Good Morning Vietnam! lol. 

I loved Robin William's acting, but maybe I liked him because he was so bipolar, not sure. His interviews always sorta bothered me, cause I am so visual, I can see the pain folks try and hide. (I have always said that inside every Comedian, there's a 3 year old, waiting to be let out so they can go blow up some shit). I do know that in an interview of his so called best friend, he mentioned that Robin would have to hop on his bike and ride around the hills of Hollywood after a show, just to take the edge off. His friend said he would ride anywhere from 100-150 miles at a time. Since I used to also do this, when I had a bike, I get it. I never really liked bikes that much though, and I definitely preferred hiking so while I admire that impetus, since it shows discipline, the woods and trees were always my succor. 

So, here I am. In the woods, FINALLY. 

It sure did take a long time. 

Whewy. 

Did I mention in this blog anywhere, that I was/am 3 parts Bear?  Anyhow, in my life long search for meaning, and during a really bad time, I was gifted some Medicine Cards, and boy did they help me make sense of so very many things. The Cards were produced by a Jamie Sams (who, incidentally, was shunned by doing this), who was Cherokee/Seneca. You can read about him, here: https://native-americans-online.com/native-american-jamie-sams.html The person who loaned hers to me is beyond kind at heart, so I owe her a debt of gratitude since you aren't really supposed to loan them out. She was probably adept at sage-ing and other purifying rituals, so she prolly didn't even think it a big deal, but I do. Here's to you Jesse, you are often in my thoughts!

Anyhow, the theory is that we have 7 animals who are our spirit guides for life. Normally, this would happen when the young person becomes a human, and gets their name at a naming ceremony. (Prior to their naming, they were just sort of considered babies and not yet able to become full-fledged members of the tribe.) 

The spirit animals are arrayed in seven directions, North, East, South, West, Above, Below, and Within. The animal medicine  follows the medicine wheel somewhat, but is truly a mythology all on its own. Natives had a LOT of ceremony, and it was very community oriented. I don't think I would have done well with this last part and would likely have left the reservation on my own, if my ancestors hadn't already. 

Well, I digress. I have BEAR in three directions, Above, Below, and Within. 

There's some dolphin in there........did you know that Dolphins have to breathe consciously? They have no choice. Makes sense that I would learn to meditate and do other solitary pursuits, doesn't it? I mean, a Bear is Solitary, and meditation is all about learning to breathe properly (consciously), so it makes perfect sense to me. 

All of the other critters in my lineup are also power animals......it was, and still is, a LOT to manage; Eagle, Hawk, Turkey, Dolphin..... mostly flying animals and one pretty great swimmer. Makes sense that I would look to the mountains, and the sky all the time, and not much care for the water. I mean, you ever seen a BEAR taking a bath? I'm sure they do, but probably only occasionally and only uber privately. lol. 

As far as the other stuff, my hands and feet are HUGE, and I used to hate never being able to get a proper pair of footwear that did not hurt my feet. Then as I got older, I realized my feet were one of my best features......I can actually grip rocks, pencils and branches, with them. I could probably eat with them, too, but I have never actually tried. I mean, I would if I had to, but why bother?

  

It does help to explain why I always wanted to hike and climb trees, tho, doesn't it? 

And also why I was always able to talk to animals and plants and I was always able to hear their voices. 

It's kind of a miracle, isn't it? 

I am abashed to say that I forgot I could do this when I was a child. I remember now, though. It's a divine sort of calling and it makes me feel like I am talking to angels. 

I believe this is true for everyone. We all experience magic when we are young. If only we could be wise enough as children to remember not to forget it. Well, we CAN actually remember, if we are willing to work hard to overcome our conditioning.  

And if I can do it, with my incredibly dysfunctional background, then anyone can. 

Just remember the magic. 

Sounds so Simple, doesn't it? 

It's the simplest thing in the world and also the hardest, simultaneously.  

