Homestead mailing list

[Bunjov AT aol.com]

Thank you, Sage -
 
It saddens me sometimes that we have so grown apart from the rest of the  
life forms. Being at the top of the food chain doesn't mean that we should 
kill  
for pleasure...just to survive and procreate, as intended. And so on down the 
 
line.

I believe it's Gene who is so attuned to the Gaia idea. It's when we lose  
sight of this that we get off into theologies, ideologies., etc. and make a 
mess 
 of things.
 
It's a lovely and almost poetic story about your trees. I am an inveterate  
and unashamed tree-hugger, but not in the sense that I'm about to take Bob's  
book of matches and a gallon of diesel down to the nearest SUV dealership and 
do  any damage. It's more that I can just stand still and commune with a tree 
- 
or  any number of other beings - and, even at my age, I am in awe.
 
I know I've mentioned before  that there's a little sand dune several  yards 
outside my office window, and I check it every morning. And every day at  
dawn, when the angle of the sun is just right,  I see different paw prints,  
and 
itty-bitty bird tracks, and the S's made by our slithery friends. I know  
who's 
been there overnight.
 
My old German Shepherd doesn't sound his alarm unless there's invasive  human 
activity after dark. Whoever the night-time creatures are, he lets them go  
about their business unannounced. 
 
Sandy
Mid-Mojave
 
 
In a message dated 10/10/2008 10:03:10 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
eureka AT hctc.net writes:

I like  the Native American notion that the Earth does not 
belong to us, we belong  to it. We have some very large 
oaks here, including one on the national  registry across 
the street that is estimated to be over 3,000 years old. I  
think this is why some tribes called trees "keepers of the 
law". I  know my oaks "saw" many residents come an go in 
their lifetime...Indians,  the pioneer blacksmith, the turn 
of the century preacher, the  early  postmaster, the 
modern pharmacist, and now me. It seems ludicrous to  
think I own these trees. They will hopefully be shading 
the next many  owners in generations to come. Perhaps they 
look at us like we do our  pets--something they take care 
of whose lifespan does not match  theirs.

--Sage


On Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:08:26 EDT
Bunjov AT aol.com wrote:
> The same concept (notice I didn't say "notion"  <g>) has 
>arisen in  recent 
> years with the care of  animals - referring to ourselves 
>not as owners,  but as 
>  guardians. I am much more comfortable with that 
>terminology. I  take  comfort 
> from the feeling that I am smiling down  benificently 
>(sp?) on my  critters, 
> rather than viewing  them as possessions.
> Sandy
>  Mid-Mojave
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