I think maybe a lot has been said on the topic of abundance, yet it's something one can write on and on about because the very nature of an abundant life is the daily practice of gratitude.
During the roughness of this long winter here in the southern hemisphere it has been quite difficult to remain grateful and in a positive mindset. It's always a challenge and the question keeps coming to mind: "what the fuck am I doing here?"
Well, at this point it's pretty obvious: I'm doing what few want to do and is necessary to improve the health of the surrounding environment, as well the balance of the planet (sorry, my ego wanted to write and i haven't read any spiritual laws that demand the ego to be censored). Because it would obviously be easier to go to a tropical place of the world and feast on the naturally growing buffet of fruits, the happiness people experience because of all that exposure to sunlight, and the easiness of not having to constantly run after firewood.
But forest stewards and people who learn the ways of Nature are needed everywhere and few are willing to travel that path in this harsh region. I have been gifted with the chance to care after a piece of land and I can either assume the responsability or abandon it, it's that simple.
So far I have decided to endure it, and I feel I have come far. "We* have come far, because other people have been involved and of course every living creature in the forest has been involved.
Clearly curly dock does better than chards in this climate, I'm letting go more and more of the idea that sowing is necessary, better to let Nature do it's thing
During my first years, I never thought I could have an abundant harvest so early in spring. It's still snowing here and I'm being able to harvest amounts such as this as much as twice a day. I am also being able to dehydrate some of this food and begin saving for the next winter so that I will not suffer so much. This indeed fills me with gratitude.
I've been understanding more about the behaivour of wild plants and how to live in symbiosis with them.
Wild parsnip root
I made the mistake of following other people's opinions and ideas that come from ignorance and tilled the soil to sow plants that are not adapted to this place, therefore fighting against Nature, loosing in the proces valuable ancient roots that are able to produce much more food that one could ever plant (through rustic means that is).
The good part is some plants have adapted and diversified the local flora. But I've been developing better and less invasive forms of sowing without tilling the soil, which i hope to share here at some point.
Anyway, just some random thoughts to do some presence on the blog. Hope you're all doing great, greetings from the forest.