Thanksgiving is the very heart of an American November. And yet this day, unlike Christmas, New Year's Day and Independence Day, is variable and falls on the fourth Thursday of the month. It is the final close of the normal growing year in the northern temperate zone. In November skies turn gray; leaves fall; daylight shortens; heavier frost covers the outdoor plants; temporary cold frames keep the late vegetable crops snug. We extend these cold frame coverings (cloth or a light leaf cover) to the Japanese radishes and to kale, mustard, spinach, endive, and turnips. The collards remains unprotected until severe weather.

November is the time of turkey and its trimmings, salsify root cooked like oysters; kale, collards, and mustard boiled or stir fried; Jerusalem artichoke roots cut fresh and tasting like almonds on salads; turnips and kohlrabi sliced and eaten raw or cooked with a cream sauce; pumpkin pie; celery soup; peanuts sprinkled over the salad; and horseradish as a condiment or mixed in cranberry sauce. Yellow jackets cease to vie with us for the fallen ripe pears. Now let's show gratitude for God's bounty.

November 2004 Reflections

November 1, 2004 Many Good Folks

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven. (Matthew 5: 3).

When we think of the saints, we may envision them as sowing
seed, as going on glory road singing, as part of a marching host
approaching a great celebration. Fine for the dreams, but don't
forget we need to move with the crowd and not against it. That is,
we are on a road where some need to be helped along because they
are sick or lame or elderly. We can't afford to barge ahead of the
pack, but need to linger and see who needs extra help. Sainthood
involves a sensitivity to those who experience the road as hard and
long and full of stumbling blocks and ruts. Holiness has its
price; we forego that front line with its banners which make the
television evening news. Holiness is a willingness to stay back in
the crowd, regarding others as family, and being thankful for just
moving along on that road. Here are three characteristics.

Being part of the great number -- Those who think only few
are saved, such as a magic number of 144,000 times twelve tribes
(1,728,000) or some other Scripture-based number, miss the point.
In those distant Scriptural times, they didn't have precise
economic figures, or know dollar amounts of the national debt --
and so didn't even have words for millions, billions and trillions.
What innocent times! Scripture says the numbers could not be
counted, so let's rest there. The saints are a great company with
their white gowns (uniforms), which did not distract others by
colorful costumes or physical figures. They have individuality but
dress alike. They look ahead, not round and about. The vast
throng celebrate in unison and though many, they are one.

Consider others as part of the family. We can't exclude
others. The order of the day is to be folksy, for we are all part
of the Family of God. Scripture teaches this -- We are God's
Children now; the Church teaches this -- we are the family of God,
the global human family; true democracy teaches it as well.
Racists can not all come together with others who they target, and
celebrate each week in worship or at those special occasions -- the
family reunions of the Earth. Today we remember our own loved ones
who were so special, and are what we may hesitate to call "saints."
For this is the day of the unsung heroes and heroines of our blood
and extended family. We naturally remember those who were dear to
us, and we extends our thoughts to others as well.

On Election Day let's think of those who want to exercise
their right to vote -- and need our help in getting to the polls.

Regard life's road as God's blessing. Being on the road to
heaven is a simple blessing for those of us who are poor in spirit,
hungry, meek and mentioned in the Beatitudes in various ways. In
some way, we the living on Earth are included. In all things we
are thankful this month -- and we give special thanks for being on
a personal journey with the Lord.

November 2, 2004 Exercise Citizenship: Vote

Voting is considered a privilege, a duty, a responsibility, a
proof of citizenship. So urging Americans (where often over half
the people do not care to or make the effort) to vote is a popular
theme around election time. Should people vote, if they don't
first take the time to learn about the candidates? An
unintelligent vote is worse than not voting at all in my opinion.
It usually reflects the influence of elements which are not the
best: money, powerful people or special interests. Thus the
ignorant voter is in some sense canceling out a wise one. So
voting means more than casting a ballot. It means reading about
and reflecting on the issues in sufficient degree to choose the
better course and candidates.

Information Overload. It is easy enough to find irrelevant
"facts" on candidate's hobbies and tastes. Where they really
stand, and how sound their judgments are is another matter.

Elements in voting: The following are a few suggestions to
help sift through the morass of data and bypass the multitude of
advertisements which may distract us from making good decisions:

* Know the key issues well in advance and make your own
judgment based on reflection, reading and discussion with others
who you trust;

* Use the Internet or periodicals to obtain further
information on a particular subject;

* Tune out the television political commercials. Most are
simply incorrect in one way or other and can inadvertently lead to
bad choices;
* Examine both the issues and the candidates;

* Don't hesitate to ask the candidates in person or in
writing;

* Make your views known in letters to the editor and put them
up for comment and judgment. Your opinion might be modified by the
wise words of another's counterpoint;

* Encourage others to vote wisely and talk to them for them to
undergo the same process you use for choosing;

* On this Election Day encourage them to vote one final time
and even offer them a trip to the polls if they need a ride or
assistance in some other way;

* Pray, and then vote; and

* One last thing; write down all those campaign promises to
use in confronting elected officials with what they said when the
time is right.

November 3, 2004 Post-Election Blahs

This reflection was deliberately created exactly one month
before the election so no one would accuse me of the actual topic,
namely the blahs, which many experience immediately after hard-
fought elections -- and especially if one's favorite candidate(s)
may fail to win. Life is really not in winning but in continuing
even when things don't always go the expected way. After voting in
14 presidential elections I must confess my candidate won a
minority of the times. My first election and disappointment was at
age 19 when our state was one of the few allowing those between 18
and 21 to vote. But a disappointment should not get us down.
Rather we can resolve to do something as an exercise of good
citizenship:

* Comfort yourself; it could have been worse.

* Maybe you should have run in place of some winner you do not
feel qualified.

* Resolve to follow the record of the elected official
carefully and keep a record (at least a mental one) of promises
kept or unkept.

* Congratulate the victor and offer prayers for success in
office whether your choice or not.

* Resolve to work harder for a defeated candidate of choice
and write a letter, if you are convinced the defeated person should
run again, giving this person encouragement and congratulations for
a hard fought campaign.

* Think of a minor elected official who could easily hold a
higher position. Support him or her.

* Did I encourage people to vote intelligently?

* There was always too much negativism and money poorly spent.
Resolve to support election reform to help with future elections.

* When discussing with others, keep the gripping to a minimum
and constructively discuss what could be done better next time.

* Ask a profound question: were there too few candidates
for certain offices? If so, what can be done about it?

* Go back to the cares of life. The next election is a long
time away and it's nice to think of other things for awhile.

* Get a good night's sleep tonight. You have been up too late
last night -- unless you are a another Harry Truman (who slept
through his close reelection).

November 4, 2004 Minimizing Habitat Disturbances

Restoration is more than planting choice wildlife feed or
building feeders and nesting areas. The opposite of construction
is to halt building -- roads, fire lanes, wilderness camping areas,
scattered housing developments. Throughout the 20th century road
were carved through pristine wilderness areas. These create
barriers of disturbance where wildlife nesting and migration routes
are threatened and corridors of disturbance where invasive plants
are encouraged along with road traffic and animal road kill.
Furthermore roads in the wilderness attract aliens such as off-road
vehicles and snow mobiles and their careless drivers as well.

Fragmentation. I once performed an environmental resource
assessment near a medium-sized eastern seaboard city and the
directors were so proud of the greenery of their urban twenty
acres. Upon entering the fragmented area, I found that it
contained a host of all the choice invasive species of Eastern
America and the green vegetation was choking out the oak and maples
which had been the forest before the fragmenting operation. Urban
greenery fooled the property holders for they did not realize that
these undeveloped islands of greenery are already damaged from
assaults on all sides. Most wildlife needs undisturbed large
tracts of land as well, a condition being ever more scarce today.
Even poorly designed nature trails can be sources of fragmentation.
Such trails should avoid fragile areas such as old growth forests,
rock moss communities, or many wetlands. These pathways into the
wilderness become opportunities for hiking, observing,
experiencing, and photographing wildlife but only with
reservations. Don't disturb habitats of sensitive species.

Problems. Roads and trails are inviting to those who can even
inadvertently do damage to the wilderness. Motorized vehicles
(snowmobiles, dunebuggies and all-terrain vehicles) often go over
posted lands with little regulation or regular enforcement in
wilderness areas. In response, trail maintainers must resort to
doing more than post areas; they may have to construct barriers
such as gates, fencing, tank traps, or the "Texas Crossings"
(zigzag fencing which allows hikers to pass easily but not horses
or ORVs). Overused trails may frighten away certain nesting birds.

Minimizing wilderness damage. Nature experiences are good
for the human adventurer, but some wildernesses should be off
limits to all. The pressure is increasing to open more and more
lands to human intrusion. Can't virtual experiences (books, nature
observation stands, film strips, wide screen viewing) suffice in
many circumstances? Visitors with the best of intentions can
exceed the human carrying capacity of a wilderness. Designating
non fire-burning areas, carrying out generated litter, forbidding
wildflowers gathering or feeding bears, and discouraging off-path
hiking, are all proper wilderness damage-reduction measures. More
intense experiences with naturalist leaders in confined designated
areas will benefit all, for committed naturalists can be excellent
guides and role models for the general public.

