Clothing in Beauty

Yes, still wrestling with water usage. The first sixty years of my life (yes, children, I really am that old, so let's have some respect) were spent in California, a state whose history is one of water wars. I now am a citizen of New Mexico where water is even more scarce.

Today, as I watered the garden I was thinking, as usual, about the lifeblood of our Mother. Another aspect of what I was doing came to me. I am helping to clothe our Mother with green things, working with the life force within Ina Maka and the light of Ate Wi to invite the plant nations to flourish in this little patch. I am delighting to clothe our Mother in beauty as various leaf forms and lovely flowers adorn her. As green things work their photosynthetic magic, the air of the planet is renewed. Habitat is also established for all manner of burrowing, creeping, leaping, and flying relatives.

There are undoubtedly wiser ways to manage water use, but what I do is intended to honor Ina Maka, not to squander her life thoughtlessly.

Ah, endless self-justification, eh? We are such ignorant, sinful, self-deluded and deluding creatures. To think that the Creator would entrust to the two-leggeds the sacred task of tending harmony and balance. Helmut Thielicke was right: if any sin may laid to the charge of God it is gambling.

The Firstruits:
My first cherry tomato and Anaheim chile

The first blossom on the Crimson Blaze climbing rose

There are a couple more cherry tomatoes lurking deep in the heart of this photo

And here are some Anaheim chiles

In other news:
Mark MacDonald, Bishop of Alaska, has just been confirmed to serve as Bishop of Navajoland. He will leave his position in Alaska, though he will be serving concurrently as bishop for the First Nations of Canada as well as for Navajoland. May all the First Nations walk in beauty and we learn to join them.

I am honored to have some of my thoughts posted at The Episcopal Majority. My thanks to the patient editor!
--the BB