Thanks, Monica. Good info and I feel very much the same on information-overload. It's hard to take your eyes off the 'show' but at the same time, it's an enormous time-suck and I often wonder how could I be spending my time in a more productive and/or enjoyable way? I guess we each have to navigate that for ourselves. I listened to a Mike Yeadon interview recently where he said he didn't need to collect any more stamps - he had enough scientific data already to know there was a plan and that they lied about everything. Couldn't agree more.
I smothered my front lawn to create a native plant pollinator, wildlife garden. The earth was initially hard- a pain to dig- and its color was medium brown, to light brown, not much organic matter visible. It felt rocky. So I did the easiest thing: put cardboard down, mulch, straw and use raised beds in the meantime. I started this in late 2019, completed in 2020. So last year, I didn’t see much improvement yet and didn’t start the back as a result, which is a very large project. This year the front is amazing! The most beautiful black earth FULL OF earthworms. I can almost feel the microbial activity down there! Obviously I regret not starting the back now, which I will do piecemeal. I did do the furthermost rear, where the deer go. The rest is fenced for my dog and pig. I am putting in no mod native grass varieties. I highly recommend doing this. Just a few layers. I did a little mulch under the cardboard, a layer of cardboard, more mulch, and straw. The latter needs frequent replenishing. Throwing refuse- leaf litter etc- is a good idea too. Last year I added kelp meal, gypsum, natural amendments, worm castings, etc around too. Minimal work. Seriously, supporting nature and letting her processes work for you is the way. My bee and butterfly population exploded almost right away. I previously only saw wasps.
We are on vacation so I have been reading less than normal, and I feel happier. There is a fine line between gathering knowledge and information and busying ourselves learning it all and doing nothing with it. I don’t write a Substack, I dont have friends nearby that are anywhere near the same wavelength as I am - in fact I’ve been an outlier for so long it’s just what I’m used to now. So I’m not really *doing* anything other than riling myself up. So I’ll be reading less and less - one of my faves is Coffee & Covid because It gives a good roundup of all the news, and I usually read RTE and The Good Citizen and I like your approach here as well. Time to find ways to live in the real world again!
Agree with you, there is too much going on to keep up with it all at the moment. Is this overload deliberate? Or is this just the randomness and chaos of our time? Or is it a bit of both?
When short on resources or overwhelmed with various constraints, remember to triage or prioritize.
1) Which are the most significant or risky events/topics?
2) Which are the most likely/common?
3) Are any likely/common also significantly risky?
It's always best to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. You cannot rely on bandaids for bullet wounds.
But disasters and emergencies are rare(ish), so don't forget the more common day to day things either.
If all you have are airway adjuncts and tourniquets and then find yourself presented with blisters and stubbed toes. You may seem almost as useless too.
Yes. It is proving impossible to keep up. Manley Hopkins would be decrying the wasted hours and powers. So, to the gardens!
I would highly recommend checking out Keith St Jean's "Canadian Permaculture Legacy" on youtube if you're all going to get into food gardening. He has a great food forest of his own and has documented it from the beginning. Then there are people like Charles Dowding and Huw Richards with more conventional veg bed gardens, but incorporating permaculture/no dig. Also the Weedy Gardener for a visual feast. Permaculture guru, Geoff Lawton, for hardcore info. Common denominator - soil health.
Also, if you haven't read Louis Bromfield yet, now is the time. Because we are all, here in these Substack havens, in the category that he termed "tetched" - and that is glorious, indeed!
Love that updated NPC meme haha. I used an earlier version of that in a piece about Ukraine. We should start a poll to see what the next media-driven focus will be -> "Bidan"/Harris -> "pandemic" -> Ukraine -> Roe v. Wade -> ???
It's too early for the next pandemic; but that's coming of course. The groundwork is being laid by the WHO and Fauci already.
Hi Monica, like you I'm a permanent resident in NZ (living here since 1984). Now that I can leave and return, I will be able to visit my dear sister who is ill in Ireland and asking her little sister to come and visit.
My thinking, or rather what I'm able to deduce so far is that the plants burning down are no accidents, that COVID is entirely a scheme in order for us non-psycophaths to play along.
