Yes, in fact, we do. We need them even more now that our tribes have been disbanded, leaving us at the mercy of faceless bureaucracies captured by monied elites. Note they still employ walls. From their gated communities to their enclaves staffed by private security to their workplaces locked behind keycard-accessible security doors, walls are very much a part of their daily lives."
Lisa, I had to check out your substack because you followed me, for some unknown reason. As an old fart husband/architect/tennis player/music lover/opinionated ass I simply share opinions that are of zero consequence to all but a minuscule number of the populace, so I'm honored to be followed by a person who seems to be particularly observant and have a lot of what seems to have been lost these days: common sense.
The quote from this piece above is a perfect example of what I just ascribed to you. Though I'd guess we would differ on many issues, I do know we could sit down together and discuss/argue/contemplate until the wee hours.
Best wishes for success with your substack and all of your endeavors. And yes, butter is better than margarine; I just wish it weren't so expensive. I bake a lot of bread in my Zojirushi. A lot.
Thanks so much for your comments. I have a habit of following people who leave intelligent comments on posts I've read, as a way of cultivating a good reading experience for myself on Substack Notes. So count yourself in that group, as a compliment!
With so much in the world seeming crazy right now, if you're the one thinking outside the stream, you can often wonder if you're the crazy one. So thanks in particular for your compliments noting my observational skills and common sense. As those fall at the top of the list for needed survival skills right now, I'm grateful.
And likewise thank you for the well wishes here on Substack. We would definitely be able to converse into the wee hours in a manner that seems all too rare these days. I'm so glad we have connected via this supportive forum. All the best to you, in good meat and butter!
Thanks, and one more reply. I'm a (not 100%) xeriscape person. I have some lawn, a little 300s.f. patch in the back yard, along the street curb, and along the driveway. Fifteen minutes to mow, fifteen to edge and trim. Lots of stuff from NPSoT (Native Plant Society of Texas, north central chapter) and adapted "foreign" plants. My wife and I would like to be able to grow edibles for cooking (some success with herbs), but living in DFW on a heavily-shaded, steeply graded site with horrendous expansive clay soils and sub-zero to 115 degrees F temps we've had zero luck. I envy you and some of our friends who manage go garden successfully.
I wonder if you could do it on a patio in containers, if just tomatoes and peppers? Herbs are also quite tolerant; I'd recommend starting with oregano in a pot and go from there.
Hi, been swamped with deadlines, so this response is a bit tardy. Yes, we've done the container thing with oregano, basil, and rosemary (all-important for homemade pizza), with varying degrees of success. It still boils down to the boiling temps here, as it's possible, or even likely, that if you miss a single day, the plant or plants are toast. Literally. Even if they're planted in one gallon or larger pots. But we'll keep trying, you can't beat fresh herbs.
The fence is what keeps the deer and rabbits out of the garden. Nothing against the deer and rabbits, personally, but... they like my veg as much as I do!
As a farm dweller I think about walls and fences constantly. Without them we couldn't function here. Hedges, screens, and windbreaks are also crucial. In garden design, barriers whether structural or visual, make a space seem much larger than it really is. Walls are good things! Thanks for pointing this out.
I used to be fond of the Motherpeace tarot, though now I see it as flawed in a fundamental way, hostile to the masculine as inherently toxic. That said there is much about it that is beautiful, and there is wisdom in that card.
I think a garden should be a sanctuary, a place where all the troubles of the world dissipate and nature simply is. A fence can and does facilitate that.
Yes, that's definitely a limitation in the Motherpeace deck and part of why I no longer use it. The other reason is the deck ignores the dark side of human nature and spirituality, or when it acknowledges it at all, you're right, it's ascribed to the masculine. For a while I used a Haitian deck called Ghetto Tarot that is really good at speaking to the balance of light and dark. I've since moved on to prayer and other divination techniques as part of an overall spiritual path beyond just "seeking answers." But yeah, I definitely thought of that Motherpeace card when pondering our modern distaste for fences. There's definitely wisdom and beauty in the deck, and even they couldn't deny the power of a wall.
I have always liked that idea of "sanctuary," too.
That's my hope, in a lot of realms. I can see it already in old-world food preservation and even in the wider set of homesteading practices. A lot of what gets called "permaculture" is actually just returning to pre-fossil fuel techniques.
"But do we still need walls?
Yes, in fact, we do. We need them even more now that our tribes have been disbanded, leaving us at the mercy of faceless bureaucracies captured by monied elites. Note they still employ walls. From their gated communities to their enclaves staffed by private security to their workplaces locked behind keycard-accessible security doors, walls are very much a part of their daily lives."
