made from Mountain Rose, I savored the floral aroma wafting by my
nose, allowing the scent to fill me all the way to my toes.
Thank Gaia for luxuries!
It's what I've been dreaming of lately – not even extravagant ones,
like Hilton roomservice, but simple ones, like a flush toilet, a hot
shower, laundry when I need to do it. Chips whenever I want, and lots
of fresh veggies. Since we shop once a week, that's when our new
veggies come in, and whatever we get lasts the whole week. That means
veggie rationing! I remember that I used to save things, but I also
remember they went bad. Now I'm of the mindset to use what's there as
I want to, to make whatever I make with the best of what I've got and
worry about having enough when I need to. It rarely, if ever, happens
that there's not enough. Just tell my primal brain that!
The big news from the weekend is that I got my hands on some wool,
straight from a permaculture farm (which I'll be staying on later),
that's just lovely. It's smelly with lanolin and full of dirt, straw
and unmentionables, which all washes out, and it changes color from
light gray to dark brown. I've also got a wooden dowel and disk, with
which I'm planning to make a drop spindle, and today I bought two
sturdy (hopefully) hairbrushes to card it with.
So exciting!
Ever since I got here, I've been considering the question of wool. To
use animal fibers or plant? Is it humane for the animals and am I
willing to support this industry known for mulesing? When I went to
the Salamanca Market in Hobart, the best thing I found were the wool
tables, full of natural, often hand-spun and knitted beanies and
jumpers for bargain prices, and sometimes bags full of raw wool. I
almost bought some, but she wouldn't sell just a little. What would I
do with it anyway? At that point in my journey, my bag was packed full
and I had no way of knowing what I would be doing. Nevertheless, I
sniffed out two other wool shops and found some more delicious wool,
and some alpaca as well. Somehow, I held back from purchasing any.
Somehow, I knew I'd find some for free!
The ethical dilemma still weighs on my mind, although with this
farming bit, the ethics of veganism are becoming more and more cloudy
the more blackberries I chop, the more I talk to Della about the
sentience of the earth and plants, the more I learn about permaculture
and how everything works together, is interconnected and how one thing
(or many) must be destroyed to create another, the less sense it
makes. Where does it stop? At what point do I decide that this being
lives, this other being I kill?
For me, it's when they look at me.
Apparently mushrooms are closer to animal than plant organisms.
It's all a question now, and I guess it's up to what I want, what I
care about, and what's available.
I'm heading back to Lorinna to stay with Emma for a while. There is an
alternative community there, one that's more happenstance than
planned, with everyone off the grid (and thus on alternative energy)
but with internet and phone access.
I'll be honest, I'm desperate for some quiet time.
NO KIDS!
Specifically, no questions and contrary answers and running commentary.
I find that I like him much more in the morning, when I've had an
entire eight or ten hours of silence. I have to still my tongue much
more the later it gets. My mom's been giving me pointers – really,
reiterating what I'm learning already.
I've been thinking a lot about Tasmania, about community.
I don't think Tasmania is the place for the community. Currently, it's
just too cold! I'm also wondering about the immigration policy, and
our proximity to the South Pole – Tyler was just conjecturing that it
might be colder here in the next ten years because of the ice caps
melting, blowing cold air this way.
Australia just declared it officially Summer (as of Dec. 1st) and it's
predicted to be 5 degrees Celsius tonight. Double sock night. Rub
hands and toes vigorously before retiring night. Jump up and down
night. Stay in bed as long as possible until it's warm enough to get
up kind of night.
Good night.
