Happy Earth Day!

Everyday could be earthday, just like everyday could be mother’s day. Since we don’t always remember to honor the essential, might as well have days set aside to come back to the biggest truths. Thank you earth, water, sky and  all living beings that make up this beautiful planet. Thank you earth for giving us life and supporting us every minute of every day.

The herons along the Muddy River have obstacles besides unwanted attention and seasonal food scarcity. These magestic birds hang out beside or hidden within the Common Reed (Phragmites). These reeds serve as the heron’s shelter from predators and weather. They are also cover to hide from human attention and unsuspecting prey. The Muddy River Restoration project aims to better the river’s ecological heatlh and improve traffic flow in the area. In the process, the phragmites, which is considered an “invasive species” will be removed and the river will be dredged. The main source of the heron’s shelter, and the river’s food web will both be heavily impacted. In the long run, hopefully there will be positive impacts. In the short run, herbicides, plant removal, 200 trees cut, and dredging will all have a strong impact on the area. On the other hand, part of the river that has been forced underground into culverts will be “daylighted”. The river had a major flood years ago, and the project is thought to help with future flooding. Originally the Muddy River, one of the two largest tributaries to the Charles River, had an extensive marsh running alongside it. When Frederick Law Olmsted, the great landscape architect, “reclaimed” the area, he did away with the marsh and created parks along the banks of the river. Now we know about all of the important values of a marsh, including flood protection. We’re still learning, trying to undo our mistakes, and sometimes making new ones in the process. We are still trying to control animals, plants, earth, sky and water. It reminds me of a great song, “We are the River”. Here are some of the lyrics, “We are the river and we’ll wash your levees down. We’re coming from the mountain but we’re moving through your town. We’re gonna join with the other rivers… then we’ll have our chance; No dam the man can make will stand when the sea begins to dance.” Friends of the Muddy River is holding meetings on the restoration project Wednesdays 6-8PM March 11th and April 8th.

How do ducks stay warm? Part 2: They do have amazing feather insulation, and they can tuck their featherless bills and feet into their feathers (why we often see birds standing on one leg- check out the Great Blue Heron )…and, there are a few more adaptations for cold. How can they stand on snow and ice? They don’t have a lot of soft tissue in their feet and legs, and they have what is called “counter-current heat exchange” in their feet. Veins and arteries flow side by side; warm blood warms colder blood going up to the body and the blood flowing to the feet is cooled, so there’s less heat loss. Meanwhile, I’ve been trudging around to watch them, wearing very insulated boots for months now, and my feet struggle -not to stay warm, but to move freely. Can we feel our connection to the earth, and feel the freedom to wiggle our toes, even in thick heavy boots? Even on concrete and ice? Maybe the earth’s warm soft support flows through all obstacles.

How do we experience the world alone? How do we experience the world accompanied? Are there companions that we can be with and experience the world as if we were in solitude? Or is there always something lost in togetherness. Silvio Rodriquez has a song, “¿Dónde pongo lo hallado?”, in which he describes finding a loving companion and losing his conversations and connection with the doves, the moon…Can we have both? And a few more questions: With whom, or with what, are our deepest connections? In what company do we feel peace? With whom do we feel free?

Water… what an amazing substance. A gas, a liquid and a solid, all on one planet. What would earth be like without it? It wouldn’t be earth. What would we be without it? We wouldn’t be. Thank you water.

Yesterday was a foggy day out by the bay. I thought to myself, “Is there any true separation between sand, sea and sky?”

Yesterday was a foggy day out by the bay. I thought to myself, “Is there any true separation between sand, sea and sky?”