Buddhist philosophy says that life is suffering, you cannot advance until you become friends with Suffering. Once you do make friends with your shadow demon, then you have taken the first step to Enlightenment. Pema Chodron talks about the Tibetan Charnel Grounds and how, as part of their practice at a monastery, one of their challenges was to go spend a night (or three) in the Charnel Grounds. Talk about going to meet your maker, face to face. I am pretty sure I would never actually choose to do this. Kudo's to you, Pema!

I spent my childhood in the Charnel Grounds of Human Dysfunction, and I learned everything there was to know there, about suffering. Not saying I am particularly enlightened, but I sure am DONE with all that nonsense. 

I made a vow to myself when I got here, and that is that nothing can be allowed here, unless it's beneficial to my higher good. I don't think that's particularly enlightened,  but it works for me. 

It is, in fact, one of the first steps of the 8-fold path. If it does not serve your higher good, then just say "no". This is not selfishness, it is essential. And it is only the FIRST step.............

Eckert Tolle said it best: 

If you are not comfortable in a situation, you have four choices. 

1. You can figure out how to learn to accept it.

2.  If you cannot learn to accept it, you can try and change it. 

3.  If you can't change it, you can try and change the way you feel about it, i.e, accept it. 

3.  If you cannot do the first three things, you must leave. 

ALL ELSE IS MADNESS.

Or to put it another way......"All unhappiness is caused by being unable to accept what is". 

And on that note, it's another fine day weather-wise here at Hermit Haven. I haven't decided what projects I want to work on (if any), today, so I gotta go talk to the Buddha and find out what the next best step is. 

Here's to moving towards sanity, a little bit more each day. 

I leave you with this:

https://youtu.be/Mi8Tl1EphOs

Good Day from Hermit Haven.

I am not entirely sure I don't have ancestors even through distant marriage in New Zealand. 

I DO know from researching on Ancestry that one of my half great aunts did, in fact, marry a one-armed wallpaper hanger named Pete, (last name Dennehy), fresh off the boat, from Ireland. He promptly killed another man in a bar-room drunken brawl and got sent off for life. That particular great aunt never remarried, which is zero surprise to me. I mean, choices out of desperation......they usually don't work out too good for anybody, do they? 

A piece of this that strikes me as odd, is that I wonder why he didn't just choose to be sent to Australia, since it was still a choice then (I believe). I sure would have, but I guess there were children involved, (which alas, usually means more to the parent then the children), but honestly, why would anyone expect their wives to take their kids to a prison, to visit a dad they don't even know, and who they are possibly afraid and ashamed of? Anything in this vein is pure fantasy. (One thing I have learned from studying people for so long is that the more dysfunctional a person is, the more weird and impossible, their dreams are, if they have any, at all).  

The funniest part to all of it is that he managed to sire a son named Brian Dennehy,  (not even sure how  THIS was possible),  who became a pretty good actor. You suppose he would want anyone to know this about him? I sure wouldn't and wouldn't want anything to do with anyone "back east", either, cause at some point, you gotta move ahead and choose the dream you want to live for the rest of your life. 

So,  since we are there: my dream for the rest of MY life, is to talk to plants, rock, snakes, badgers, deer, bigfoot, birds and other spirits that also want to communicate with me. 

Along those lines.........

I am so pleased that one of my tall bush cranberry bushes has decided to bloom (it's ONLY a year old). It's always a fascinating mystery to me how different plants react so differently to different micro-climates. In Vermont, the soil was also not good when I got there, because the northern neighbor's abandoned well, kept flowing into our yard, so it took me years to make it sturdy enough for plants. But the main point of this is that the Elderberry LOVED all that water and bloomed like there was no tomorrow, wayyyy before anyone else, with the cranberries a close second. It appears to be the exact opposite from Vermont, here. The Elderberry here is 3 years old, and hasn't bloomed even once yet. The Cranberry did, though. I know that means something, (micro-climate-wise) but I am not sure how much of the science I want to even know. 