Thanks, Monica. Good info and I feel very much the same on information-overload. It's hard to take your eyes off the 'show' but at the same time, it's an enormous time-suck and I often wonder how could I be spending my time in a more productive and/or enjoyable way? I guess we each have to navigate that for ourselves. I listened to a Mike Yeadon interview recently where he said he didn't need to collect any more stamps - he had enough scientific data already to know there was a plan and that they lied about everything. Couldn't agree more.
I smothered my front lawn to create a native plant pollinator, wildlife garden. The earth was initially hard- a pain to dig- and its color was medium brown, to light brown, not much organic matter visible. It felt rocky. So I did the easiest thing: put cardboard down, mulch, straw and use raised beds in the meantime. I started this in late 2019, completed in 2020. So last year, I didn’t see much improvement yet and didn’t start the back as a result, which is a very large project. This year the front is amazing! The most beautiful black earth FULL OF earthworms. I can almost feel the microbial activity down there! Obviously I regret not starting the back now, which I will do piecemeal. I did do the furthermost rear, where the deer go. The rest is fenced for my dog and pig. I am putting in no mod native grass varieties. I highly recommend doing this. Just a few layers. I did a little mulch under the cardboard, a layer of cardboard, more mulch, and straw. The latter needs frequent replenishing. Throwing refuse- leaf litter etc- is a good idea too. Last year I added kelp meal, gypsum, natural amendments, worm castings, etc around too. Minimal work. Seriously, supporting nature and letting her processes work for you is the way. My bee and butterfly population exploded almost right away. I previously only saw wasps.
We are on vacation so I have been reading less than normal, and I feel happier. There is a fine line between gathering knowledge and information and busying ourselves learning it all and doing nothing with it. I don’t write a Substack, I dont have friends nearby that are anywhere near the same wavelength as I am - in fact I’ve been an outlier for so long it’s just what I’m used to now. So I’m not really *doing* anything other than riling myself up. So I’ll be reading less and less - one of my faves is Coffee & Covid because It gives a good roundup of all the news, and I usually read RTE and The Good Citizen and I like your approach here as well. Time to find ways to live in the real world again!
Agree with you, there is too much going on to keep up with it all at the moment. Is this overload deliberate? Or is this just the randomness and chaos of our time? Or is it a bit of both?
When short on resources or overwhelmed with various constraints, remember to triage or prioritize.
1) Which are the most significant or risky events/topics?
2) Which are the most likely/common?
3) Are any likely/common also significantly risky?
It's always best to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. You cannot rely on bandaids for bullet wounds.
But disasters and emergencies are rare(ish), so don't forget the more common day to day things either.
If all you have are airway adjuncts and tourniquets and then find yourself presented with blisters and stubbed toes. You may seem almost as useless too.
Yes. It is proving impossible to keep up. Manley Hopkins would be decrying the wasted hours and powers. So, to the gardens!
I would highly recommend checking out Keith St Jean's "Canadian Permaculture Legacy" on youtube if you're all going to get into food gardening. He has a great food forest of his own and has documented it from the beginning. Then there are people like Charles Dowding and Huw Richards with more conventional veg bed gardens, but incorporating permaculture/no dig. Also the Weedy Gardener for a visual feast. Permaculture guru, Geoff Lawton, for hardcore info. Common denominator - soil health.
Also, if you haven't read Louis Bromfield yet, now is the time. Because we are all, here in these Substack havens, in the category that he termed "tetched" - and that is glorious, indeed!
Very nice piece, btw.
Love that updated NPC meme haha. I used an earlier version of that in a piece about Ukraine. We should start a poll to see what the next media-driven focus will be -> "Bidan"/Harris -> "pandemic" -> Ukraine -> Roe v. Wade -> ???
It's too early for the next pandemic; but that's coming of course. The groundwork is being laid by the WHO and Fauci already.
Honestly, I don't believe much these days. I figure if I'm getting riled up, who is pushing the narrative? This might make you feel a bit better: https://boriquagato.substack.com/p/tinfoil-cattery-if-i-wanted-to-empower
Hi Monica, like you I'm a permanent resident in NZ (living here since 1984). Now that I can leave and return, I will be able to visit my dear sister who is ill in Ireland and asking her little sister to come and visit.
🙏
My thinking, or rather what I'm able to deduce so far is that the plants burning down are no accidents, that COVID is entirely a scheme in order for us non-psycophaths to play along.