Learning

A human being has so many skins inside, covering the depths of the heart. We know so many things, but we don't know ourselves! Why, thirty or forty skins or hides, as thick and hard as an ox's or bear's, cover the soul. Go into your own ground and learn to know yourself there.
-Meister Eckhart 


I have always been told that being a "jack (or jill) of all trades" was a good thing.  Knowing a little about a lot things.  That is me.  I love to cook, but I am no chef.  I routinely burn, mangle, and fumble culinary creations.  I love to sew, but I don't think anyone but me would wear what I make.  I love to draw and paint, but lack the technical skill to express my vision.  I love to write, but my fear keeps me from finishing projects.  I could go on and on.

But, I have this pull, this desire, to really KNOW something.  To be REALLY good at one thing. The closest I got was probably when I was a Macintosh computer tech.  I worked on mainly about 10-12 models and knew them inside and out.  I knew part numbers, locations of torx and phillips screws, shortcuts, and workarounds. I could take an MacBook apart and put it back together in record time.

Unfortunately, this information holds no value for me anymore, and I no longer KNOW a thing.  I don't know if it is possible for me at this point to excel at one thing. Or, dare I say, if its even important. I just want to. I have known a few people, who have known since they were little, exactly what they wanted to to with their life.  And, then they went and did it, and lived happily ever after. Maybe its because I never knew what I wanted to do with myself. Or, because I still don't. Maybe its because I want the satisfaction of expertise? Or, maybe it would be a knowledge notch before moving on to the 10,000 other things I want to know.

What is currently preoccupying my mind that is within the scope of this blog is: gardening on a self sustaining level, changing out my one trick pony landscaping for dual purpose plants and herbs, creating systems and setups that require less work and maintenance, and not burning dinner.

Here is some things from my world last week:

Had a bonfire and roasted marshmallows!

Planted a bunch of strawberry starts in the front yard with
my garden helper  (to her right)

I had previously dug this out and now am adding buried
 buckets in of Lavender, Valerian, and Meadowsweet.
In the back are daisies. Also I am adding in a
bamboo border from the bamboo in our backyard.

Needs more bamboo.

This is what it looked like when I started. This is
getting dug out and will have sunflowers, lady's mantle,
skullcap, and  parsley.

My apple tree in the back is starting to flower

My other tree, another variety.