Saturday 21 July 2018

Thoughts being posted in,........

Several times I have tried to write a blog but end up deleting it because all I do is lapse into moans, which will not do. One must be resilient and keep on persevering whatever one is doing in life. One must not give up, change direction if you must, but never give up the immediate project.

And I shall not complain about the weather because I cannot change what it is doing this year. From weeks of rain and winds and chill for the first few months to immediately high temperature which has encouraged high humidity and storms. My body does not like heat and humidity, and wants to go into hibernation until it gets cooler, so things do not get done because there is no energy to do them with, which then makes my head go all of a grumble because of the list of things it wants me to do. So then body and mind start arguing with each other, and I end up being fed up with both of them.  

Not to worry, keep going, that is what one must do, and not allow the mouth to take a downward tilt signalling the grumblings of a depression on the horizon. One must keep the mouth up tilted, encouraging a positive state of mind. I must admit, however, that keeping the mouth in the upward slope is an effort, especially when I see the state of the farm. All of it is gradually becoming overgrown. Brambles are rampant, and they are the worst, and have even started growing into the house wherever they can find a hole big enough to shove a bit of themselves through. 

But I have cut a way through to the river, the path having become overgrown with nettles and new growing bramble shoots, all of which were easy to scythe down. I had to use Lester's bush scythe though because I had broken my own scythe....... too much hacking away at weeds and brambles broke the blade, but it has been stoical in its efforts to cut down anything which I put in its way. I think it was the collision with a big lump of wood which finally fractured the metal. It was hidden in a clump of nettles. I was in a really good rhythm, swish, ......swish..... swish......down the nettles were falling, and onwards we were going through the nettle patch........very satisfying.......then all became at a stop as the log was scythed into, the blade sinking in quite deep into the half rotten wood. Oh dear, I was stopped mid flow, and the blade became a dead one. A new blade is ordered. It is much needed. I miss scything because it loosens up my back and arm muscles, and there is lots of vegetation to cut down on the farm. 

The other day, as I was out and about, a thought arrived in my head to 'Go get some courgette and butternut squash seeds'. 
'Where would I plant them?' I ask the thought......
'In the Veg Plot One, in the patch which has not grown any weeds yet because of the manure Lester put there a few weeks ago.'
'Oh that patch, ' I said, signalling the car to go left so I could go to the necessary shop to buy the seeds, which I thought was a good idea because I love acquiring seeds. 
And then my own thoughts fired themselves at me....... 'Wait a minute,...you don't want to do that.... ....I though you weren't going to grow anything in the Veg Plots this year.....'
So signalling to go right, I drove the car past the shop, intending to continue on home. But no, that was not to be, because the original 'posted into my head' thought took hold of me, and I found myself in the shop, buying the seeds, by will having been overwhelmed by the thought. 

This happens sometimes. I am used to it. I am carrying on in my usual manner, and then a thought will get posted into my head. I would not have been thinking of the subject that the thought is connected with, ......it is as if an email has arrived, but not in the inbox of my computer, but in the inbox in my head. And they are strong thoughts which are not to be ignored, and they are always right. To leave the UK and come to live in France arrived in my head like that. 

Sometimes the thought requires a lot of effort to follow through with, and has me either dismissing it or even arguing with it, so then the thought goes to sleep. I might think it is finished with, but it never is.......it will either come alive again or another ongoing thought will be posted in relevant to the original thought. This is what happened with coming to France to live. I have free will of course, but I have asked for guidance in life, and these 'postings in' are that guidance, even if they seem irrelevant or minor, rather than answers to major questions.

It is like having a strong guidance system set up out in the Universe somewhere, which sends 'thought signals' through to me at certain points in my life's pathway, helping me keep going forward. Well that's alright for the big things in life, but  buying seeds....I think I was being reminded that I am not on my own, that I am being helped every step of the way.....but seeds?

And here's the thing about a 'posted in' thought....... there often does not seem to be any reason to follow through with it..... like buying those seeds....

Anyway, I bought the seeds, and today I have planted them in a tiny patch of weed free soil in Veg Plot One, and I felt that it was a sign not to give up, to allow ourselves to be overwhelmed, but only temporarily. 

I have just read the start of the blog, and was going to delete the last section about 'having a thought emailed into my head', when quite clearly a voice said, 'Don't you dare', so I didn't. 

Bye for now,

Vx


 

15 comments:

DUTA said...

The big, sad truth is that we cannot control the weather; it controls us and it gets worse from year to year. People know that, and yet they keep writing lots about the weather. Almost any blog mentions the weather and its 'misdeeds'.

'Following a thought' - that's interesting, and may lead to some positive, constructive action like in your case : relocation and planting courgette seeds.
I always pray and ask God to send me good thoughts, to guide me in the right direction, as I sometimes feel helpless and insignificant.

minwks said...