November 5, 2004 The Ethics of Hunting

We are still basking in the Hunter's Moon. Hunting has always
been something of a dilemma for me. Perhaps it was because the
ambivalence was there in my early farm years in Mason County,
Kentucky. We always had enough livestock to butcher for meat,
though I knew folks who liked to go for the wild game, kill it and
dress it for their sparse table. And when wildlife was a necessary
source of food it went beyond mere sporting. As kids we hunted
crows -- aggressors on our corn fields) and considered the right to
bear arms as constitutional in that individualistic sense still
promoted by the NRA. Once we deliberately carried our guns when
there was a notice in the state said that for a few summer months
nothing was in season. For me, the clever, destructive and
socially sophisticated crow was always in season -- year-round. It
took skill to outwit them and made rabbit-hunting child's play.

Safety Issues. I have changed in these fifty years from
trying to be a marksman with a 22-rifle and killing crows with the
trusty shotgun which we swore those birds could distinguish from a
stick. I have come to dislike sportspeople who hunt on occasion.
They are often dangerous because they use guns rarely, have no
sense of danger to self or their companions, and have little regard
for the safety of local residents. And they are such poor shots
that they often wound their prey without killing it. Furthermore,
they don't know boundaries or ask permission to hunt, leaving for
others to tell them where they are trespassing. It is appalling to
see trophy hunters parading with buck carcasses bobbing out of open
truckbeds.

Wildlife for Table. I sympathize with folks who consider
themselves too financially strapped to be vegetarians. I come from
the farming culture which regarded meat and meal as synonymous.
For such people, wild game was an portion of the food supply which
varied the menu and brought good extra food for the table. If we
eat what is around us we truly become Kentucky or what ever state
we live in. Older relatives were both good shots and could dress
the game for eating. Those who eat venison to supplement the food
needs of their families are, in my book, still justified. I know
such people in our Appalachian region, and I am on their side in
this regard. Use what is hunted and thank God for the blessing of
food. The meat is quite nutritious, organic, and homegrown.

Wildlife Control. In performing environmental resource
assessments throughout the country I find the most frequent problem
is deer and other wildlife being uninvited Certainly wildlife has
roamed freely for centuries. Again, a basic homesteading principle
is to raise or acquire one's own organic food locally. When deer,
rabbit, and turkeys become overpopulated for lack of predators,
they should be thinned. The game is far superior to the quality of
life found on chicken, beef and pork factory farms. Furthermore,
the game is free of the antibiotics and growth hormones pumped into
feedlot animals. For the sake of vegetation and forest understory,
sometimes one must thin out wildlife and have it under control.

November 6, 2004 A Living Will

Teach me to count how few days we have and so gain wisdom of
heart. (Psalm 90:12)

Today, I rewrote my living will according to new forms required
within this Commonwealth. It is always a definitive act, adjusting
funeral arrangements, filling out forms for donating organs, or
putting personal files in order. It is like planting a tree. When
the end product is available and put to use, I will not be around.
It's a November thought, and worth meditating on "last things."

Putting our house in order. If we knew the Lord were coming
to visit, we would certainly straighten up the house. Why leave it
messed up? I can say the same about my files and my life that
could quickly get beyond my control. The Lord is coming soon, as
friends or medical personnel rush in and out or just sit and wait -
- a blessing in any case. But what if the wait is prolonged as
medical wires and tubes are connected to me, and I can not stand
the situation any longer? Isn't it better to die in dignity, and
naturally -- without all the artificiality of pumps and gadgets
costing a fortune? As a poor man, I can only afford to live and
die naturally -- not artificially. Today this takes a living will.

Confronting Mortality. I think even the term "Living Will" is
somewhat pretentious, for it claims that I have a certain power at
a time of utter powerlessness. To confront is to place oneself
directly in front of something. Perhaps to meet mortality is
nearer to the truth, for we are on the road and death will come
before us even when we turn or try to avoid it. It confronts us,
not the other way around. And yet, pondering the end of our lives
does have a certain aspect of planning and preparing.

Our Moment in the Sun. Some say we start dying the day we
are born, that we are always finding our limitations in life just
up in front of us. In early years we avoid the subject of dying,
but awareness of our mortality comes upon us with time when hair
turns color and back aches become stronger. We are preparing as
best we can not for the sudden but for the inevitable. And
provided we don't become too preoccupied, it is a wise and holy
thing to do for we face our few days which are truly so in the age
old history of the world. Such reflection wise and, when done
periodically, it is part of our own spiritual growth.

Afterthought. Let us go out for a nice walk or run in the
fading sun of mid-autumn, or find the time when we are most
comfortable this month. Make it a prayerful occasion and accept
that this is the opportunity for our periodic reflection on our
mortality. After such thoughts of our mortal end maybe we can
entertain the broader perspective which includes the hope of life
after death. Such thoughts are proper and worth a good November
reflection, a time we can thank God for life already given.

Life is the childhood of our immortality. Goethe

November 7, 2004 Diamonds in the Rough

For if he were not expecting the fallen to rise again, it would
have been useless and foolish to pray for them in death.
(Second Book of Maccabees 12:44)

What becomes a shining jewel starts out as a rough stone that
can be easily overlooked by most people. And this tendency to
overlook rough stones can go beyond to human beings as well. The
cutting and the polishing to make a jewel is little compared to the
experiencing and reflecting and asking forgiveness needed to make
a saintly gem of a person. Yes, there are profound differences
between the saints in heaven, all souls in purgatory and, as Ronald
Knox says, all sorts here on earth. For one day of the year we
focus on loved ones who have passed on, the legions of people who
paused and journeyed in this mortal life and then passed on.

Most cultures honor their deceased, and that is part of what
makes them a culture; many cultures pray for their dead in a
variety of ways. Native American tribes have often blended ancient
rituals with Christian teachings and traditions. A number of Earth
religions consider the spirits of their deceased as very close at
hand. Some prepare meals, bring flowers, burn candles and incense.
Each of us comes from a tradition which shows this respect in a
special way.

Archie was my friend in youth and a good soul. The only
business I ever ran was a summer soft drink stand with Archie.
After the college years, he went his way and I mine. He had his
army stint, got married, raised a family, stayed and worked on the
farm, but always kept a wild streak of fast driving and wanting to
have fun. When they were getting ready to open the new regional
airport near Maysville, he took his boys and their friends for an
high speed auto ride down the runway. The end came quicker than he
thought. The car hit the end, tumbled in cartwheels, the kids were
thrown out and lived, but for Archie it was all over. I often
reflected on his trip to his Maker, and regarded him as a diamond
in the rough. Archie needed a little more time, and that has to
come in eternity. It is a comforting thought that it is not
either/or but a little of both/and in purgatory -- whatever that
state is like. And no one really knows.

Other Souls come and go. Those that linger in hospices and
homes for the elderly and prisons are going through their own
purgation or purifying. They will come out white as the lamb,
often at the time of their passing from this world. They go to the
"light," and all of us encourage them in the making of that last
step. We pray it is comforting and we keep watch with them on
occasions, a truly magnificent work of mercy. While we remember
these people and often pray that our own lingering may be short, we
also know friends and relatives and acquaintances who pass suddenly
from the scene in an auto wreck, or as victims of a crime. We know
that their souls need special attention, special repose, special
compassion, special prayers. In November, we pray for them.

November 8, 2004 Trees and Leaves

Indicators. Trees tell the seasons better than any other
creature -- at least the deciduous trees of the temperate forest.
In spring comes the blossoms and buds which give way to full green
foliage in summer and then all the shades and colors of autumn.
Trees tell us more. Their scars tell the battles of the past. All
of the older trees at ASPI that are still standing are leaning away
from the tornado winds of April, 1974 which did such widespread
damage in the Midwest. The types of trees tell the richness of the
terrain and the type of soil and slope. But nothing reveals trees
better than the sharp early winter winds, when the last leaves fall
and the branches stand out in mute testimony to the age, height,
strength, and health of the particular tree.

Winter Scenes. In younger years, I so hated to see November
come. Within that first week the leaves would fall except for the
white oak which would tenaciously hold on to theirs until almost
spring. The uncovering of the landscape showed us scars we would
just as soon forget. But with time, it began to dawn on me that
the raw beauty of trees spelled out in their shape and bark was
worth anticipating as well. These trees, except during unusual ice
storms, could weather the cold and the snow far better than a
summer drought. And they give a gray to scarlet tone to the winter
countryside, especially at early nightfall.

Benefits. Besides their beauty, trees in all seasons hold the
soil, moderate the climate, provide wood for fuel and a million
uses, and clothe the countryside. In the growing months trees
furnish us and other creatures with sap, fruit, and nuts as well as
leaves to replenish the humus of the soil, and provide nesting
space and shelter for animals. Rotting trees are a store of
nourishment for other forest creatures. In winter certain kinds of
trees deflect the wind and in summer, some give cooling shade.

