I love the idea of permaculture but certain Permaculture Gurus make me nuts

“Hey. Hey! I’m Saul Wheeton. I would like some people to come work on my farm, my land. It’s MINE, so I get to make up all the rules and tell everyone what they can do and how they can live here, but I want some people to come work with for me. Some people might want to come and be my field hands. I will give you a place to pitch your tent or tipi, and sometimes I might even let you use some of my electricity, but only if I feel like it. I won’t be paying your for your labor. Some people who have real actual skills that I need desperately will only have to pay me a little money to live in a tent on my (my!) property, but average wwoofer types, dirty hippies, and poor young farmer-wanna-bes will have to scrape up some money to pay me to work on my (mine!) farm. Because it’s mine and because I want to make some money to further my (!) plans for permaculture heaven on earth. I like kids, but don’t like them enough for you to bring your little darlings onto the property that belongs to (!) me, so if you have children under the age of 18, you should stay off my property and on someone else’s. Because if you have to watch the fruit of your loins, you won’t be toiling away on my land with all your might. And you and your kids might eat so much food you wind up being a net cost to me and that would not be good, because my plans for world domination would be slowed down by your and your stupid kids. So…only childless people or people who are willing to leave their kids with someone else while they indenture themselves to me, Saul Wheeton. Some people may want to not come live and slave for me, but those same someones might want to send me some money or some seeds or tools that they paid for. That way I wouldn’t have to deal with some people’s needs, just with their goods and cash. That is easier for me and more convenient. Cash only please, no checks. I have been talking about my plans for the Wheeton Labor Camp for years and finally bought my land last year. Many people thought they would help me, but when I let them know all the rules about how they could not do anything without my say-so, some people decided not to come. Why is that? Don’t they understand that this land that is mine is MINE and I get to be the Decider and the Rule Maker? That will make sure that everything works smooth and we don’t have any disagreements. Because if you don’t agree with ME you can leave (and leave your money) and then Wheeton Labor Camp will be peaceful. Whee! I talk a lot about naming things at the WLC, but I actually spend most of my time standing around in overalls and flip-flops, asking questions, making videos, and talking about how awesome permaculture is. Permaculture is awesome, especially as practiced by me because I have based everything I know on the work of my heroes Acht Holder and Jeff Aussie. They have actually been doing work in permaculture, but I have learned a lot from them so I too am an expert. I also know a lot about computers, so GO ME. If you disagree with me I know how to lock you out of the www, so consider that before you say anything less than complimentary about Saul Wheeton. I like people who like to agree with what I say. So, if you know some child-free people with money who want to come live in a tent on my land and eat my food in return for hard labor, tell them all about how I would be happy to be their Permaculture Overlord. But only if they will work hard and give me their money. I don’t need freeloaders who want to be paid!"

nothing loved is ever lost and she was loved so much.

A picture of Toni sometime in the first couple of years I knew her. Small kids...long blonde hair.  Maybe right around the time her husband left. She was actually pregnant with Ned, the toddler in her arms, when I first met her.

Balance (or lack thereof) in about 2012-2013

With Oreo earlier this year (2014)

 There is so much to say, and none of it is enough. Toni Lin Rasmussen Killefer died on Monday, June 9, 2014 quietly, at home. Her sister Teri was with her.

I will miss my friend.

We partied like we were a bunch of middle aged people who can't really party anymore

So, we had our party last Saturday. By the time the party rolled around, we were both so tired that it felt like something of an anticlimax to me. We spent most of the last two weekends working on the yard. We planted perennials, weeded (and weeded and weeded), and transported 20 cubic
yards of mulch from driveway to various spots around the yard, one wheelbarrow at a time.

We had help with aspects of the party, I got the food from Tortilleria Sinaloa in Fells Point, and our helpful
cleaning ladies came over and did a deep clean of the house. But Thomas and I kicked our own butts getting
the yard and patio area clean and looking its best.

The whole evening I kept looking around at all our friends having fun (I hope) and feeling like I was behind a thick
sheet of glass. I could see the party, but I wasn't feeling it so much. Also, several people cancelled at the last minute
or just didn't show up, and I had so much food and so many bottles of beer and wine. We didn't even get around to
making any of the frozen margaritas we had planned; we were just so tired all we wanted to do was have something to eat
and drink and sit and talk to our guests. We had our church group over for lunch yesterday afternoon....
but we are still going to be eating tacos for lunch and dinner for about a week. I like tacos a lot...but that's a lot of tacos!

At least with us getting the yard planted and mulched, the rest of the summer can be spent back there sitting in the shade
and enjoying how pretty it looks, while possibly drinking a cold adult beverage. I cleaned out our bird feeders and installed
them around the yard. Yesterday morning the first thing I saw when I looked outside was two bright goldfinches at one of the feeders. They are one of my favorite birds, seeing that intense flash of color at the
window made me do the happy dance in the living room.