I just love it that I can bear witness to it. It gives me a nice little puff of dopamine. :)

I remember planting honey berries in Vermont for the first time, and the second time, and the third time, until I found a more acidic and sunny spot, in the yard, where they could thrive. Despite the fact that they are a cross between honeysuckle (dreadful plant) and Serbian wild blueberries, they definitely exhibit more of a blueberry preference for their existence. That tricky Dna (thanks Mendel, I think). 

I will say this about Honeysuckle, and that is that it is a very tough son of a gun, plant, that will grow almost anywhere. If it weren't such a nuisance, I might even like it a bit more, because it DOES smell heavenly, while in bloom. Alas, it isn't even a good bird food. It's much like potato chips for humans, it's junk food because the berries have too much sugar and not much else. Nutritionally, they are much less fatty, low in protein (which is vital for migrating birds) and overconsumption can actually change the color of their plumage, restricting their ability to find a mate. For all these reasons and more, I find it a horrible plant which I try and eradicate whenever possible. 

Luckily, there's not much knotweed on our lot, because I am always on the lookout for it, but the Rosa Rugosa is even more INSANE. Another horrible plant that isn't fit for food, (the same is true of THEIR berry composition.) Kinda like the difference between cultivated blueberries and wild ones. The Rosehips from Rosa are much BIGGER and more plentiful, but they are missing a lot of the goodness inherent in the flavor of certain domestic roses. I mean, if you're going to eat RoseHips, it's important to have sweet vs. so tart you can't swallow, right? These buggers are TART! Since Sugar is a no-no, it would take me wayyy too much honey and maple syrup and money, to make those suckers even CLOSE to edible. 

Hard Pass on those, too. Off with their heads! lol. 

And they're so incredibly prolific, is that EVER a good thing? 

I mean, I garden so I can interact with my plants, not just throw a giant 6' round diameter mound of knotweed in the ground and forget about it. I guess that was also a thing in the 50's........did they even get a tiny bit wary when the nursery sold them that one, do you think? "UH-YUH, it grows fast and makes a nice hedge!" Well, it does have loads of Vitamin C, so I suppose that's something, but the plant is so ornery, I don't know how you'd even pick the berries! EEE-GADS!

Lawdy, but the things our ancestors did not know to be aware of, are killing all of us, now, and that's a sobering thing. I try to make sure that everything I do, moving forward, will feel good seven generations from now.  And, no, I am not really native (although only 2 generations removed), but I live like one and I am trying to honor my grandmother Nettie and all of the Elders I did not have the pleasure to meet this time around the wheel. 

So, on that note, here is my new baby.  (And here is, also, my bridal wreath). The both of them so very priceless. :) I often stick my face in the Bridal Wreath on the way by, it's a wonderful little puff of dopamine for my beleaguered nervous system. 

So Incredibly Essential to our survival, no?

 

Good morning with your news from Hermit Haven. 

Well, okayyy so I don't blog everyday, but I DO try and I gave off putting the dates on these, cause google gonna do it for me. lol

Yesterday was a good day, first time in six weeks that the whole day was decent. Decent temperature, Decent Breeze, Lots of Grandmother Sun and Grandfather moon, and playing with my drums in between projects. 

I didn't get too much accomplished, but the weather was pleasant enough that it drove me outward and inspired my muse, so this is what I did.

There's another shed coming later today and I have to have coffee and/or tea, in order to work all morning getting the cement block retaining wall done on the sloping side of the pad. 

Then I get to decorate another shed! Wheeee.....this is fun! 

6/8/2025:  The News From Hermit Haven.

So, this a.m. me and the girls went up top with my tongue drum, to see who we could call in. 

