The Bounty of the Land

We have a pretty good life here, including a moderate climate. While it rained almost every day for a month before the trip to Bloomington, on our return we had several hot, sunny days.

On warm sunny days, Bow enjoys lounging about in the outer pen.

Meanwhile, everything outside is growing, and the fruit is ripening. Yesterday, I decided to pick the fruit that looks like "service berries as big as cherries."

The piece of fruit that I picked was so red and ripe that it fell the ground when I touched it.

There were translucent crystals on the the red fruit, probably from sappy juice that had already seeped out.

In my hand, it looked like a cherry, but I was pretty sure it was not a cherry. I took it home and washed it, and put it on a little plate.

Then I cut it open.

Once I had sliced it open, it was quite obvious that this was no cherry. Nor was it a service berry. I slipped the fruit into my mouth. It was ripe for the eating. The flavor was a little sour, followed by a strong bitter after taste. Not the choicest fruit in the grocery store, but quite edible! It was a wild plum.

Here is the seed. A seed just like this, left here by an animal that digested the fruit, but not the seed, is what brought this tree and its fruit to my land. It's just that simple. Nature provides. Every creature meets its own needs, and somehow, while everybody is being "selfish and inconsiderate" of one another, they all thrive in this natural economy. It never ceases to amaze me!

"By the sweat of thy brow thou shalt eat bread", my foot! It's only if thou insistest on engaging in agriculture that it has to be that way.

Bow is not very ambitious. He enjoys the simple things in life. Yesterday, when I went to call him in for dinner, Bow was very mellow.

He was not in a big rush to come in, and when I approached, he took my hand and started grooming it. I can envision him living the happy, simple life with a small family on our small acreage. Once, long ago, I thought I could help him to learn to be self sufficient as a farmer. But now I think that the hunter gatherer life is more of what's right for him.  It might be right for many of us humans, too.

Today, it is raining again. Bow chews his cud indoors, contented, while the heavens water all the trees that we did not plant. Life is good.