Farm Musings...

The panic of leaving my job and not yet finding a new one comes and goes. Despite knowing I did the right thing, it seems selfish. The economy is bad. So many people are laid off. How will I possibly find another job? I heard a story on a radio station this morning that was amusing and rather contrived, but the message was meaningful. I came in a little ways into the story. There were two sets of mice in a maze. The mice after much searching found cheese in room C and each day went there to eat. One day the cheese was gone. The first set of mice found it gone and decided they must head out into the maze to find a new source of cheese. The second set of mice found it gone and are confused. They wonder what could have happened to the cheese. They wonder who could have done this. They leave only to return the next day and find there to be no cheese. The "wiser" of the two mice feels that this is quite unfair and laments how this could have possibly happened and is determined to get to the bottom of it. Each day they return to no cheese. The other of the two mice feels that they should venture out in search of new cheese. The former is bothered by this because he does not want to leave what is comfortable, what he worked so hard to find in the first place, and he feels he is too old to venture out into unknown territory again. The second mouse is influenced by the "wiser" mouse's reasoning and decides he is right. After awhile the second mouse starts to envision himself leaving and finding new cheese. He envisions himself with cheddar and camembert and jack cheese. This emboldens him to venture out, but the "wiser" mouse's musings continue to hold him back. I lost the radio signal at this point, but one can surmise the ending.

I began volunteer farm work a few days a week at Pie Ranch. Its only been a few days, but I have really enjoyed it. I seem to have found some kindred spirits, other who seek to find their path in life. I harvested berries, beets, other vegetables, flowers, eggs and helped get the farm stand ready for market today. As payment, I received some pullets, beets, turnips and rainbow chard. Yummy! I felt very motivated by the Enforcer's volunteer efforts and when I found this farm I was quite excited as they are doing something I have thought of frequently. I lack the farming knowledge. I have thought of doing an apprenticeship, but living on a farm poses rather difficult since I doubt very much JE would be interested in living in a tent for 6 months to a year. But I will continue on through the maze in search of more cheese.