Companions. I simply like trees and they could be called
spirit creatures in one sense. Which variety do I like best? That
question brings a moment of consternation because so many good
qualities go with each one. Cedars have a rich scent, furnish a
bushy cover, remind me of Christmases past (for that was our simple
locally grown tree, used to decorate the parlors), and the logs can
be cut into boards for chests and boxes or used as fence posts
because of their staying power. The oaks are great, especially the
pin oak because of its stateliness and beautiful shape. I like the
white pines which grow so fast, the dogwood, serviceberry, and
redbud for early blooms, the black locust for its white clusters of
fragrant blooms in May and also its resistance to rot, the maples
for their color and boiled down sap, the hackberry for its rugged
bark, heartiness and its reminder of my limestone homeplace, the
chestnut (if and when they will return) for a hundred reasons, the
wild plum with the most exquisite taste, the sour gum for its red
autumn leaves, the sweet gum for its full leaves and absolute
beauty -- and as many more as there are trees. Joyce Kilmer says -
-"Only God can make a tree." Yes, a marvelous piece of art."

November 9. 2004 Building a Worm Composting Bin

The following is a condensation of a pamphlet put out for Home
Depot by this web master Janet Powell. It is worth considering if
you currently dump compost in the waste designated for a landfill.

Vermicomposting, or composting with earthworms, is an
excellent technique for recycling food and yard waste while
generating a nutrient-rich fertilizer for plants. Vermicomposting
bins are inexpensive and easy to construct.

Materials: One 4x8 foot sheet of 1/2 inch exterior plywood;
one 12-foot length and one 15-foot length of 2x4 lumber; 16d
galvanize nails, 6d galvanize nails, two galvanize door hinges; one
pint clear varnish or polyurethane; optimal plastic sheets for
placing under and over bin; one pound of worms (Eisenia foetida or
commonly called tiger worms) for every half pound of food wastes
produced per day; and bedding for the worms -- moistened shredded
newspaper, cardboard, or brown leaves.

Directions: Using standard carpenter tools, measure and cut
the plywood to make one 24x42-inch top, one of the same dimensions
for the base and two 16x24-inch ends and two 16x42-inch sides. Cut
the 2x4s to make two rectangles and nail with 16d nails at each
joint. Complete the upright framing and nail plywood sides and
bottom pieces. Drill a dozen 1/2 inch holes in the bottom for
drainage. Attach two hinges to the inside of the box frame and
then to the remaining plywood piece in such a way that the door
stands upright when opened. Apply two coats of varnish or
polyurethane for prolonging the box lifetime beyond five years for
an unpainted box. Place box anywhere in a convenient place as long
as temperature is more than 50 degrees F (optimum 55-77 degree F).
It is wise to place a plastic sheet under the box.

Adding worms and waste: Moisten the bedding material for
worms. Excess moisture will drain. Put wet bedding into the box
outdoors and wait until all water has drained. Add about eight
inches to one side of bottom. Put in worms. In time they will work
down into the bedding away from light. Dig a small hole in bedding
and add vegetable and fruit scraps. Cover the hole with bedding.
Small amounts of meat can be added in the same way. Don't add
anything inorganic or potentially hazardous materials.

Maintaining: Keep your pile moist, but not wet; if flies are
a problem, place more bedding material over the wastes. Every
three to six months move the compost to a side of the bin and add
new bedding to the empty side. Add food wastes to the new bedding
only. Within one month worms will crawl over the new bedding and
the finished compost on the old side can be harvested. Then add
new bedding to the old side. If ants prove to be a problem, add a
small strip of petroleum jelly around top of bin.

For further information see -- The Worm Woman's Web Site by
Mary Appelhof at <http://www.wormwoman.com>.

Condolences to the loved ones of Mary Appelhof, June 11, 1936 - May 4, 2005.
Click here to read Mary's obituary.

November 10, 2004 Do We have Democracy?

Along with Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy,
an enduring myth of our society is the belief that the United
States is a democracy. By What Authority, Fall 2000 p. 3.

Quo warranto (by what authority?) is an ancient Latin
expression which refers to a sovereign's command to halt continuing
exercise of illegitimate privileges and authority. The phrase
captures the spirit of many of us activists in this country today,
who regard "we the people" as true sovereigns in a democracy. We
need to question our federal and state officials who give giant
business corporations illegitimate authority. As a group we go on
to say that a minority of the giant corporation directors are
privileged by this continuing illegitimate authority, and that they
are backed by police, courts and the military. We are convinced
that it is these illegitimate authorities who today define the
public good, deny people our human and constitutional rights,
dictate to our communities and govern the Earth.

The thesis of this group "The Program on Corporations, Law and
Democracy" is powerful and resonates with many of us. This is
especially true of those who support radical change in governance
and who call into question the power of corporations in the
globalizing world in which we live. We question the power of the
money which is used to buy the media space, run the candidates,
tell them what the special interests want them to vote for, and
essentially take over the government of our country. The most
telling portion of this thesis is that our own myths about
democracy are based on small choices which we think are big ones
such as which cereal to purchase or which event will we attend this
evening. Bigger concerns seem to go unnoticed such as the
corporate control over legislative initiatives.

The process of democracy is ongoing, a critical word, a
revolutionary word. C. Douglas Lummis in Radical Democracy says
that this democracy is a birthright that has been stolen by those
who would rule over the people, to add legitimacy to their rule.

The ramifications are immense. Even in the beginning of the
Republic, the Founding Fathers did not see the democratic process
in its fullness. In fact, they postponed facing the slavery issue,
which was resolved only with much soul-searching and conflict
eighty years later. They allowed only white landholding males the
right to vote in the beginning, and expanding to others took 150
years and then some. From early on, they allowed corporations to
act as persons and thus acquire certain "rights" which have been
coupled with accumulated wealth (and power) until this day. Today
this corporate power goes beyond borders and is now enveloping the
world. Can the corporations be stopped? The answer rests in an
affirmation of the power which we truly believe rests with the
people, the solemn power to stand up and be counted in a way that
calls others to attention. Now is the time to do this.

November 11, 2004 Confronting Mortality: The Afterlife

Armistice Day used to be a time of remembering those who gave
their all for the country, their values and the peace they helped
ensure, a peace which we keep through our willingness to live, die
and participate in the resurrection. When Christ was confronted
with so-called problems about the afterlife by those who did not
believe in it (Luke 20:27-28), he affirmed life -- present and to
come. The resurrection from the dead is an affirmation of a
profoundly new life, not a continuation of current earthly living,
but something truly new. But it affirms fuller life, a life beyond
death. Karl Rahner speaks of beginning to die the day we are born.
Living is also dying. For some with life-threatening illnesses the
impact is great. For healthy people, the gusto of the moment omits
reflection on the afterlife.

Perfect Season. For dwellers in the northern temperate
climate, November brings the dying of the growing season. Sharper
winds are heralds of profound changes in life's journey. We
imagine that if the year were a lifetime for the average person,
each month is about six and a half years and those of us in our
late sixties would thus be in the late November of life. A six-
year old is in January and one reaching majority is in the April of
life. Thus older folks become more pensive during November for it
really is their month, a time of reflection, thanksgiving and
reflection on the last things.

Unpleasant thoughts. Granted, few look forward to the end
except those with life threatening maladies and great discomfort.
To think of death could be depressing and takes the smile out of
living. The masters of spiritual growth say we should think of
death on occasion. Some monks go out each day and dig a shovel
full from their grave, and if they could have a hefty spadeful they
would have a six-foot deep grave dug in a short time -- as we
visitors would observed in the old days at Gethsemani Abbey. But
on Armistice Day, our thoughts go back to the millions who died on
Flanders fields, where the mud and blood mixed. Like the story of
the seven brother martyrs (II Maccabees 7,1-2, 9-14) who held fast
to their principles, the soldiers of these world wars were willing
to sacrifice very much for a cause worth fighting for.

Unrealistic denials. The daily obituary columns act like a
drum beat telling us that others die. The dream of youth to escape
death is an illusion. Realists prepare for their last hour. For
us seniors time goes faster and faster. When you are five it takes
a fifth of a lifetime for Christmas to roll around; now for us in
our 70s it takes about one or two percent. Living seems to
accelerate as the end advances closer and closer. What is still in
store? Many people want no part of death, and thus use such
terms as "passing on" or "resting place." They do not face the
future, only giving a passing comment on how natural corpses look.
Shakespeare writes that "cowards die many times before their
death." What we must do is face death, reaffirm life both now and
after life. Let this November remind us of our life's journey.

November 12, 2004 Work on a Nature Trail

After the leaves fall we are tempted to say, "Well, that does
it for the outdoors this year." Not so fast. The opposite is
really the case. When the winter season is open to outdoors work
we have much to do because the summer foliage is gone. It is a
perfect time to lay and complete trails and to maintain those
already built. It's an opportunity to assist cash-strapped
maintenance people at nature centers or in the public forest to
pick up litter, straighten out trails, halt erosion or help with
signage or blocking entrances from trespassing vehicles or other
intrusive devices. November is a good month for trail work -- in
fact one of the best if the weather permits.

