Thursday, November 25, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
Tis the Season to be Mulching
A recent search for mulch lead me to a free service - 5 cubic metres delivered to the door!!! The request was 5th priority - which meant when the mulching company has a surplus of mulch you can have it delivered. The front garden is now complete. I shovelling the old mulch onto the surrounding garden beds (it is a good idea to add dolomite / blood and bone to keep the soil sweet after combining it with old mulch). I replaced the weed mat and although not in the front - in the back I am planning to place newspaper down in addition to weed mat. Have a bucket of water handy to dunk the news paper to avoid it flying off as you lay it is a great help.
It looks and smells great - and it hasn't stopped raining all weekend so it is now firmly set in place. Cheers to Chen for supervising the operation.
Now for the back.....
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Ahimsa and Permaculture
In an interview with Scott London Bill Mollison explains the history and motivation for Permaculture. One pertinent remark he made was :
'It’s curious that we never apply what we know to how we actually live'.
Why does a plumber spend his life making beautiful bathrooms for his customers and is unable to come home and fix his own? I believe fundamentally this boils down to self worth. Particularly now, where we live in such isolated environments, the notion of doing something for the community at large is quite removed, or is perhaps restricted to working hours. This gives us the opportunity to practice a reversal of sorts - treat your neighbour as you would yourself - now I believe it is time to treat yourself as you treat your neighbour (that is if you have mastered the first act of true respect and love for your neighbour).
It is more than just laziness that keeps us from living out our wisdom. Every instruction manual and every tip is now available on the Web - it doesn't mean for certain that you will google it and apply it to your life. What does determine action - is your state of mind and it stems from your love of self - not in a conceited manner - but through a deep acceptance, which is the first practice in yoga of Ahimsa or non-harm.
Scott London's Interview with Bill Mollison
'It’s curious that we never apply what we know to how we actually live'.
Why does a plumber spend his life making beautiful bathrooms for his customers and is unable to come home and fix his own? I believe fundamentally this boils down to self worth. Particularly now, where we live in such isolated environments, the notion of doing something for the community at large is quite removed, or is perhaps restricted to working hours. This gives us the opportunity to practice a reversal of sorts - treat your neighbour as you would yourself - now I believe it is time to treat yourself as you treat your neighbour (that is if you have mastered the first act of true respect and love for your neighbour).
It is more than just laziness that keeps us from living out our wisdom. Every instruction manual and every tip is now available on the Web - it doesn't mean for certain that you will google it and apply it to your life. What does determine action - is your state of mind and it stems from your love of self - not in a conceited manner - but through a deep acceptance, which is the first practice in yoga of Ahimsa or non-harm.
Scott London's Interview with Bill Mollison
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
A long way from Grand Designs
Kevin McCloud Slumming It - ABC iview
Thank you Kevin McCloud for de-mystifying the Indian Slums and putting faces and stories to the snapshots which we would usually cringe at. May there be hope.
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