Lisa, I had to check out your substack because you followed me, for some unknown reason. As an old fart husband/architect/tennis player/music lover/opinionated ass I simply share opinions that are of zero consequence to all but a minuscule number of the populace, so I'm honored to be followed by a person who seems to be particularly observant and have a lot of what seems to have been lost these days: common sense.
The quote from this piece above is a perfect example of what I just ascribed to you. Though I'd guess we would differ on many issues, I do know we could sit down together and discuss/argue/contemplate until the wee hours.
Best wishes for success with your substack and all of your endeavors. And yes, butter is better than margarine; I just wish it weren't so expensive. I bake a lot of bread in my Zojirushi. A lot.
Thanks so much for your comments. I have a habit of following people who leave intelligent comments on posts I've read, as a way of cultivating a good reading experience for myself on Substack Notes. So count yourself in that group, as a compliment!
With so much in the world seeming crazy right now, if you're the one thinking outside the stream, you can often wonder if you're the crazy one. So thanks in particular for your compliments noting my observational skills and common sense. As those fall at the top of the list for needed survival skills right now, I'm grateful.
And likewise thank you for the well wishes here on Substack. We would definitely be able to converse into the wee hours in a manner that seems all too rare these days. I'm so glad we have connected via this supportive forum. All the best to you, in good meat and butter!
Thanks, and one more reply. I'm a (not 100%) xeriscape person. I have some lawn, a little 300s.f. patch in the back yard, along the street curb, and along the driveway. Fifteen minutes to mow, fifteen to edge and trim. Lots of stuff from NPSoT (Native Plant Society of Texas, north central chapter) and adapted "foreign" plants. My wife and I would like to be able to grow edibles for cooking (some success with herbs), but living in DFW on a heavily-shaded, steeply graded site with horrendous expansive clay soils and sub-zero to 115 degrees F temps we've had zero luck. I envy you and some of our friends who manage go garden successfully.
I wonder if you could do it on a patio in containers, if just tomatoes and peppers? Herbs are also quite tolerant; I'd recommend starting with oregano in a pot and go from there.
Hi, been swamped with deadlines, so this response is a bit tardy. Yes, we've done the container thing with oregano, basil, and rosemary (all-important for homemade pizza), with varying degrees of success. It still boils down to the boiling temps here, as it's possible, or even likely, that if you miss a single day, the plant or plants are toast. Literally. Even if they're planted in one gallon or larger pots. But we'll keep trying, you can't beat fresh herbs.
Yeah, I struggle with pots for that very reason. Much cooler just in the ground. I don't even bother with raised beds. Best of luck!
The fence is what keeps the deer and rabbits out of the garden. Nothing against the deer and rabbits, personally, but... they like my veg as much as I do!
Exactly!
I love a good wall, as long as it is good in both structure and purpose.
I think my backyard fence qualifies :)
Mine, too. Writing a response with a picture. Should post Monday
As a farm dweller I think about walls and fences constantly. Without them we couldn't function here. Hedges, screens, and windbreaks are also crucial. In garden design, barriers whether structural or visual, make a space seem much larger than it really is. Walls are good things! Thanks for pointing this out.
You're welcome, Lynn. And thanks for the insight about garden design.
I used to be fond of the Motherpeace tarot, though now I see it as flawed in a fundamental way, hostile to the masculine as inherently toxic. That said there is much about it that is beautiful, and there is wisdom in that card.
I think a garden should be a sanctuary, a place where all the troubles of the world dissipate and nature simply is. A fence can and does facilitate that.
Yes, that's definitely a limitation in the Motherpeace deck and part of why I no longer use it. The other reason is the deck ignores the dark side of human nature and spirituality, or when it acknowledges it at all, you're right, it's ascribed to the masculine. For a while I used a Haitian deck called Ghetto Tarot that is really good at speaking to the balance of light and dark. I've since moved on to prayer and other divination techniques as part of an overall spiritual path beyond just "seeking answers." But yeah, I definitely thought of that Motherpeace card when pondering our modern distaste for fences. There's definitely wisdom and beauty in the deck, and even they couldn't deny the power of a wall.
I have always liked that idea of "sanctuary," too.
I went back to the traditional Knapp-Hall because everything else I found was tainted by modernity.
So many things are tainted by modernity!
Maybe our traditional knowledge will meet with more wide respect, yet in this lifetime?
That's my hope, in a lot of realms. I can see it already in old-world food preservation and even in the wider set of homesteading practices. A lot of what gets called "permaculture" is actually just returning to pre-fossil fuel techniques.