I find your garden unstructured and messy. Neither are negative! I’ve never seen a garden like yours before, perhaps because yours was made in a grassy field, which I cannot recall ever seeing. (All the fields I’ve seen have been dirt, I live in a dry climate.) I imagine you had a sure knowledge of what you wanted to grow, and made a way to fit them together, a bit like a puzzle.
Also, I’ve never listened to music while I gardened. That was mostly due to the limitations of technology at the time, as all I would have had was a battery-operated radio. So, lots of time for thoughts. I cannot from this distance, recall what I thought about. Probably not about the recent office drama. I liked gardening and hiking as a way to remove myself from work drama and social drama, preferring to feel my body doing work, to feel the air and the sunlight, to notice the wildlife.
Interesting head covering! I like all the flowers. Thanks for all the photos!
Thank you Susan. I look at it like working with nature, less against it. And often I simply listen to the birds as I relax into working with the soil and plants.
This was great. I share your love for Edie Brickell -- or at least the "Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars" album, which is one of the all time best, with so many great songs and zero filler.
And what you said about what postmodernism has done to relationships between men and women is spot on as well. By default, we really are all set up for failure by a million cultural forces that start working on us even before we can understand what's going on. It's still possible to have a healthy, happy marriage, but it's definitely an uphill battle and seems to require exceptional people with an exceptional level of character and commitment. Our culture is horribly anti-Human Nature, and this is one very important manifestation of it.
Same age, similar outlook, same taste in music so maybe that's why. But something in your words stirs the soul. There's real beauty in this piece at a level so deep I don't understand it.
I cannot comment much on your music or dating, except to wish you well on both counts. I never listen to recently-recorded music. I mostly hear music on the car radio. I still prefer the music of the 70s; I do not and have not divided it by the sex of the singer-songwriter. The notion of influencer mystifies me. I haven’t dated since 1990, not because I didn’t want to, but because I never met men that I wanted to spend any time with. Too many were boring, insulting, and with limited conversation – not to mention poor dressers. I like having people explain things to me, but I will not allow a man to talk down to me.
No company is better than poor company. A good reason to be interesting, to acknowledge, to listen well, to speak with good faith and to dress with self respect :)
Natalie Merchant, Tracy Chapman just to name a couple who’s music and vocals are timeless. I may not agree with their views, but they great at their craft
Yes to all of this, add Liz Phair and Portishead. 51 and disenchanted here also in the Midwest, and gardening is the most rewarding and therapeutic hobby I have found, yours looks fantastic. The subject of romance/ love or the old fashioned schematic of "courting" and building a relationship is ending for so many reasons like those you mentioned but I would put free porn right near the top. Young women with "liberal" parents and peers are encouraged to aggressively pursue higher education and careers. told white men are toxic, and simultaneously watching tiktok dances and graphic rap videos so they become either chaste or promiscuous---just not with white men.
This has all been planned and it's up to us to opt out, keep trying to awaken others, and teach our kids about the deceptions all around us.
Those female musicians from the 90’s do bring back good memories for me, especially Edie Brickell. Throwing Muses was also top of my list back then, really talented, raw and underrated band.
Dating does seem to get harder as we get older and the postmodern culture and fake destructive feminism has done no one any favors. Back in my 20’s I was fascinated with studying the sacred feminine and thought an interdependent/ relationship of equals between men and women would be so much healthier for society. Instead it looked like feminism was trying to turn women into men, the opposite of honoring sacred feminine or masculine energy.
I too have felt a bit invisible since turning 50 ( I am 51) which I think is probably normal in our society so obsessed with youth. Though I have not put myself out there to date yet I can only imagine how complex it is now.
Anyway, your garden is beautiful, and you deserve the happiness that comes from a worthy and loving partner.
Thanks, and you too Joy. For the moment I am embracing solitude, content to live like a teenager in my parent's basement, working part time and learning the guitar, cherishing the time I have left with my parents. I am thinking I will turn to deeper study this fall, horticulture, magic, classics etc, become the working writer I long wanted to be.
As to feminism, it is little more now than an offshoot of a greater eugenics program, anti-human.
Your garden is doing amazing, man! And it IS amazing what we can do when we work with Papa Sun and Mama Earth. And that photo of you is quintessential, love your smile!
Also, I, too, wear sunglasses over glasses!🤓😎 Isn't it nice to know you're not alone?!🤣
But don't get me started on those "female" singer-songwriters, 'cause you prolly know what I'm gonna say!
The cacophony of birds and bugs in the video is amazing. What you have created is astounding! Thank you for sharing. Love the music. Picturing you harmonizing with these ladies while working is quite amusing. Again, thank you.
I definitely listen to a lot of female singer-songwriters. I like Sara Bareilles, Rachael Yamagata, Hannah Georgas, Feist, Tori Amos and much more. And there’s a canyon between their political views and mine.
Thoughtful comment Trixie. I will definitely look to expand in the future about how modernity has hollowed out men and Art. There is definitely something corporate mindless about many an "influencer". Glad to see you doing well in Cali.
I find your garden unstructured and messy. Neither are negative! I’ve never seen a garden like yours before, perhaps because yours was made in a grassy field, which I cannot recall ever seeing. (All the fields I’ve seen have been dirt, I live in a dry climate.) I imagine you had a sure knowledge of what you wanted to grow, and made a way to fit them together, a bit like a puzzle.
