Thinning

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Dear Monty,

For the first time I too have had my grapes harvested by wasps - Is it related to the lack of warmth and late build up of the nests - therefore a dearth of food ?




This has been a challenging year both for the garden and for humanity.

The garden is still a place of sanctuary and in that I increasingly see my wealth - it is painfully pointed out to me in the 'news'. I have a home which I am paying for - I have food and clean water, I have time to think about other things, yet you can still catch me grumbling about my salary and what will be a pension taxed at 20% - I am aware of my selfishness. Have I become immune to compassion ?

It does feel as though my conscience has been seared as with a hot iron. I see the horror of those fleeing from war dying trying to reach 'freedom' our freedom - my freedom. Do I want them to have a slice of it ? Is our 'way of life' something to be fenced off from others ? - I'm beginning to feel uncomfortable.

Having a thin skin may make us vulnerable to attack like the grapes on the vine  - but perhaps we need to know that vulnerability in order to be compassionate. We build systems and bulwarks to keep out those who want what we have - and because it is a system all built on the shifting sands of economic theory and our dependence upon gambling and guessing how to play it to our advantage - it makes us nervous and defensive. The trouble with any system is that it inevitably gets abused because it seems by nature we find sharing our wealth and freedom painfully difficult -' I do not want to loose all I have gathered up for myself.' Fool !

The garden is thinning, I am thinning too. Perhaps it is good to be thin.





Paul

Comments

  1. JohnK30 August 2015 at 17:32

    Well you do look a bit thinner in the last photo! Wasps didn't get a look in on the grapes here! Blackbirds are about to become an endangered species! As will resident cat if he scoffs any more of my raspberries!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Diana Studer30 August 2015 at 23:03

    the cat eats raspberries?

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    Replies
    1. Paul Steer31 August 2015 at 14:01

      I found that surprising too ! I have a dog that eats raspberries, but that is not quite so unusual.

      Delete
  3. Anne Wareham31 August 2015 at 10:24

    Our helplessness may be more to the point? The media turns the spotlight on the latest horror - we never seem short of them. Can you remember all there have been in this last 10 years, say? The spotlight provokes our horror and pity. Then - worse - we move on and think about something else. And another horror gets the spotlight. Wonder how things are in Pakistan...?

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    Replies
    1. Paul Steer31 August 2015 at 14:04

      Yes there is just too much horror - and yes again I do not know how to be of any use or comfort to those who are fleeing it.

      Delete
  4. Marigold Jam31 August 2015 at 19:47

    I have just come upon this blog post and you have put into words my feeling exactly. We have a lot of wasps eating our apples at the moment every time I pick one I have to wait for the wasps to leave their meal and the hole they have made sometimes 10 or 12 of them in there before I can take the apple inside and cut the chewed bit off before eating it. Share and share alike perhaps?

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    Replies
    1. Paul Steer1 September 2015 at 13:55

      Thank you for this reply, I have always had that issue with the apples - usually lazy late wasps - but never before had them devouring the grapes - I would not kill them though because they are an important link in the balance of life in the garden. I like the fact you share your apples !

      Delete

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