The Doe's (and their kids) really like the tongue drum, I do too, it's one of my faves. The other critters come to the boomba drum, (it's my name for the frame drum), like Bigfoot, Possum, Foxes and other ground critters. I have yet to try the drum that sounds like the ocean, I need to figure out how to get some bb's out of it, as it's a bit loud. The birds seem to like any/all of the drums, even the Cherokee Elk drum, which is quite hard to coax sound out of, and my least favorite drum of the four. I actually suspect it of being a toy, or a trophy thing, or it needs tuning by someone more in the know, than me. :)

Anyhow, so today, a mother and fawn came out up by the well. I could tell they were looking to get over to the brook on the Westside. The baby was not scared at all, it was munching contentedly in the Driveway, but the mother was keeping to the camouflage of the woods. She finally headed over after the fawn, but then she came back alone. She stood and stared at us for about 20 minutes, the fawn didn't come back, so she left and we came back down. 

I put a lot of stock into communing with these guys. They have a LOT to say, but you have to stay present and keep your ears on. Which is not to say I don't talk to them, because I do. But, I much prefer to just stare at them, as they are staring at us. 

I have no idea if they understand the language of the drum, but I suspect they do, since it likely goes back lineages. I believe it was why the drum was so Sacred to the Native Indians; it's just one way in which they spoke with the animals. They actually made a habit of swapping out flutes, for the drums, in order to distract the Colonialists....take the flute away, no problem. They had active members who could just whittle flutes out of branches, so taking their flutes would have been a pretty good joke, they were savvy that way. It's just one way I aspire to be worthy of the teachings of the Grandmothers. 

As for the other critters, I don't take pictures of the animals I commune with, because another of the historical teachings of the Natives was that photographs were "stealing" little pieces of their souls, with each click of the shutter. I often wonder if they knew about energy healing longgg before the rest of the world...They  probably did, as their Sun Lodge ceremonies were also quite secretive and private and I believe it is still that way with some of the tribes, so at least they were able to salvage something of their lineage. 

I thought it would be nice to walk down the brook to the camp, today, barefoot, but that's going to require a bit more intervention either this fall, or next spring. The Rosa Rugosa all over the property, is astounding. There's actually some in the brook, cutting off access to all but a few small creatures. It's good in a way, as I found quite a few little pools that the smaller critters can bathe in, but man, it's vigorous!  

Boy, do I need a tractor! lol. 

The news from Hermit Haven, 5/3/24

Well, it's once again decided to become a monsoon type Spring, so I got some chores done, inside. 

Wow, this really ought to be a testament to Roxul. I spent several hours yesterday, trying to insulate the loft. 

The things I learned: It is def. NOT itch-free, It DOES have a right and wrong side, It tears so incredibly easy. You def. NEED two people because you can't see what you are doing re: the dropdown spaces. 

We DID need the wire supports as we have gravity up there. Thank the Goddess that I had Rich ask for them! It would have gone a lot slower if I didn't have them and had to turn to my solution (Taphole and thin dowels). lol

It's incredibly dusty, I was swallowing phlegm all night. Note to self: Don't be a lazy ass and climb down to get a mask! 

I WILL need to redo the NE corner, as it was the first one I did and apparently, those studs are NOT 2' on center, so it got pretty chewed before I realized....Mistakes were made and others must be blamed, don't ya' know? Well, that piece is coming out and will be used in the wall, somewhere....

Anyhoo, I am still proud of myself, because by the 3rd piece I was darn near a pro! You can see my progression, below.....

                                                                  1st piece (Disaster).....

                                                              2nd piece, (Coming out):

3rd Piece

4th, 5th, 6th.

I did eight pieces all together and needed a shower immediately! lol I expect the walls to go a tad easier, since I likely won't have to fight as much....lawdy, do I know how to have fun, or what? 

Cheers.

Good morning from Hermit Haven-4/29/24

Well, so, since we had such an easy winter, most everybody did okay. I generally figure that I will lose 50% of everything I put in the ground, but this year I only lost about 1/3 of what I planted, so yay. 

