Lessons from Nature?

Today was our first hailstorm of the season, although not the first thunderstorm. Yesterday we discovered some marsh marigolds in bloom. Goldfinch males are turning bright, chrome yellow. In a single day budbursts went from being promised to being accomplished. The countryside is greening.

yesterday’s marsh marigolds in bloom

Photo by J. Harrington

Meanwhile, we’re in a time of year when the outside temperatures aren’t cool enough to make the furnace run very much while the inside temperatures are too cool for optimal sourdough rise. We’ll learn later today if our high hydration, very sticky dough produces a decent loaf or not.

this morning’s thunderstorm

Photo by J. Harrington

We’re beginning to ponder if there’s a relationship between our disrupted climate and our disrupted social and political atmospheres and whether we’ll be any more successful at reconciling our warring factions than we have been at reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. When I look around, I readily see parallels between the citizens of Ukraine and many Democrats of the progressive wing versus the Russians and the Republican party. I see fewer and fewer indications issues will be resolved through a civil, political measures. Perhaps we all need to spend more time (re)reading the stories of Persephone, Ziigwan and Minookimi  and other stories of the annual battles of seasonal change. It is unlikely all humans will ever become liberal or conservative. It is also probably just as well if we are to learn lessons from nature, since nature thrives in and on diversity. So, doesn’t that make the key question: How can we all benefit from our differences instead of who’s winning this battle or election or issue?

Praise the Rain

By Joy Harjo

Praise the rain; the seagull dive

The curl of plant, the raven talk—

Praise the hurt, the house slack

The stand of trees, the dignity—

Praise the dark, the moon cradle

The sky fall, the bear sleep—

Praise the mist, the warrior name

The earth eclipse, the fired leap—

Praise the backwards, upward sky

The baby cry, the spirit food—

Praise canoe, the fish rush

The hole for frog, the upside-down—

Praise the day, the cloud cup

The mind flat, forget it all—

Praise crazy. Praise sad.

Praise the path on which we're led.

Praise the roads on earth and water.

Praise the eater and the eaten.

Praise beginnings; praise the end.

Praise the song and praise the singer.

Praise the rain; it brings more rain.

Praise the rain; it brings more rain.

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