Benefits. Trail work has a number of advantages: an
opportunity to get exercise and fresh air; a social event, for it
lends itself to group undertakings; suitable chores for people of
various physical energy levels; a tangible product which can be
pointed to as a tangible achievement; needed assistance to nature
trail groups; a non-destructive use of the great outdoors; and an
investment for the enjoyment of many future trail users.

Building more trails. This country needs a more integrated
trail system on a par with our excellent road system. Some effort
must be made to create this at the local and state level, to
establish camp or lodging sites, post uniform signs and maps, set
up safe crossings at busy highways, develop a comprehensive
maintenance system, and publicize the opportunities in building and
using nature trails. Besides public trails there are numerous
private ones. Several simple rules apply: build a trail after
planning and be aware that disturbed land erodes; lay it out on
the contour and not up and down slopes; use chips or sawdust or
other coverings, if possible, though this may prove a burden to
carry into the area; run the trail so that it does not cross other
properties and so there are controlled entrances and exits; place
barriers such as "Texas Crossings" (parallel sharp angle
passageways through which large livestock cannot maneuver) or
fencing where off-road vehicles may penetrate the trail system;
consider the difficulty factor for the walkers of the trail;
remove hidden stumbling blocks (boulders, downed tree trunks,
roots, half buried fencing); and put up signs if visitors may be
prone to wander off the trail..

Make trails serviceable. A proper trail is designated to
deliver a complete nature experience, well built to minimize
erosion, well equipped with bridges or steps where needed, and well
described so the participant will understand all of the notable
things worth seeing or even feeling (for blind hikers). Nature
trails may be classified according to various degrees of exertion,
reserving portions reserved for less mobile persons. The trail
surface may be hardened by traditional paving or by new plastic
substances which mix with soil into all-season walkways able to
accommodate wheelchair users. Markers, designated signs and audio-
tape units prove serviceable when human guides are absent.

November 13, 2004 Searching for Community

So many people today are looking for community in their lives.
We find this especially among the younger folks who leave a college
community setting and look for alternatives. The fact is that many
existing communities do not satisfy them and so the search goes on.
Perhaps they will be able to find that community in very different
ways and forms.

God is at work in the world creating in an ongoing manner,
redeeming in an act which extends in space and time, and renewing
or giving even a greater creation to the wounded world about us.
This work is a community project, beyond the powers of individuals
and point to the very nature of God. People are individuals, two
partners are a couple, but a trinity of persons calls forth
something more -- a community. Even if the mystery of God's
nature were not revealed, it would soon become evident in the
experience and social scientific study of people creatively at work
in teams and groups for a single purpose. Mystery is interwoven
within community efforts.

The community of committed healers must make its presence felt
for all to come and see and join in the needed tasks. It must
start small at the grassroots but with time the small can take on
much larger dimensions:

The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took
and sowed in a field. It is the smallest seed of all the seeds,
yet when full grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a
large bush and then birds of the sky come and dwell in its
branches. (Matthew 13:31-32)

Whether mustard seeds are the smallest may be questioned -- but
they are small. I remember one small mustard plant in our solar
greenhouse which grow to the ceiling twelve feet up there. No
other greenhouse herb came near beating that stunt. From small
groups can come strong publicly visible communities. Communities
need to start small and in time can grow to their full potential.

Jane Blewett writes about "Community at the Heart of the
Universe" (The Ecozoic Reader, Autumn, 2000) and this is certainly
an aspect of our discerning process about the world in which we
live. Of course, for Christians, this is not new, for it is the
manifestation of the strong Trinitarian flavor of our world. For
the created or creating world points to the Creator's glory.
There is much fruit here for meditation -- and it is well worth
this month's free time. For we move from the communities of saints
and suffering and folks on earth to the bounty of God's creation,
and the month culminates in a special thanksgiving week.

Readings: At Home in the Web of Life: A Pastoral Message on
Sustainable Communities in Appalachia Celebrating the 20th
Anniversary of "This Land is Home to Me" from the Catholic Bishops
of Appalachia.

November 14, 2004 Know the Seasons -- the Now of Our Life

...When will this happen, then, and what sign will there be
that this is about to take place? (Luke 21:7)

Knowing the times. Know what season it is and be willing to
live it fully. In November, we need to become alert enough to
observe the changes, and to be a certain calming influence for
those around us.

Security in the Lord. This involves a fear and also a trust.
Our fear should be in the name of the Lord and not in what others
can do to us -- whether at the World Trade Center or on an
airplane. Materialists have a wrongly placed fear; they do not
fear a God who they ignore, and they place their trust, not in God,
but in insurance, anti-ballistic missiles, a wallet, credit cards,
college degrees, locks, fast heavy car, good friends, a full
pantry, an alarm system, and on and on.

Last of the ages. While we live the present moment we are
also aware that this is the end of the ages, or at least the
geologic ages which have existed for billions of years. If we
consider the Earth's age as a single year, Christ comes in the last
moments. He will come again, and even though he postpones his
visit out of patience, he will surely come soon because good
Christians continue to call for him. There is a sense of
expectancy, like that of the family awaiting a soldier's return
from war and without phone or other means of communication.

The past was not perfect; the future can be better. We each
have a dissatisfaction with the immediate past whether within our
individual lives or that of our culture. We can improve by the
grace of God and hope for a better future. The expectant person is
looking to the future like those in the Prophet Malachi's day
awaited the fulfillment of promises.

Appreciative people preserve their serenity. We can thank God
for the opportunity and serve the Almighty in these times. We need
to combine this appreciative act with that of keen observation of
what has happened in our lives and that of the world around us. We
are often blinded by believing that consumer goods will solve all
problems, that a position will satisfy us, that a little more
insurance is needed. Keen observation involves asking the right
questions and listening for the response from wherever it will
come. Remember, materialists are distracted by glitzy things and
fail to focus on what is important in their lives; they become
fogged in and are unable to see beyond the nose on their face.

Freely giving thanks. Jesus tells us to be aware of the
times. Know the seasons as well. Now, the season of autumn, is
the time of slowing down, of coming in more often from the
outdoors, of preparing for the long winter ahead, of reflection by
the fire place, of thanksgiving at the dinner table for gifts
given, and of the free time to pray and praise God's goodness.

November 15, 2004 God's Creation

This season of thanksgiving is perfect for reviewing those
aspects of God's creation which are more proximate to us. Some
prefer to start with the vast universe with its incomprehensible
distances of light measured in the years it takes for a beam to
travel at the speed of light. The astronomical distances is just
that: beyond what can be understood easily by the human mind. In
that vast space, we see the tiny specks of stars twinkling over us
with a warmth within us. The ancients thought it was the lights of
a dome God created. With scientific learning, the dome vanished
but the stars remain as mysterious distances.

Here, now, and we. Yes, creation may be reviewed in the
heavens, but country boys like me prefer this humble Earth. I
accept the word of others on those distances but can find each
value there. I don't like the they (persons who distance themselves
from me in their learning), the then (some incomprehensible
distance back in time), and the there (out in the macrocosmic sea
of vast distances and cosmic dust). See Down to Earth
Spirituality. Let's rather start with the grandeur of God's
creation that is just below my feet, that I touch with my hands,
that I know from immediate experience -- the Earth not as a speck
in the void but the ground of my being. The Earth's dust is my
origin and this mortal body will soon enough return to. It is the
mother of us all, warm, living, a microcosm. Starting here allows
me to find myself in the here (where I am located), the now (this
very moment), and the we (the community of believers who help me be
myself).

A Fundamental Vision? The whole universe shows the handiwork
of and presence of the Creator (Psalm 24), but where is it clearer
except when nearer? No far reaches, only to the mind and heart
where the law of God is written. God admires all that is made and
finds it good (Genesis 1:3). What is here can be personally
inspected and blessed. God's imprint is with us at this point, for
God is with us, Emmanuel. Once when I was explaining that I
start in the Microcosmos, Michael Dowd, a writer and devotee of the
"Universe Story" with its macrocosmic emphasis, asked whether I
could explain the microcosm in the manner that others of this age
explain the macrocosmos. I find this story to be a bit of
evolutionary fundamentalism -- hardly removed from holding the
world was created in seven literal days -- only so many billion
years. This remains devoid of an authentic theological content.

The Answer Begs the Question. I believe the question of
describing the microcosm was sincere and deserves more than what I
said then. Each of us should examine the created world around us.
To fail is to show disrespect. True, it is hard to describe the
atoms and molecules of chemistry which goes so much beyond mere
observation. Then let's move beyond to the world of geology,
botany, zoology, biochemistry, and other disciplines. And let's go
to the notebook and take the field notes of a careful observer, not
a scientist. Describing creation has a beauty all its own.

