Back from the Wilderness
Where to start. I am back from a pseudo fast from twitter and the blog for lent. It was unofficial, but needed even though I did sneak in a few visits on feast days. However, the thought of returning from the wilderness is very appropriate. You all know I am prone to the nature side of things. Yet this time has allowed me to get back to my urban and “cultivated” roots. The vegetable garden is up to date, and I have been catching up on photos from more traditional plantings. Besides working in the yard, I have been hanging out at the Biltmore and cruising neighborhoods to capture more cultivated plants while nature appropriately sleeps.
As for my writing, I have been fully focused on the web app and update for the iPhone. That has been a journey to the wilderness as well. Many know, we wanted to complete the database for the web app before updating the iPhone so that the two will work together. Finally we have the first 120,000 plants names and family trees entered, and are moving on to populating the data. As the programmers work on that, I am compiling more plants for the iPhone. On top of all that, we are also starting on our third release that we hope to have ready by fall or winter.
An old friend of mine friend of mine once wrote a song called In the Garden. In it they refer to “growing different kinds of mind.” This time has harkened me back to this song often. I know we are all obsessed with the plants that we grow, but if you are like me, it is really the mind that matters and keeps me gardening year after year. As much as we run to the web to learn more, I have to think the can learn more in the garden. The conversation that happens out there between nature, the dirt in your hands, and the thoughts in your head is far more enriching than most of the shouting and chatter that goes on in here.
I have no doubt that the relationships I have made online are real as well. However, many are not, and this time off has made me even more determined to keep those relationships real. I have always despised the automated twitter machines, but I cherish those of you who engage in honest conversation and have missed you greatly. Needless to say I am glad to be back, but after this time of reflection I will also be sure to spend more time in the garden than I do in here. After all, I will have far more to share here if I continue to grow my mind out there.