Dear Vera,
I really think you have to be an optimist to plant seeds. It is pretty amazing when they break the soil - so satisfying and a pleasure to watch something grow and yield.
I always enjoy your musings. Thank you for posting.
Regards Janine

Vera said...

DUTA, the weather is something which is so much part of a life of a smallholder, as it dictates so much of what we can do. Normally I do not write about it, but this year has been so unusual that it is hard not to do so.

I also pray and ask for guidance from God, and these thoughts must be being send to me by that most wonderful of loving energies.

JANINE, I feel so disappointed when seeds do not grow, but so very joyful when they do! Like you say, it is a pleasure to watch something grow and yield.

Coco said...

What a timely post! Our weather has been all over the place, too. A very challenging year for my flower farm experiment. Added to that, we´ve had a financial set-back so all my eagerly awaited infrastructure projects for this fall, poly tunnel, tools, a water source, shrubs, etc., will have to be delayed until at least next spring. I´m feeling a little defeated.

Two plantings of sweet corn didn´t germinate, the onions bolted to flowers so won´t keep, there are new regulations about spraying fungicides so you can´t find it in the shops anymore and with the humidity the potatoes and tomatoes are coming down with blight. In short, a challenging summer.

BTW your house looks lovely in the last post! I´ve been watching ¨Escape to the Continent¨ on Netflix and have to say France looks beautiful. I was especially taken with the Brittany and the Midi-Pyrenees episodes. Enjoy your sitting area and keep thinking positive thoughts.

Good luck with the dentistry.

Vera said...

COCO, sorry to hear about the difficulties you are having with your flower farm experiment. We were hoping to set up a small market garden here and started experimenting with plantings of various vegetables last year. Lester also started work on a greenhouse, after we considered a poly tunnel not a good idea because of the high winds we sometimes have here.

And then I ended up in hospital, with a huge bill to have to pay, Lester had to go back to working on his computer for long hours each day to get it paid off, and all work on the market garden project halted, and is still at a halt. I know how you feel about the problems you are having with your flower garden project, because I keep fighting off the feeling of being defeated as well.

We have no vegetable crops planted in the main vegetable plots this year, which I think is just as well because of the weather and humidity. I do miss not seeing the larder starting to fill up with produce for the winter though!

France is a beautiful country, but I think every country has its own attractiveness. We are in the Midi Pyrenees, at the top of region 65 of the Haute Pyrenees. But I am sure that your part of the world is just as lovely!

Thanks for making such a kind comment, and sharing the problems you are having with your flower farm. I hope things turn out well for you, and I look forward to reading your blog to see how you are getting on.



Toirdhealbheach Beucail said...

Vera, every year for the past 9 I have planted a garden since we moved, and every year for the last nine I have failed. The weather here is not like home and finding crops that take the humidity has been a struggle (peppers, okra, sorghum, and black-eyed peas, in case you were wondering). I keep wondering why I do it - but optimistically I keep trying every year.

I have come to just do what those little thought say. It always seems to work out.

Mama Pea said...

Well, if it means anything, I think you did a good thing by buying those seeds and getting them into the ground. The message that was sent into your head and the message that the seeds are now sending out to the universe may be very important and appropriate. Enjoyed this post.

Vera said...

TOIRDHEALBHEACH BEUCAIL, I think the growing of things is good for the soul, no matter how big or small a crop is, it is the growing of something which has a feel good factor. And not minding if the crop fails, because at least effort has been made to have a go. That's what I think anyway!

Those little thoughts are hidden gems in my life.

Vera said...

MAMA PEA, nine seeds planted, and room in the tiny cleared space for a few more. I feel as if I haven't given up, that is what the planting of the seeds has given to me! Taking notice of that thought was a good thing for me to do!

northsider said...

I agree with you that growing things is good for the soul. There are always gains and losses in a garden. I couldn't live with out a garden.

Cassie said...

I just did that with watermelon seeds, even though I know they won't have time to mature, it's just the act of interacting with nature that I love.

Vera said...

N.DAVE, neither could I, and maybe a poly tunnel as well!

CASSIE. hope your watermelon surprise you, but if they don't produce any fruit at least you gave them a chance to do so!

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

My summer has been more discouraging than expected. Stuff happens. I'm glad you listened to the voice and bought the seeds.

Vera said...

LISA, I'm glad too.... I didn't realise that I was on the edge of giving up this year, but watering that little line of courgette seeds this morning I felt a gladness that I had listened to that voice!

Rhodesia said...

My courgettes have just not grown at all this year and I thought it was too late to plant again, maybe you have given me some hope. I think the seeds may have rotted as the garden was waterlogged for so long, now it is like a brick. We really do need some rain now as I am struggling to keep the garden going and because the garden was so wet everything is now very late. As for the weather I love it, I am very happy when it is hot but I hate the cold. I just cannot get warm no matter what I do but I can generally manage to the heat so much better. Take care and hope the new blade arrives very soon. Diane