November 16, 2004 Ten Reasons for Dry Composting Toilets

1. Major water conservation. The dry composting toilet is
just that -- dry. Water is not wasted as a carrier of the sewage,
since the effective "flushing agent" is sawdust, leaves, dry grass
clipping, or other carbonaceous materials. Instead of using often
potable high-quality water to carry waste materials to a sewage
disposal plant, the composting operation occurs at the site of
deposition and with no carrier water wasted or requiring
reprocessing. Most homes and facilities witness a fifty percent or
more drop in domestic water consumption because water is not needed
to flush the toilets.

2. Lower installation cost. This is a potential savings
because some would purchase and still have to install a commercial
dry composting toilet. These commercial ones could cost as much as
$5,000 -- much of which is heavy shipping containers. However,
people can build the device themselves for only about $200 - $500
for container materials, chute, seat, fan and ventilation pipes and
save construction and hauling charges. If one considers normal
sewer hookup, cost of the commode portion of indoor plumbing, sewer
pipes and plumber costs in the installment, along with the cost of
specific fixtures, homeowners could realize savings of up to
several thousand dollars by building the composting toilet
themselves in their own facilities.

3. Teaching simple living. The largest hurdle to the
popularity of the dry composting toilet is the misunderstanding
that this is an old-fashioned outhouse. That isn't true.
Outhouses did not undergo aerobic decomposition as does the
composting toilet, and thus they generated methane and unpleasant
odors. This misunderstanding carries over into policy-making
discussion at the local, state and even national levels. The
safety, low cost, and odor-free nature of these aerobic devices
require better information dissemination, and no one is better able
to do this than the proud owners of composting toilets. The
conversation comes soon enough with your visitors and the
opportunity exists to give a pitch for utilizing one's discarded
materials and not exporting them to another's backyard.

4. Waste emission reduction. The burden of caring for
municipal sewage and for furnishing homes with larger amounts of
domestic water (used for flushing purposes) is well known. In a
number of places the sewer systems break down and require costly
repairs as well as the risk of contaminating local streams and
waterways. In poorer parts of America "straight pipes" send this
effluent from the bathrooms directly into creeks and streams. This
is all eliminated by the composting toilet.

5. Global warming reduction. An estimated 5% of all methane,
a major global warming agent, is produced by wastewater treatment
facilities. The total methane generation is reduced through aerobic
composting methods. Methane, a gaseous product of anaerobic
decomposition, is part of the burden inflicted on the general
environment -- a troublesome phenomenon.

6. Retain local economic resources. The draining of money to
generally large-scale outside contractors through major municipal
water and sewage system construction projects occurs frequently.
This is especially true in poorer areas where construction firms
are not available to build mega-million dollar sewer and waste
treatment facilities. The dry composting toilet may be accompanied
by a constructed or artificial wetland, which is a gravel-filled
bed covered with wood chips, and into which excess water enters and
evaporates through the leaves of flowers, bamboo or other plants
growing in the chips. These composting toilet and wetland
combinations can be built using local talent and thus the money
remains within the community for further circulation and community
economic health.

7. Plumbers' bills decline. The dry composting toilet has far
less chance of breaking down because it is so simple. If a child
drops a toy down the hole, it may take some fishing but it doesn't
need an expensive plumber to do it. In fact, there is no plumbing
to the non-washing portion of the bathroom -- and thus no need of
a plumber.

8. Wood waste reduction. The use of organic matter as a
diluting and composting medium could help eliminate the sawdust
waste problem in timber processing parts of Appalachia and forested
America. Wood and other carbonaceous waste products often
accumulate and become a water and land contamination problem in
themselves. The greater the number of composting toilets, the
lesser the amount of leaves and other such materials that need be
sent to hard-pressed and overflowing landfills.

9. Composted product reuse. The resulting composted product
looks like sawdust or the carbonaceous materials added, has no
odor, and can be safely utilized to enhance organic soil content
for shrubs, flowers, lawn, trees, berries and even vegetables and
herbs after observing simple safeguards. The compost is best used
on non-root edibles, but after careful heating under plastic in the
sun the composted material can even be used for root crops.

10. Beauty of constructed wetlands. Composting toilet owners
need to consider the greywater which comes from washing hands,
dishes and clothes. Some of this water may get contaminated by
dirty diapers or other forms of contamination. The answer is the
constructed wetlands which can be built as a coupled device to the
composting toilet to a size determined by state regulations. This
can be built at relatively low cost and with enough capacity to
handle both greywater (from hand or dish washing operations) and
even black water (what is flushed in the toilet proper), if need
be. The required land is far less than for septic tank leach
fields, and it can grow beautiful flowers which are watered and fed
by the waste materials coming from the house. In many places the
constructed wetlands have substituted for flowerbeds.

November 17, 2004 Darkness Comes

The phenomenon. Days are getting shorter. My dad had three
early morning expressions: September to December 21, "The Days are
getting shorter;" December 21 to sometime in late March, "The Days
are short;" and from late March to September, "There is a lot of
work to be done." Now we really note that the sunlight is less and
less. Each month is about one hour more or less in daylight and
each day about one minute more or less at dawn and dusk. This is
due to how the ancients defined a length of time as hour or minute.
I have never heard anyone confirm this, but it is undoubtedly true
from a common sense perspective. For those who live by sunup and
sundown, the work load in daylight hours is so vitally important
that we keenly observe the differences in the days and nights.

Appreciate darkness. I must admit that I have always had that
awareness of daylight hours, even with good light to tide us
through to the next day. Having said this, I know also that our
religious culture is heavily laden with love of light and fear or
dread of darkness. That is why optimists may say that upon dying
a soul is going to the light, and the pessimists will say a body is
buried -- in the dark grave. Amid it all, there is need for
darkness in our natural world. Here, the cycle of life is
completed as much as it is done through the photosynthetic
processes of light. Chemical reactions, bodily functions,
composting processes and nocturnal animals are active in the dark.
Also the body must rest in darkness whether from day to day at
night, or eternally. We need the darkness to form a rhythm with
light, and are unable to appreciate one without the other.

Seasons pass. The marked accentuation of the seasons in the
temperate climate offers us an opportunity to appreciate
differences -- in the trees and plant life, in the weather
patterns, in the actions of animals and our own moods, and in the
activities which are required for each season. There is no doubt
that for older people colder weather is harder on health and their
own physical mobility. Thus, the shortening of the days calls our
attention to those two favorite questions demanding non-committal
responses "Are you alright?" and "Don't you hate winter?" If both
answers are not affirmative, you have just stepped into a muddy
puddle of unwanted discussion. We have to understand that the yes
to winter's unwelcome arrival does not change the length of
darkness, but only allows us to endure it better.

The good side of darkness. This is a time to stay more at
home, to pile on more blankets, to get to bed earlier without
regrets, to get cozy, to focus on plans for the next season, to
give attention to straightening up the room, to consider personal
health, to think about the bad effects of too much ultraviolet
light in full sunlight of the other seasons, to appreciate light
when we have it, to find the ideal time to pray, to look at
suffering as something to be both endured and offered in sacrifice,
and to hope for the coming of new light. And don't forget to
start preparing for the Christmas season.

November 18, 2004 The Turkey, A National Bird

Turkeys in times past. Benjamin Franklin wanted to make the
turkey the national bird, but was overruled -- thus we have the
bald eagle. When young, I could never fathom Franklin's
suggestion. For one thing, there was a dearth of wild turkeys at
that time, even though we had domesticated ones. I remember as a
tiny toddler I hated venturing outside at my grandparents' place
because they had the so-called tame variety, and the gobbler would
challenge young children. Around and around the farm house I ran,
with the large gobbler with fluffed up feathers right on my heels.
My vocal commotion broke up the traditional euchre game, and all
the players and relatives came pouring out on the porch and howled
with laughter at the sight -- until my compassionate uncle rescued
me from the monster. I always liked baked turkey henceforth, and
always hated euchre.

Turkeys today. Now with even fall and spring wild turkey
hunting seasons in my native Mason County, Kentucky I am more
inclined to understand the prevalence of that type of fowl in early
American history -- and its happy or unfortunate return. You see,
now we are plagued by too many wild turkeys in Kentucky and in
other parts of the nation. Our statewide flock is estimated at
150,000 (and growing), though a number of younger ones will not
survive a normal winter -- thus the reason for the fall hunting.

Coming ever nearer. This past summer, a female turkey
challenged me in the large garden with many clucks and alarms.
Undoubtedly she had a brood of young ones stashed away somewhere
close in the underbrush -- and was telling me I was unwelcome in
the garden. Certainly the garden abounds with wildlife and we tend
to plant things none of them like, though we thought the animals
would leave the pumpkins alone. A big buck kept charging the
pumpkins to break them open. It happens they like the seeds. As
for turkeys they leave much of the summer growth alone but go for
beans -- a broadly-liked crop which we grow in protected plots.

Love/Hate Relationship. I think there is a certain beauty to
turkeys even though I believe their shaggy heads more resemble
those of vultures. Their heads seem awfully small for their bodies
but they are really quite crafty and able to adapt to the climate
and terrain. I love their ability to sustain themselves, but it
does not come without a cost. People tell us that many of our
endangered understory flowers of Appalachia will be damaged or
threatened further by foraging bands of wild turkeys. With
expanded populations of turkeys, we could see far more damage.

