Water, water everywhere!

You know it rained…a LOT. We continue to be amazed at the volume of water that runs through River Myst Haven during this time of year. Our year-round spring and small creek becomes a torrent, and rock-lined drainage ditches become mini rapids. Even more impressive than the volume is the force the water exerts on the earth—temporary “springs” and seepage spots pop up throughout the grounds, and new contours are cut into the earth, with soil and rock being shifted here and there.

But it’s also very beautiful, and the sounds of the flowing water are (of course) wonderfully calming.

The lesson for me is the power of nature and the need to be patient. It’s very difficult to stop the water, and sometimes as quickly as we clean up after it, it’s raining again.

So, the mindful thing to do is to respect these forces as part of the natural processes that surround us and remember that things are refreshed and revived, ground water is replenished, and the flora thrive.

Wolf moon…

Picture credit goes to: www.space.com

I do love the cycles of the moon, and I have become obsessed with the names and mythology connected to the moon at different times of year. The full moon that we just had at the end of January is known as the “Wolf Moon” —and was biggest and brightest full moon of the year. The name is connected with Native American culture and the belief that hungry wolves howled at the moon on cold winter nights. Each month brings another full moon name.

Though cloudy and overcast, the brightness of the moon gave a wonderful and ethereal glow that night.

Signs of transition, emergence…

I did take advantage of the clearer weather this past week to work outside a bit—weeding, cultivating, seeding wildflowers, reworking bulbs, harvesting winter veggies (slow grown chard & kale greens have a wonderful, intense flavor that is remarkably satisfying).

Exceptionally rewarding. The remarkable thing to me is seeing up close how much life the soil has at this time of year. So many plants are beginning to sprout and emerge, the trees are forming buds for flowers, bulbs are breaking through the soil (some flowering already!).

I can’t help but realize that even during the seeming dormancy of winter, there is so much happening around us. It helps me keep important perspective—even when things seem slow moving or barely changing, there is much happening, and new potential and rebirth, re-emergence is occurring all around us.

I’m so excited to be connected to this though the beauty of RMH, and I love nothing more than helping other’s connect with it also. Soon it will be time to get the seed starts going for early spring veggies and flowers, and, in honor of Ingrid (now in Argentina for three months), I’ll be trying tomatoes in the green house.

It’s still the new year!!!

~Timothy