One of the Mountain Ash, Both Forsythias that spent too much time in a bucket of water, and one Catalpa. I am leaving them in the ground, however, because they just might send out suckers as they had pretty good root systems. I have a spirit-story concerning a Plum tree in Vermont, but I think I already told that one, so suffice it to say that since most of a trees essence is actually underground, I refuse to give up on any of them. lol

In any case, this is fast becoming a place with much medicine! All of the fruit trees and bushes made it and there are many more arriving in Vt, to make the sojourn. What fun to see so many happy-smileys!

The ligonberrys:

The Bridal Wreath (Spirea).

A whole bunch of bulbs and lillies....

And last but not least, several very cute Maypops.

That's all for now, folks. Gotta go up top to get my hiking/working pants, and seize this glorious day! So many plants, so little time, don't ya' know?

Welcome Home....From Hermit Haven.....Ahhhhh.....

 All kidding aside, that's what the sign says when you enter the state of Maine. Nothing could be more apropos.

I am not sure if I ever told the creation story involving our purchase of this lot. It's a good one. I was just getting off the last drugs the Medical Profession had me on and I, personally, was deadset on getting out of Vermont before the hammering of the last nail in my coffin could commence. So, after we'd looked at several properties which really didn't fill the bill, our Realtor, Debbie Joseph, asked us if we wanted to look at a parcel in Wilton that had just come on the Market, and we, of course, said yes, since it was the last one we had, to look at. We walked up the very steep (but also very well built driveway), and I, of course, being the stubborn old fool that I am, felt mostly charmed and enamored (despite being in much pain). Rich, on the other hand, was much less so. 

So, we slept on it and decided to trek back the next day, after a rain shower. Just as we arrived, there was a Flock of Turkeys standing at the top of the driveway, and they were backed by a triple Rainbow, and my first response was: "Well, that's certainly an undeniable nod from the ancestors". lol

So, anyhow, Rich was pleased by the very close services, (Paved Road, Hospital right down the road, etc), on account of we ain't getting any younger, and I was like: "Sure, Sure, it's all gravy, from here on out", cause that's just how my brain works. Anyhow, after much heckling and hawing, we settled on a price and made the deal. That was in 2018, and we have been working at a slow but steady pace with Home Improvements since then. I am most happy to report that our Five Year plan was only delayed by about a year because of the 2020 pandemic. Yay. :)

The first couple of years year were ones of discovery, We walked around the property several times and luckily enough, we found a spring (as it happens, this hillside is loaded with water), so we had a digger guy (Jack Mills) come out and dig us a well up top so we'd have gravity feed. That was in 2019, I believe. The Third year, we bought and built a shed kit, also up top, to someday be a bathroom, with solar hot water (black pipe on roof). We left a hole underneath for several bales of Peat Moss to live. I did a peat moss garden in Vermont, and it worked so well at stopping the Shattucks (Vt Neighbors) leaking well, that we could have a veggie garden finally. It made me realize that since peat is such an enormous and wonderful product at just stopping water, that it would make a nice gray water absorber. So, we got approval from the town, for an alternative system up top for the future bathroom. An aside here: It pretty much makes my heart sing that Wilton has the ONLY human sewage reclamation plant in the USA.....I can totally get behind that!

Anyhow, the next year we got a 12x32 shed delivered and have been slowly improving that. Last year we got an electric pole installed and Rich wired the cabin, partially, and this year I will be doing the insulating with Roxul, as well as starting the addition on the camp (for a bathroom down here). We also had our first Friend come over (Richs Architect Friend, Denny Frehsee) to give us ideas for exactly where to start planning the House siting process; I haven't seen Rich more excited in some time. :)

As for me, one of the things I have been doing in Vermont Winters, is to trace my Geneology, because It was all a big secret to my FuFo's (F**ked Up Family of Origin), apparently. Honestly, I think my ancestors left the reservation a long time ago. Turns out that My Maternal Great Grandmother, Justine, came down from the Big Rock (Newfoundland), when she was just Sixteen, to work in the Woolen Mills in Providence RI. I can fill that out more, later (or most likely, in my auto-biography), because that's not the most interesting piece to todays post. 