Second choice. We have expanding deer, geese, rabbit and now
turkey populations, but we have fewer natural predators, such as
the red fox. Maybe the arrival of the coyote from the west will
fill the missing niche. Only time will tell. All in all, I favor
giving the turkey co-national status with the bald eagle because it
is native, hardy, abundant, able to survive, good at providing a
delicious meat for the hungry, and it is very much at home here.

November 19, 2004 Reread Lincoln's Gettysburg Address

Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this
continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the
proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that
nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure.
We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to
dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for
those who here gave their lives that this nation might live. It is
altogether fitting and proper that we should do so.

But in a larger sense we can not dedicate -- we can not
consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men,
living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above
our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor
long remember, what we say here, but it will never forget what they
did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to
the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so
nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be dedicated here to the
great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we
take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave their
full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these
dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God,
shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the
people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the
earth.

Given by President A. Lincoln
November 19, 1863 at Gettysburg, PA

November 20, 2004 Promote the Hermitage

Ideal place. Mid-autumn is a good time to think of getting
away from it all and going to a quiet place for prayer and
reflection -- to be alone. Even later in winter when the snow
comes and there is really no where else to go, a small cabin or
residence away from it all would be an ideal place to be. Today,
enough people are recognizing this fact that a number of religious
communities and others are promoting the hermitage as the ideal
place for a period in one's busy and stressful life.

Access, proximity, distance, location. An ideal hermitage is
within easy reach of enough people to make it worthwhile,
accessible but not too much so, close to other persons but not too
close, primitive but not too much so. It is the combination of
accessibility and isolation that makes for an ideal site.
Traveling a distance does not bother most people and so the actual
location does not seem as important as other factors. Some would
find a cabin at the edge of a cleared field but looking over a lake
or the east or west distant hills to be ideal. For the rural
dweller, that may not be isolated. Others would a duplex or
clustered single hermitages for those who wish to have others in
proximity. Being near nature is a drawing card and so having
trees, wildflowers, and some harmony of water and land are all
attractive. Having the porch or outdoor sitting place out of sight
of a near hermit neighbor or other resident may prove important.
However, vegetative barriers can help create this opportunity.

Accommodations. In the interest of economy the hermit cares
for the tidiness of the indoors and immediate outdoor surroundings.
Maid service would cost more and be a detriment to the solitude.
But this is an ideal educational opportunity to teach simple living
techniques such as photovoltaic lighting and ventilation, use of
dry composting toilet, cisterns and constructed wetlands, a small
garden plot to allow one to touch the soil, and an economy of
space. The last is arranged by having an upper loft (for those who
can climb easily) with a larger sitting/kitchen space. Some prefer
taking religious exercise and food with a community and so the
eating space also could be omitted in given circumstances.
Substantial buildings made with local materials in mind would be
more ideal than using materials imported from a great distance.
For instance, a cordwood building made from nearby trees would be
ideal in the woods than one made from imported lumber or even hay
bales (see ASPI Technical paper 70).

See for yourself. Resolve to visit a hermitage, stay in one
already built, plan one in the remote part of the property, ask
others to experience one, or simply discuss a hermitage experience
with a person who has spent time in one. We begin to appreciate
why there were hermits in Syria and Egypt in the late Roman Empire.
In some ways, the times may be similar today to 1700 years ago. In
fact, recent reports state that growing numbers of people wish to
be designated as hermits and others want to experiment with use of
a hermitage for prayer.

November 21, 2004 Throne or Cross

The Church year and the calendar year draw rapidly to a close,
and the holiday and shopping seasons are upon us. At this time,
many Christians focus on the feast of Christ the King, who was not
crowned on a royal throne, but on a most despised instrument of
torture -- a cross for crucifixion. He is Lord of lords, and yet
he has redefined royalty by this action. His royal line actually
is drawn not in blood or kingly succession but in serving others in
a more humble order.

Royalty takes new forms. We hear the questions to Jesus by
Pilate -- a scared petty Roman bureaucrat, who was trying to hold
on his minor position by some act of good will to the mobs before
him. Jesus speaks of being a king but not in the sense that Pilate
knows, rather a throne which ends on the cross of ignominy. While
Hope Cook became a queen of Bhutan and Grace Kelly a Princess of
Monaco, still only a tiny number of people can ever become monarchs
or come close to them. Such chances fade for, while in 1900 90% of
the world's people lived under monarchies, now in the twenty-first
century less than 10% and falling. Royal thrones are few, but
crosses, in this age of plenty, multiply. We can't be royal
monarchs but we can enter into the service of sacrifice for others
and thus be kingly in our own right.

All things are fleeting. A hundred years ago, Queen Victoria
of England celebrated her diamond anniversary. Rudyard Kipling
wrote for the occasion the poem that made many, who thought the
Empire's lasting glory should never be questioned, somewhat angry
...
The tumult and the shouting dies,
the captains and the kings depart,
Still stands the ancient sacrifice,
the humble and contrite of heart
Lord God of hosts be with us yet
Lest we forget, lest we forget.

Those few who ascend royal earthly thrones see them as fragile.
Where is the Empress of India? A billion would laugh at that idea
today, but not a century ago. However, two billion Christians
glory in the cross of Christ. Power rests here when storm clouds
hang low and lightning flashes and the earth trembles -- yet it
takes faith to perceive his power and glory where crowds cast dice
and squabbled over his simple garments. The cross is an instrument
of suffering. How should a good God allow this?

The Cross is a kingly throne. We are being delivered into the
kingdom of his beloved Son -- the image of the invisible God, the
firstborn of all creation.... in him all things hold together (Col.
1: 12-20). The contrast of earthly majestic throne and rugged
cross is astounding, and yet it is part of the unfolding mystery
which we are asked to contemplate on this great day. The entire
creation is held together through the cross, not by earthly power.
Will I choose a throne or a cross?

November 22, 2004 Autumn Tasks: Winterizing the Garden

We get ready for winter in a great number of ways. The
following are suggestions with regard to winterizing your garden.

Put up the cold frames. Protecting plants from winter's
temperature is important but less so than protecting them from the
blasts of the cold winds. Temperatures generally peak at mid-
afternoon and then decline during the night. The cold frame
maintains a more even temperature throughout the entire 24-hour
period. In the autumn, plant those crops which can withstand
colder temperatures. We take a number of vegetables like celery
indoors because it cannot survive. Of course, most tomatoes are
sensitive to cold weather, but tommy toes do quite well in the
solar greenhouse even with some lower temperatures after the plants
have bloomed the first time. In almost all cases, the vegetable or
herb will continue to thrive for several cooler months with little
but wind protection from a cold frame.

Protection. Cloth crop covers made of cotton or synthetic
fibers are sufficient until the weather gets bitterly cold. Heavy
covers of chopped leaves are sufficient for some of the hardy
greens. For more elaborate protection a solar greenhouse or a
permanent cold frame with insulated sides and a south-facing glass
cover are recommended. We have a solar greenhouse which also
furnishes about 40% of our winter heat on sunny days and thus
serves as a solar stove. This greenhouse has a 2000-gallon water
tank which stores the heat during the day and releases it on
wintery nights to help sustain the vegetables. Though recent
winters have been mild, we still never experience freezes in the
solar greenhouse. With proper protection and captured heat
sources, many vegetables can thrive and even grow during winter.

Winter crop choices. I have found that mustard does not do
well in the greenhouse and could be better left in the field. I
also leave such root crops as Jerusalem artichokes and onions until
needed, as well as carrots -- except that little varmints will also
like to get to them. A number of favorite winter vegetables
include the brassicas (collards, cabbage, kale, broccoli, etc.)
along with Swiss chard, parsley, turnips, Japanese radishes,
endive, beets, and spinach. Lettuce will linger but is often the
first harvested because frost ruins it. I find salsify (oyster
plant) endures the winter quite well, and is good for Thanksgiving
and Christmas meals when cooked with milk, butter, salt and pepper.
Dandelions are very hardy and are an all-year nutritious delicacy
which I have harvested in every winter month, though I cook them in
the non-spring ones. Within the solar greenhouse we grow dill,
Swiss chard, tomatoes, mint, parsley, and potted flowers. We also
store a nice supply of ladybugs to combat the aphids.

A little more care. One can have vegetables throughout the
year, but the autumn is the critical time to prepare for the more
difficult winter months. Without some kind of proper protection,
most cooler weather plants will still struggle.

November 23, 2004 Corporate Agriculture

November is a time of reflection and appreciation for the
bounty of the Earth. How is this bounty harvested in this land of
plenty? Certainly our American history has been one of small and
medium-sized farms and energetic farmers growing the crops that has
fed a country and world. However, the scene has changed as we face
massive agribusiness ventures which currently provide a growing
portion of America's food. But this modern trend may not continue.
Good ecology points to small-scale gardening alternatives.