Also, I’ve never listened to music while I gardened. That was mostly due to the limitations of technology at the time, as all I would have had was a battery-operated radio. So, lots of time for thoughts. I cannot from this distance, recall what I thought about. Probably not about the recent office drama. I liked gardening and hiking as a way to remove myself from work drama and social drama, preferring to feel my body doing work, to feel the air and the sunlight, to notice the wildlife.
Interesting head covering! I like all the flowers. Thanks for all the photos!
Thank you Susan. I look at it like working with nature, less against it. And often I simply listen to the birds as I relax into working with the soil and plants.
This was great. I share your love for Edie Brickell -- or at least the "Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars" album, which is one of the all time best, with so many great songs and zero filler.
And what you said about what postmodernism has done to relationships between men and women is spot on as well. By default, we really are all set up for failure by a million cultural forces that start working on us even before we can understand what's going on. It's still possible to have a healthy, happy marriage, but it's definitely an uphill battle and seems to require exceptional people with an exceptional level of character and commitment. Our culture is horribly anti-Human Nature, and this is one very important manifestation of it.
Thanks Daniel. Speaking of tonic masculine, I think part of our task is to re-honor life. Also, I need to listen to that again :)
JFC man. First time reader; got here by accident.
Same age, similar outlook, same taste in music so maybe that's why. But something in your words stirs the soul. There's real beauty in this piece at a level so deep I don't understand it.
Thank you.
Welcome Occam, and thank you for that fine comment. I hope you like what else you see. More to come expanding on this and etc.
I cannot comment much on your music or dating, except to wish you well on both counts. I never listen to recently-recorded music. I mostly hear music on the car radio. I still prefer the music of the 70s; I do not and have not divided it by the sex of the singer-songwriter. The notion of influencer mystifies me. I haven’t dated since 1990, not because I didn’t want to, but because I never met men that I wanted to spend any time with. Too many were boring, insulting, and with limited conversation – not to mention poor dressers. I like having people explain things to me, but I will not allow a man to talk down to me.
No company is better than poor company. A good reason to be interesting, to acknowledge, to listen well, to speak with good faith and to dress with self respect :)
Natalie Merchant, Tracy Chapman just to name a couple who’s music and vocals are timeless. I may not agree with their views, but they great at their craft
Yes to all of this, add Liz Phair and Portishead. 51 and disenchanted here also in the Midwest, and gardening is the most rewarding and therapeutic hobby I have found, yours looks fantastic. The subject of romance/ love or the old fashioned schematic of "courting" and building a relationship is ending for so many reasons like those you mentioned but I would put free porn right near the top. Young women with "liberal" parents and peers are encouraged to aggressively pursue higher education and careers. told white men are toxic, and simultaneously watching tiktok dances and graphic rap videos so they become either chaste or promiscuous---just not with white men.
This has all been planned and it's up to us to opt out, keep trying to awaken others, and teach our kids about the deceptions all around us.
Those female musicians from the 90’s do bring back good memories for me, especially Edie Brickell. Throwing Muses was also top of my list back then, really talented, raw and underrated band.
Dating does seem to get harder as we get older and the postmodern culture and fake destructive feminism has done no one any favors. Back in my 20’s I was fascinated with studying the sacred feminine and thought an interdependent/ relationship of equals between men and women would be so much healthier for society. Instead it looked like feminism was trying to turn women into men, the opposite of honoring sacred feminine or masculine energy.
I too have felt a bit invisible since turning 50 ( I am 51) which I think is probably normal in our society so obsessed with youth. Though I have not put myself out there to date yet I can only imagine how complex it is now.
Anyway, your garden is beautiful, and you deserve the happiness that comes from a worthy and loving partner.
Thanks, and you too Joy. For the moment I am embracing solitude, content to live like a teenager in my parent's basement, working part time and learning the guitar, cherishing the time I have left with my parents. I am thinking I will turn to deeper study this fall, horticulture, magic, classics etc, become the working writer I long wanted to be.
As to feminism, it is little more now than an offshoot of a greater eugenics program, anti-human.
Your garden is doing amazing, man! And it IS amazing what we can do when we work with Papa Sun and Mama Earth. And that photo of you is quintessential, love your smile!
Also, I, too, wear sunglasses over glasses!🤓😎 Isn't it nice to know you're not alone?!🤣
But don't get me started on those "female" singer-songwriters, 'cause you prolly know what I'm gonna say!
You inspired me to post my own playlist of female artists.
Eager to hear it. I just subscribed. Interesting piece on that "dentist".
A thoughtful post. You might want to add Dar Williams to your playlist. She's thoughtful & sometimes funny.
The cacophony of birds and bugs in the video is amazing. What you have created is astounding! Thank you for sharing. Love the music. Picturing you harmonizing with these ladies while working is quite amusing. Again, thank you.
Lovely.
I definitely listen to a lot of female singer-songwriters. I like Sara Bareilles, Rachael Yamagata, Hannah Georgas, Feist, Tori Amos and much more. And there’s a canyon between their political views and mine.
Thoughtful comment Trixie. I will definitely look to expand in the future about how modernity has hollowed out men and Art. There is definitely something corporate mindless about many an "influencer". Glad to see you doing well in Cali.