. In response, Rachel is planting three serviceberries and one juniper. Answer foolish destruction with a quadruple investment in future life.

Rachel is making spinach pasta today.

The final word is the opening word of the Tao Te Ching: A Way called Way isn’t the perennial Way. A name that names isn’t the perennial name. Our training has given us chatty minds—but mystery is not chatty. Reassure that anxious part of yourself: Mystery is and ought to be underdefined. It is not trying to slip away; you do not need to tether it with words. Gregg Braden tells the story of his visit to a Tibetan monastery. He asked the abbot about their internal state amid the bells and man...

No F150 work this week—waiting on parts. This week was an unplanned project. I have a neighbor I’ve talked to here and there over the past year, but never at length. Then out of the blue last Monday, he walked over and asked if I’d work on something for him. He had noticed I do a bit of woodworking and he needed a cover for his stove that would double as a cutting board. He had already purchased the aspen cutting board and the boards that would raise it above the range top. I say “cutting boa...

Working on a project for a neighbor but I need one final measurement from inside his house. I keep looking over to see if he’s up and about. Reminds me of when I was a kid and the neighbor always opened their door when they were home, which was my signal that I could go ask Timmy to play.

Cherry blossoms are nice, for sure, but have you ever seen a redbud luminous on a karst hillside?

Last night was the full moon so how about a moon song from Cat Clyde? 🎵

I’ve put NASA’s Artemis blog into Inkwell so I can keep up with the mission. I didn’t think I would pay much attention but I felt my heart strangely warmed watching the launch last night.

I recently came across a wonderful Marian prayer and thought I’d share it here. I’ve added to the Clerk of Oxford’s translations in brackets, but all the translations are from her post. Hail, lady, sea-star bright, God’s mother, edy wight [blessed creature] Maiden ever, first and late, Of heaven’s realm the sely gate. [blessed gate] The ‘Ave’ thou received in spell [message] From the angel’s mouth called Gabriel In grith [peace] us set and shielded from shame, And turneth backward Eva’s name...

I mentioned before that my ‘96 F150 is my summer (and likely much longer) project. It actually runs well, especially for being more or less neglected for years. It hasn’t been driven much over my twenty years with it because most of my driving was to my old job–thirty miles away. Not economical. Now most of my driving is within the city limits of our small town so it’s time to get her into shape. Most of the issues are simple inconveniences: Replace panel clips on passenger side door Ignit...

Gregory Cello: “Your town needs you, not your nation.” Or to quote myself: On a human scale, nationalism is no better than globalism.

CNBC: Over a decade ago, Meta – then known as Facebook – hired social science researchers to analyze how the social network’s services were affecting users. It was a way for the company and its peers to show they were serious about understanding the benefits and potential risks of their innovations. But as Meta’s court losses this week illustrate, the researchers’ work can become a liability. Brian Boland, a former Facebook executive who testified in both trials — one in New Mexico and the o...

We got a lot done this past weekend. On Saturday, we had a good, full day celebrating our anniversary. We actually left the city limits! 😊 We drove up to Bloomington, went to the greenhouse and a few other favorite shops, and went out to lunch. Then we picked up some honey from a beekeeper near Spring Mill State Park and drove home through the country. Later, we went to the theater to see “Project Hail Mary.” It was fine but, honestly, I don’t get all the buzz around it. Pond On Sunday we re-...

A simple breakfast kefir bowl: 3/4 c milk kefir 1/2 c rolled oats Stir together and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, let sit for a few minutes to take the chill off; heating would negate the benefits of the kefir. Stir in your favorite toppings: seeds, nut, fresh/dried fruit, sweetener.

Murphy Campbell, “Shady Grove” 🎵 More of these crazy talented young people playing folk music please. Looks like she’s just concluded a successful kickstarter for an album of her family’s North Carolina ballads.