Clean Up as You Go

This is a new principle that I have been working on and is grounded in the three permaculture ethics. It is so rich and real that it inspired my post today! I've been doing a giant clean up around my house and in the yard and preparing to have friends over around the holidays. I'm caring for things in such a way that the clutter does not build up again as quickly. Also, I'm preparing the ground for a future, small-scale, high-yield garden in the spring. The balancing force to this is that a clear space will inspire people to use it and fill it with love and life...one day soon.

Another inspiration has been my two new, young hens. As strange as this sounds, they remind me to emotionally clean up as I go. This means I'm dealing with the stuff that comes up when relating to others in the moment, not leaving it for later when it has gone stale or festered. This energy is so powerful. It can make people uncomfortable, but it is there to enlarge our lives I believe. I no longer want to baby anything that does not want to seize its chance at life or to be available and connectable in my life.

Getting back to permaculture, I think it's only fair to leave a place at least as beautiful as how you found it. Who knows how many generations are going to walk in my back yard after I have left it, right? For example, it is my goal to no longer take other peoples' time by leaving a pile of work for them after I leave the dinner table. My foods scraps will either be fed to their animals or put in the compost and my dishes will be done after the meal. And if I had my own gold mine (metaphorically I do), the tailings would be left stable on a re-vegetated, open field.

When you clean up as you go, you can always manage it. It never becomes overwhelming. It is truly a pleasure to work and live in a cleared space. Happy Holidays with Love, Sharon