Alternatives. In agribusiness ventures, crops are generally
cultivated and harvested by farm workers who do back-breaking tasks
for long periods of time at low wages, with poor lodging, no share
in the profits, and hazardous (pesticide-contaminated) working
conditions. In domestic gardens, on the other hand, the gardener
can mix work with leisure, does this in a chemical- and
pesticide-free area, and is not required to work long periods of
time in miserable conditions. Gardeners can enjoy the fruits of
their toil and share these with others in need.

Vanishing agricultural lands. Through responsible gardening
one becomes aware that small amounts of land can grow much food.
The rapid urbanization of our country has taken agricultural land
out of food production and put it into housing and commercial
development. Today, there is one hectare (2.4 acres) of cultivated
land per four persons on this planet. With the rapid population
increases expected for some time in the foreseeable future, the
amount of land per person will decrease further during the 21st
century. One answer to the loss of prime agricultural land is the
high-yielding domestic garden. About one-tenth of an acre can
supply half of a person's yearly food needs, especially with
emphasis on such bulk crops as potatoes or sweet potatoes. If the
person lives on a vegetarian diet, an additional one-tenth of an
acre could grow the extra bulk and special crops needed to meet
basic individual human needs. If the person's diet includes animal
products, then considerably more land (at least two or three times
as much) is needed to furnish the feed and pasture for livestock.

The haves and nave-nots. The world is divided between the
haves (with superabundance) and the have-nots (with varying degrees
of destitution). Social justice calls us to share the resources of
this limited planet with others, so that all have the basic needs
for a modest quality of life. "We have in this world," as Gandhi
says, "enough for our need but not our greed." Growing a garden
gives us confidence that basic necessities can be produced.
Certainly the Earth is bountiful, if we use it respectfully. The
wish that the Earth's have-nots obtain enough land for growing
their own food seems farther from reality with each passing year as
the pace of urbanization quickens. In Third World countries much
of the best agricultural land is coopted and used for producing
First World luxuries such as cut flowers in Columbia and shrimp in
Bangladesh, or higher priced, resource intensive foods such as
coffee in Latin America and Africa or beef in Brazil.

November 24, 2004 Will Your Organs to Others

Several thoughts converge in late November: thankfulness over
gifts received; willingness to confront our mortality and possible
sudden passing; and wishing to share profoundly with others as the
holiday season approaches. Maybe we could add to this the
melancholy mood which seems to be a time to consider profound
thoughts.

A fellow Jesuit in Milwaukee received a liver transplant from
the young victim of an accident. He invited the parents and
relatives of this donor over for a dinner and expressed his deep
appreciation for the young man's sacrifice and his own added years
of life. It was a very moving event and suddenly makes us
understand what sharing organs means.

The Thanksgiving season is really the best time to consider
the healthy bodies we have been blessed with for some length of our
life's journey. Some weakness and aches begin to come; we may
observe and suffer from damaged and weakened body parts, and we
might even have major problems. But many of our organs have served
us well, even at times compensating for the ones which are less
than perfect. If we have sight and hearing, we have very much to
be thankful for; if we are mobile and have good use of kidneys and
lungs, we have much more to be thankful for. The Lord gives;
blessed be the Lord.

Are we willing to will it? Many of us carry a driver's
license or other document which tells that we are willing to donate
our organs, if we happen to have an accident. It is a matter of
minutes for the decisions to be made and someone else will benefit
and be thankful for a liver or kidney or other function organ for
a lifetime. Yes, we find it harder to part with life, and to think
how it could occur at the most unexpected moment. But it does
happen, and we need to prepare insurance and other ways of the
final arrangements. Why not think about our organs as gifts?

The profound sharing of what we hold dear may give a far
higher quality of life to another person. Consider how much this
recipient will appreciate what we have done in this sharing
process. We have heard of rare cases in which a kidney is needed
by a patient and a blood relative says "the Lord has given me two,
and there is only need for one." This donation while living is a
great sacrifice and makes us all wonder what we would do under such
circumstances. In a very rare case recently, one sibling donated
a kidney and the donor died and the recipient lives. Would we give
up this extra organ that we have in case of future need for the
sake of a person who has none? It is far more difficult than
parting with one of two coats or one of two cars. Organ donation
at the time of death is a sharing, but do we have real need of that
body part on our journey to the light? Why keep extra baggage?
That is easier said than done -- but there is something to be said
for even expressing it.

November 25, 2004 A Thanksgiving Checklist and Prayer

At this Thanksgiving season consider things of special
importance which the entire group can given thanks to God for.
Try not to include the many overlooked areas of our lives:

Life in its fullness
Our faith in God and Hopes for the future
Loving people in our lives
Personal and family health
Talents and their use
Our democratic birthright
Peace in the land
Law enforcement officers
Our American Constitution and Bill of Rights
The opportunity to express oneself
Communications and the Internet
Transportation systems and modes of travel
Nutritious food in abundance
The air we breathe
Social services
A roof over our heads
Health care
Church leaders and service people
A history of caring people
Personal protection from harm
Love of those who sacrifice all.

A Thanksgiving Prayer

Oh, Just One, the bounty of our land tells us that You have
given us much. We beg too often and we thank You too rarely. We
begin to sense that a pure uncalled-for thanks is a precious moment
and grand undertaking. Thanks for the beginnings of peace and
justice in a world. Thanks for the bounty of the land, the
admiration and inspiration of others, the memories of the
brightness of springtime, the warmth of summer, the glory of
autumn, and the restfulness of winter's blanket. Thanks for the
strength to appreciate the gifts given and for the sensitivity and
willingness to share with the needy.

November 26, 2004 Shopping Tips

This topic title involves a problem. Why do we need tips to
shop, if we know what we are going to buy? Offering tips means
acknowledging the shopping "addiction" and hoping the budding
addict will not buy too much. On this, the nation's premier
shopping day, must we join the rush because of panic buying? Face
it, this is what everyone else is doing and we become part of the
consumer crowd. If we have money, we must spend it; if we have a
mall, we must use it; if we have a craving, we must fulfill it.
The following shopping tips will not make the ad agencies happy.

* Services, not purchases. Consider presents which are not
merchandise such as donations in one's name or services, or
homemade items with some of your own heart and soul in the gift.

* Rummage around first. Go to home storage areas and look and
see whether needs may be met with items that you don't want to
keep, or items that may be a very good gift for a loved one.

* Construct the list. Don't go shopping unless you precisely
know what you want. You may know the item but not the specifics
and so end up examining the merchandise.

* Look for sales. Once you have decided to make the trip, it
may be best to look in the newspaper or ask around when the best
bargains will occur. It may be the come-ons at Thanksgiving time
or be patient and wait for the after Christmas sales, which will
prove good as well. Remember that many stores simply mark up
prices and then reduce them to normal while calling it a "sale."
Don't fall for that old trick.

* Budget your shopping time. Those who plan to spend the
whole day shopping are prime targets for impulse buying. But allow
enough time so you won't run over someone in the parking lot, the
most dangerous driving space on Earth.

* Use judgment on the place to go. I like to patronize local
higher quality hardware stores, even when it costs more for
particular items. For some items I prefer to search at junk yards,
yard sales and other such operations. The money stays in the
community and the seller is in financial need. Whether at local
higher quality places or these flea marketers, the operation of
buying is a civil transaction. And then there's the Walmart.

* No impulse buying. Some of us see an item and suddenly
decide it is "just right" and thus buy something which we will
regret before we get home. About half of all buying is by impulse
and this is what advertising, front displays, and sales pitches
words and music are all about. "Loosen up," they urge, "and buy
this one item," and it will be perfect for satisfying the addiction
for a few moments. Each time we return home after making our trip
to the market or mall we should ask ourselves "Is this purchase
really necessary?"

November 27, 2004 Design & Build a Garden Pool

We need to build with our hands at times and though winter may
not be a good season, sometimes late fall offers windows of
opportunity to do some construction work.

Garden ponds. One of the least expensive way to create a
water/land harmony outside in the viewing range of bedroom or
living space is that of a garden pool or pond. One could say a
fish pond but some prefer the sounds of amphibians (frogs and
creepers) and these cannot coexist in the confined space of a small
water enclosure. When building for frogs, remember to have a
gradual and not an abrupt siding so that animals can enter and
leave at will. Whether choosing fish or frogs, some simple
designs or exotic shapes can be created using plastic or cement or
other materials. If fish are expected to remain through the
winter, then make it about three foot deep in normal temperate
climates -- though these depths are greater than allowed for pools
without fences in some municipalities. Check local building codes.

Siting considerations. Many prefer pools which have good
sunlight (four to six hours a day). This may allow the growth of
algae which can really enhance the water oxygen content. A better
approach, though, is to have less light and allow for a trickle or
drip of water -- or use the pool as a basin for a waterfalls (much
as a fountain effect). Birds are attracted to the sound of water,
and it has soothing effects on the nearby residents. Pools may be
made in irregular shapes and with nearby plant arrangements along
with benches and observation places. The pond may be the home of
frogs and other water creatures as well. When shrubs, herbs and
flowers are arranged nearby, birds and butterflies they attract add
an extra richness to the pond area. A number of wetland plants may
be added to the pond or shoreline. If it gets too hot in the
location during the summer, place a trellis with vines nearby to
reduce the power of the afternoon sun. Some use ponds in summer
and indoor fish tanks in winter, and thus consider the systems as
complementary to each other.

