Now here is a video of a soft shelled egg that has been in my fridge for a week...
This was on one of my sunflowers... I have no idea what kind of bug it is except "way stylin" in a '60's mod sort of way!
There is a Seeing Sideways story behind this image... Come to class to find out...
So in what ways could I make the world a better place? First off, does it have to be the whole world? I have this strange feeling that the world exists inside each of us and that that each person’s world is different. We can only interact with anything (including our own world) through our own senses. Bear with me here. For me, once I know of something it becomes part of my world. For example, I have never been great at geography and I have only in the past few years become aware of a place called Darfur. I still don’t know much about it. But I have heard that some pretty heinous things have been going on there. But for me, circa 2005, Darfur did not exist because I did not know about it. If I could wave a magic wand and make it better I would. I believe that no one deserves to live (or die) like that, but it happens. And can I do anything about it? I don’t know. To me, that problem is too big. 
And it is abstract. I can only imagine the problems that exist and therefore any solutions I have may not actually have any bearing on the real problems. What is the underlying cause of the conflict? What is really the problem? Short of getting on a plane and living in Darfur for a while (and I am white, so it would not even really be the same...) I cannot understand the problem. If I try to take on the huge problems that are not familiar to me then I will get ground to dust. I think the most effective methods of change are those which we can personally control. If you can experience the problems with your own senses then you might be able to be part of a solution. I know that is a very cynical and possibly selfish view. But hey, I’ve earned my cynicism and I freely admit I am selfish. So I choose not to focus on things like world hunger, war, homelessness, or other societal ills, but rather on the micro-scape of my own world.
I care very much about the environment and I did so before it was the “cool trendy” thing to do. I have devoted most of my free time to working on my own mini-farm and not using products synthesized in a lab to kill every creature in the garden.
Instead I plant flowers that will attract insects that will feast upon the creatures that will in turn feast upon my plants. I have also tried to implement a practice where I am responsible for my own waste removal and I try to reuse and recycle as much around the house and farm as possible. Just because something might not look shiny and new any more, if it still can be used for something, even if it is not what it was originally designed, then I use it.
I also believe in being kind to all things, both human and non-human. It might be naive but I sincerely believe that most people are good.
People learn to mistrust one another and I think 
that is a great deal of our problem. Not everyone is perfect but if you genuinely extend yourself to them and try to understand their views/problems/ideas, your will get along better than if you expect them to fit a mold you created for them... It is just like my approach to gardening. Take the time to get to know someone or something and be willing to change if you need to. I believe in balance and harmony and if you can observe and use nature in a balanced way you will have sustainability.
The same usually goes for human relationships. Just allow things and people to be what they need to be. I think too much of our society is based upon the idea of conquering everything instead of taking the time to become part of the cycle. If we can work in harmony with nature (and bend our own desires to it if need be) then we won’t have to come up with ways to “Save the Planet.”
Believe me, she will save herself. That battle cry should really be “Save our Selfish Little Asses.” Which, of course, comes back to my idea that we are our own world, and if the planet tries to re-balance itself and eliminate the offending species (us) then it would be the end of the world, at least for those of us who are eliminated.
I think if I can raise awareness of this balance and harmony and show at least one other person how living in the cycle instead of dictating what the cycle will be will garner better results for myself and the world in which I live, then I have done a huge favor to my fellow humans. And by sharing the beauty I find in working in concert with the environment I can share this idea. And by helping others to just think about their own world, I think I can make the biggest difference of all.
we bought a reel mower, you know, the old-fashioned kind that doesn't take any power except muscle power. You can read about how to operate one here... So Mary Ellen got that out and started to cut the grass around the garden and I sat on my butt and watched her. She was like a little kid with a new toy! She used to use one when she was young and since we want to lessen our dependence on things that don't come from our own farm, we decided to get one. It works great! It is actually easier to use than a gas push mower. Plus it is quiet and you can work at your own pace. And I would pay any amount of money to see the look on her face as she was mowing! She was having a blast and since there was not a mower engine running we could actually hold a conversation. I even got off my fat ass for a bit and mowed some!
They have recently decided that roosting on top of the 6-foot fence on the inside of the barn is just dandy. Of course, occasionally one will hop down on the wrong side of the fence and be loose in the barn without a clue as to how to get back in with the other chickens! Thankfully they are hand-tamed and we can catch them easily and put them back inside. We even had a screen door installed so we can leave the side door open for better ventilation and they can't get out of the barn.
So after that, I decided that since I had the camera I would put down some corn and get some videos of the chickens and turkeys. They turned out GREAT! Enjoy!
Leana Kruska was a student in the inaugural session of this course and the egg photo from her first assignment is the background picture for her portfolio site. Check out her egg blog entry for seeing sideways. The egg was the same assignment as the fork for this semester.
We discussed everything from religion and how it relates (or doesn't) to spirituality to racism to family to time. (Note the irony in the religion picture as it relates to seeing sideways. I couldn't resist! Sorry.)
Point in fact, when Jace was talking and I thought he was finished so I gave someone else the reins of the discussion - but he was not finished. AND he had the nerve to say he wasn't done saying what he wanted! Bravo Jace!
moderator instead of dentist (trying to pull the comments out of people like a dentist pulling teeth.) I guess I was not ready for this much enthusiasm! The only problem I could see might be that other students who are not as forceful may not have the opportunity to participate. Mental note: look at ways to moderate a discussion more effectively.For the coming week your assignment is to post something to your blog each day. What you post is completely up to you, but I would like for you to think about what moves you when creating these posts. During class we discussed how it is the emotion and feelings that you experience about what moves you that is the key, not the actual thing that moves you. These emotions are very profound (hence why it moves you) and difficult to verbalize. Language often does not have the means to convey deep emotions. But is it possible to still convey that emotion somehow? Can you show these feelings? Can you create something with these feelings? This quest could be a very good subject for your blog entries. The point is that if there is something that moves you to emotion that is too large for words, then others will respond to the genuine quality of that experience if you can find a way to communicate it. Can you convey that emotional experience somehow? And that my friends, can take a lifetime to accomplish, so don't be upset if you can't find a way in just 7 blogs. But it can be a good start.
The image above was blatently stolen from this website.
