12th January 2015

Almanac ...

Rooster Call :


Getting colder as the day moves on, icy tonight and maybe snow in the morning. Errands day for me to the big town of Sligo, that I do not get to often. I will not be reading Yeats at 1 pm for Yeats 2015 this time :-) 

Wishing you a Monday of kindness.  

Weather :

Cooler start today 6C, 44F today, wind is less but it will get colder as the day moves on. Icy tonight and we could wake up to snow. Snow showers then forecasted for at least 4 days. This cold blast looks like hanging around until after Brighid's Day and Imbolc, but quite dry after this week.  


Moon :

51%  waning moon ....  at Carrowcrory, Ireland ... sets 11:25 am, rises 00:10 am (13th)
sunrise 8:47 am, sunset 4:36 pm


News ...

Sustainable Living :

Earth Day 2015 ...

Earth Day, this year, is 22nd April 2015 and the intent this year is to launch the biggest grass-root effort in history through planting trees and seed to “give back” to the Earth. Earth Day 2015 is intended to be a global "give back to Earth" event, as an "offering" for all the planet gives us. 

The goal is to plant one billion trees and seed that are organic, perennial and suitable to the growing conditions in our local areas. If weather is bad the encouragement is to plant something in a container, and those who do not have gardens to join a community garden to donate plants or at least find a local garden to take out plants. 

Emphasis on this day is on forests as it is very important to keep a certain portion of the planet covered with forests for regulating the distribution of rain and snow over the surface, thus, controlling climate. Every tree planted will assist in stabilizing the climate and provide habitat to sustain and improve the biodiversity of species. 

Earth Day promoters encourage maximum assistance from any local organizations, business establishments, schools, and universities that take an interest in this. There is a group page on Facebook for ideas exchange. With the link I give there is a listing of known organisations involved with this.

his article urges action that must be taken to save Britain's forests from being devastated by a wave of new diseases brought by climate change and the global trade in plants. This affects Ireland too.

Remedies suggested in this article range from creating genetically modified trees, never a solution I like, introducing friendly bacteria, which is another solution I am sceptical about, and planting a diversity of mixed species native trees which are then harvested through thinnings and not clear fell in the future.

To me all this is a no-brainer. Stop tree imports and plant with plants reared from local collected seeds and cuttings. All this will attract the needed bio-diversity that can balance things during a climate warm up.


earth day

Forest Foraging :

Food foraging has become hugely popular recently, and in the UK and Ireland, made popular by outdoorsy chefs like Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall and Jamie Oliver. Unfortunately, there has been organized ravaging of forest foods in reponse. It is so important to approach this just for personal needs, clearly know what is edible and what is not, and to make sure you forage in a very caring sustainable way.


forest foraging in Dorset

Permaculture :

Bealtaine Cottage ...

Not far from where I live, Colette O’Neill is a proud and passionate Permaculture Garden enthusiast who has converted three acres of rush infested land into a remarkable tree rich permaculture garden. Her blog posts are frequent combining lots of pics with a bit of text. Most of the posts are directly about her garden, what she is doing and encouraging this is what we should do too. Her style may seem a bit conceited, but |I think Collette is worthy of 'showing off' :-) . What Colette presents is well worth paying attention to. 

This article, focused on our approach to consumerism, is also a general introduction to what she does and why, which she posts from time to time to 'keep us on our toes'. 


Bealtaine Cottage

Controversy :

Perpetual Curse of the Warrior Mindset ...

Some folks are surprised at my change of heart towards Megalithic Stone structures, in recent years, after a lifetime of exploring them and being fascinated by them. To me, the 'sacred reverence of them' is perhaps the biggest lie we may put upon ourselves. 

The goals of our leaders, right through mankind it seems, has been to conquer, defeat or control whatever and whoever they can. Those who thought differently were quickly pushed to the side, silenced, enslaved, ignored or demonized.

Look closely. What is the root cause of the environmental destruction, the poverty and inequality, crime, racism, terrorism, economic instability, mindless consumerism, endless wars and skyrocketing military spending?

Leaders have become so through the ability to continue the propagation of a view that presents life as a never-ending war between opposing forces- a struggle between good and evil, man and nature. This dualistic thinking is not warriorship. There are no heroes of light over dark. Hamns do not control light and dark within a concept of ownership and rights. 

One huge difference today is that our leaders are no longer leaders in battle. They send everyone else to do their fighting while they remain behind doors banqueting and indulging.

To me, warriorship is synthesis of senses at any present moment, and has nothing to do with conquer and control for the elite vs penance and enslavement for the rest which, to me, is what these ancient structures were still part of long ago.

The water springs, care of forests, care of waterways, care of seashores is what enhances and strengthens the warrior within, and has nothing to do with control and ownership, but all to do with being present. 


warriorship



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