What's much more relevant is my paternal great-grandmothers influence in all this. Her name was Nettie Newcombe, originally. She Married Alonso Richardson (my Paternal Great-Grandfather) when they were both quite young. He was listed as a House Painter who died in his 30's, in Manchester, NH. The cause was listed as Epilepsy, but Rich and I surmised that his seizures were most likely due to too much lead exposure from the paint back then. In any case, when he died so young, Nettie went back to her birthplace in Maine, to get more support from family. She had at least one Son (my grandfather Bert), but it seems he stayed in NH in a cabin, in the woods of Unity....I will likely find out more about his life the next time I visit ancestry.com

The craziest thing is that her birthplace was ONLY TEN MILES from where we bought the property, in Maine. Just goes to show that when you clear your mind enough, and listen to the messages from beyond, (those little, everyday miracles that most folk are going too fast to even consider), the Universe is almost always working on your behalf. 

It's all about learning to consciously Manifest what your deepest desires are. Sounds so easy, doesn't it?

Take it from me, It's the simplest thing in the World, and also the hardest thing, EVER. I believe the Buddhist philosophy on how simple life really is, But when you begin the distilation of reducing complications, it never speaks about (on the surface, anyway), is how hard it actually is to get the simplification process started, and then, completed. Yikes.

But, As Rany Arbells song lyrics state: "I was always gonna find my own road to heaven....lots telling me what to believe, but they never tell me what they've got, hidden up their sleeve"....". 

I haven't got a spiritual belief system, or rather, I have one that is a mish-mash of lots of belief systems, that works for me, because I've taken up all of the Best of the different forms, and made it my own.  I love the Traditions inherent in Judaism and Native Spirituality, but I also love most of the tenets of Buddhism, which also closely align with Native American Theology. So, if I had to state one over the other, I'm not sure I could do that.They are All lovely systems in their own unique ways. 

What I mostly believe in is "Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you" and maybe "don't be a hypocrite, just don't". This latter one, alone, has pretty much been my lifes work, to avoid, entirely. I truly also believe in "Live and let live", as well. Maine seems much more "Woke" to this little ditty, then Vermont will EVER be. You can let your Freak Flag Fly over here and they really don't care. I respect that so very very much. :)

For all these reasons and more, Maine and Canada are my heart and soul, since before I was even born and I somehow knew this, even before we bought the land here. We DO have ancestral memories, even if we can't remember consciously. 

My memories have always had me with my hands in the dirt. Anytime I have strayed far from this, I have felt a crazy sort of sickness and a weird sort of lingering malaise. I have come to the conclusion that this is most likely true of most healers and medicine workers....They HAVE to live quite close to the Earth. I also believe this is true for a humans soul or life-source, as it were. There's a crazy kind of malaise in the World right now, as far as I can tell, that only worsened with the Pandemic. I believe this has to do with people's removal from their connection to Maia. 

So, then, and always, My purpose and passion has been to work with plants and Trees. They have SO VERY MUCH MEDICINE for all of us, and it is past time for much healing to commense, on a grand scale.

So on that note, I will close the same way I opened this post, by saying: "Welcome Home, My Child" , "Welcome Home". (I got this direct from Nettie in one of my marathon meditation sessions.). 

So here is where I am and Here is where I will stay, until it's time for me to walk the Red Road. (Check out Blues Travelers "Mountain Cry", to see where I stole these lyrics....lol)

Thanks Grandmother Nettie, for the clear and helpful direction. 

I am truly blessed. And just EVER so very grateful, that my heart feels like it will burst most of the time. 

May we all have Green Lights to a life well lived. :)