STANISLAUS CONNECTIONS
Working For Peace, Justice, and A Sustainable Environment
December, 2001
Living Lightly
By DAN and BARBARA POLLOCK
My
Dear
Friends and Fellow Gardeners,
I,
like most of you, have been saddened, angry, and depressed by the September 11
acts of terrorism, biological Warfare, and our subsequent War in Afghanistan.
I
am reminded of what John Donne wrote over 350 years ago. (I quote with apologies
to John Donne, I have substituted the word ‘Man’ for person.)
“No
person is an island, entire of itself; every person is a piece of the continent,
a part of the main… Any persons death diminishes me, because I am involved in
mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for
thee”.
If
we are to survive and live in peace, we must find a common ground, reasons to
respect and celebrate our differences, and ways to agree to disagree. Certainly
we must stand up for justice and freedom. Those who are oppressed must be freed
from the oppression that degrades and humiliates them.
As
Religions are much the cause of such hatred in the World, Religion must be an
integrated part of the solution. All those professing to interpret the word of
their God or God’s, must bring to their congregations a message of Peace, a
universal respect for the sanctity of life, and the responsibility of their
people to bring it about. I cannot imagine a hateful God in any religion.
In
the midst of all the bad stuff the media brings to us, let us not forget that
the majority of people in this world are good and honest people who despise
terrorism as much as we do.
Are
you taking care of the garden? Don’t forget to compost those leaves. Now is a
good time for planting onion transplants; love them Stockton Reds.
Bare
root season will soon be upon us, this is the best time to purchase roses, fruit
and nut trees, some deciduous shade trees, asparagus, artichoke’s, and cane
berries. Don’t forget a dormant spray for your dormant fruit trees. Although
seeds may set for awhile because of the cool soil and short days, you can try
seeding lettuce, radish, peas, mustard, spinach, and parsley.
December
is a good time to set out a bird feeder. Combining a bird feeder with a pair of
binoculars and the Golden or Peterson bird books makes a great Christmas present
for all ages.
Barbara
and I wish all of you a happy and healthy holiday season.
Peace and Good Gardening
Let children walk with nature, let them see the beautiful blendings and communions of death and life, their joyous inseparable unity, as taught in woods and meadows, plains and mountains and streams of our blessed star, and they will learn that death is stingless indeed, and as beautiful as life.
John Muir
