Today is the first day of spring, 2020.

We had been planning our spring-summer Soil Saturday walks and as with most of everyone’s plans, big and small, whether these walks will happen is uncertain. Inspired by the many people and businesses who have plumbed their imagination and creativity to connect minds, bodies, spirits, places, I set out around the farm to see:

What I am noticing around here at the farm on the first day of spring.
If maybe what is uncertain is not if we’ll offer the walks, but how we’ll offer the walks.

Here is a video of what I’m noticing:

It feels good to me to be here at the farm today. Other people who live here have mentioned how the physical farm work rhythms, the air, and the goings on of ‘nature’ all around are all grounding and helpful. I agree. I feel privileged and lucky to be here (on several levels).

But, nature is everywhere. Open the window. Gaze at the clouds. Hear the rain drops. Taste the vegetables at your table. Notice how you feel drinking water. Notice the colors of your (children’s, partners, parents, neighbors, own) hair. Feel the textures of your clothes on your skin. Hum a tune, clap your hands, stomp your feet, feel your organs vibrate. You are nature, too.

I’ll leave you with this poem, [Earth, I Thank You] by Anne Spencer (1882-1975):

Earth, I thank you

for the pleasure of your language

You’ve had a hard time

bringing it to me

from the ground

to grunt through the noun

To all the way

feeling seeing smelling touching

--awareness

I am here!