Pool surroundings. Much of the final success depends on how
the pool is surrounded with flowers, bushes or wetland plants on
the banks or on terraces on one side. Some recommend a clearing on
at least one side, so that birds coming for a drink or bath will
have a clear view. Generally, one situates the pool at a distance
from trees, especially those with shallow roots which tend to
penetrate the water container. Also falling leaves are concern in
the autumn for they may clog the pool quite easily.

Pool care. The quality of the water in the pool is highly
important. A solar recirculating system is good for aeration. If
municipal water is used to fill the pool, dechlorinate it by
standard methods, or use cistern or rain water. Clean the pool in
autumn. If it is too shallow, transfer fish to an indoor fish
tank. In warmer climates fish can live in the pool throughout the
year.

November 28, 2004 Active Waiting

These will hammer their swords into ploughshares, their spears
into sickles. (Isaiah 2:4)

Many people just stand (or sit) and wait -- in a doctor's
office, an airport, a food line, a bureaucrat's office, for the
son's return from the War. We are often surprised that the ones
who sit and wait give testimony to great things that will happen in
the future. I hate to wait, and yet this is part of being
Christian, part of our religious ancestry as well. We expect a
more perfect day, a halt and eventual lengthening of the ever-
shortening days, an ultimate success, a New Heaven and a New Earth
where peace will reign.

Promise. Some expect better things to come from waiting. If
we wait in patience, then we are preparing ourselves for the joy
when something good is the outcome. If the prize is big enough, it
is worth waiting for. But waiting in a religious sense is more
than just sitting and doing nothing. Waiting becomes a preparation
for the coming of the one expected. First, we need to put the
house in order, for, if a great one is coming, we do not mess up
the place as though it is not worth saving. Rather, we hasten to
prepare it for the coming of the Lord, and do so through godly
conduct (I Thessalonians 3:123-4:2).

Awaken. You must wake up now; our salvation is ever nearer
than when we were converted (Romans 13:11). Being watchful and
waiting may allow us to be keener observers than those who never
wait at all, those who wait in a stupor, or those who are too busy
to wait. The truth is, watchful waiting involves a little of all -
- not expecting specific things as rewards, not being so overly
taken up with activity that we fail to reflect, and being busy but
not too busy at this time. Jesus tells us that we are to be
vigilant at all times, and are not to be paralyzed from fright or
distracted by misconduct. We have begun to participate in the
building of a new Heaven and New Earth -- and that is a massive
undertaking. The time is short. We learn from geology that the
Earth is about four billions years old, and that in geological time
the human race has appeared and flourished in the last few seconds
of that time. The grand act of human salvation has occurred in the
final second of the Earth's existence -- truly the end of time.

Be vigilant at all times (Matthew 24: 37-44) tells us to be
always alert. We do not know the day or hour, and so vigilance is
a permanent fixture for the Christian. We need help in all the
seasons of life, but we also need to be active enough to do things
-- even when we least expect his coming. And we need to alert
others to this state of readiness. Jesus is our salvation; he
leads the way and he invites us not to be bystanders but active
participants in the making of a New Heaven and New Earth. Our
weariness makes us prone to fall asleep but, if we try, we can stay
on guard as the ever-vigilant dogs pressed into military service
during wars. We are called to be the watchdogs of a coming age.

November 29, 2004 Doing Something for the Earth's Poor

Can I share surplus garden vegetables with the distant poor?
It will rot before it reaches them, and this particular act becomes
a virtually empty gesture. True, these perishable items can't be
shared abroad without great expense -- but they can be shared at
home with the needy. By becoming sensitive to needs at home, I am
stimulated to prod our governmental representatives to increase a
paltry foreign aid food program for distant hungry people. Saints
Isidore and his wife Maria were touched by their local poor and
shared with them food from their own table.

Recognizing problems. The Third World's hunger can't be
solved by improved agricultural methods alone, especially when many
countries suffer from interim calamities such as famines,
earthquakes and hurricanes. But my home produce frees up bulk
foods which can be shipped overseas by relief agencies equipped to
collect, haul, and distribute food. Through advocacy and financial
support, along with global communications and transportation we
can contribute to making this possible -- provided our government
makes alleviation of poverty a major part of our national policy
agenda. Is sensitivity to the poor inversely proportional to the
affluence of a people? We ho[pe not, but would not be surprised.

Advocating for poor Earth. Contaminating chemicals are so
pervasive today that traces of many persistent and
non-biodegradable chemicals are now found in the Arctic and
Antarctic regions. The Earth itself is impoverished by toxic
practices. Focusing solely on the local scene neglects
consideration of the larger picture. We must be aware of the need
to curb widespread contamination of water, air and soil. The
far-ranging contamination of the global environment cannot be
addressed satisfactorily at the local level. As people who love
the land, we must realize that chemical contaminants do not respect
boundaries but move about and become ubiquitous. Yes, eventually
distant chemicals reach us, and as environmentally conscious
citizens we need to support regulatory agencies which monitor
pollutants. Thus by acting and thinking about our local
environment, we begin to think globally and encourage others to act
accordingly.

Creating a global garden. Eden is a place where all can enjoy
the fruit of the Earth. However, this hope appears beyond the
reach of many on this planet, if not the majority. The situation
in our world of the haves and the have-nots cries to heaven for
change. Earthly or human solidarity simply cannot exist while some
live in luxury and others do not have enough to eat. The disparity
is at the heart of the ecological crisis and holds back the
completion of a New Eden, where peace and justice can reign. This
incomplete task prods us to examine our individual and collective
consciences. What can we do about this injustice where bounty and
want exist side-by-side? Shouldn't this excess bounty be shared
through radical action, either through giving by the affluent or
taking by the oppressed?

November 30, 2004 Creating Wildlife Habitats

The goal for Earth healers is to encourage a healthy balance
of the natural community with a wide variety of wildlife, knowing
that biodiversity adds to total environmental health. In some way
this biodiversity must be reestablished through habitat reclamation
in one's backyard, on regional levels and on national and
international levels. Nature centers at the local or regional
level, as well as reserves and parks can provide promotion and
environmental education. The state and national parks play a
significant role through educational displays and reminders of the
fragility of natural surroundings. Such groups as "Friends of the
...Park" prove a valuable assistance to wildlife restoration and
wilderness reclamation projects.

Designated wildlife habitat. The Long Branch Environmental
Education Center has a "Wildlife Habitat" sign (Defenders of
wildlife) stating that this is a place where wild flora and fauna
are respected. In these 1,600 acres of forested western North
Carolina mountains can be found a host of animals: black bear,
wildcats, squirrel, rabbit, raccoons, skunk, grouse, various
snakes, trout, and a host of migratory birds. Some of these are
fed and attracted as are the flock of hummingbirds and numerous
butterflies. But wildlife is challenged due to the proximity to
expanding Asheville, where developers lust for the pristine
potential building sites. Other threats come from invasive species
of plants and from the equally invasive ORVs which are destroy the
tranquility and health of wildlife habitats.

Wilderness areas. Many wilderness areas exist in sparsely and
heavily populated parts of America and need to be protected and
expanded. The Las Cabezas de San Juan Nature Reserve in the
northeast tip of Puerto Rico is a 316-acre area under strict
governmental control and yet open to the public at given times.
Well publicized regulations minimize damage to the area's three
distinct ecological communities including platforms to observe but
not enter the coastal wetlands. These platforms allow visitors to
come close but not intrude in the specific fragile area. Through
binoculars, platform signs, audiotapes and hand-outs the visitor
can have a satisfying experience without tramping through the
wilderness as such.

Major reintroduction schemes. Large undisturbed or reclaimed
areas could be used to reintroduce such threatened wildlife as the
gray wolf in the Rocky Mountains or the elk in the Appalachians.
Such targeted restoration programs have had some degree of success.
One promising scheme (though unpopular with my Nebraska friends) is
to create large tracts of bison territory on depopulating portions
of the Great Plains which are having hard times maintaining county
services for reducing rural populations. Should families even when
few in number be uprooted as the creation of continuous wildlife
corridors would unwittingly require? What about abandonment of
their family graveyards and historic sites? Some fencing and
accommodation may be required along with modifications for
population centers and provision of corridors for migration under
existing highways. One can anticipate the maintaining of the herds
to be means of income for the sparse population. Furthermore,
harvesting these free-ranging bison at a sustainable rate would
yields quality equivalents to the beef now produced there, and
still allow other wildlife to thrive on the Plains. Such schemes
require discussion, planning and compromise in our collective
struggle to preserve wildlife.

Copyright © 2007 Earth Healing, Inc. All rights reserved.

Albert J. Fritsch, Director
Janet Powell, Developer
Mary Byrd Davis, Editor
Paul Gallimore, ERAS Coordinator

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Daily Reflections by Al Fritsch, S.J.

Daily Reflections
by Al Fritsch, S.J.