It is the height of summer here in South America. And after a very social trip during the holidays, I have returned to the homestead. There is a lot of weeding to do, plants to be moved, and even a couple of new horses to tend to! I suspect these next two weeks will see me staying home and taking care of business rather than socializing. But, with so much to do, I doubt I will be bored.
First, the horses. Over these six years of caretaking this land we have hosted a handful of horses. Some were loaned to us, another just showed up one day. I am sure that these horses have owners. But, after I saw them for two weeks hanging around the creek I decided to let them in. Now they can come and go as they please. So far they have been here all day and night due to the protection from dogs and abundance of grass we have all around. We really needed help keeping the grass down during the rainy & sunny Argentine summer. They need food. It is a total win win!
Despite being mostly absent for the last two weeks, my garden is popping off! There are plenty of calendula flowers to dry and tons of beets to add to all my recipes. Wild greens grow in abandoned garden beds and zinnias alongside the trails. It is the time to appreciate how plentiful the earth can be.
As for our DIY build, we are on a slower schedule as we wait for a few materials to arrive. Mostly we have been going to our land to check on things and do small landscaping jobs. The other day I was tending to my plants there and stopped to look at a plant that was covered in caterpillars. It is a joy to see how many more butterflies/caterpillars there are since we fenced off the land. Before that our little acre was overgraze by a pack of goats who ate all of the plants that butterflies need for their survival.
I must admit, this year is not starting out as I had hoped. I was projecting a year of world peace and new friendships. And now ... well, let's just say that being from the United States is not so popular here in South America. So, I am shelving some of my socializing for later on, when the situation in Venezuela cools off (in a way that I hope is best for that country).
Of course, this is a politics-free community, so I will leave this subject by saying that; I just want peace & prosperity for everyone.
I cannot change what is happening on a global scale. And I am not responsible for the actions of the leaders of any country, even if I was born there. All I can do is tend to my garden. In my garden I am creating a safe space for animals and luckily, it is a space were I feel totally at peace. They say that peace starts from within, right?
