What a joy to have a garden! Every morning, as the sun rises, Pacha, Yani and I are outside digging, planting, watering and celebrating the incredible power of Life. It is the sacred duty of stewardship, the particular gift that we have with our hands, head and heart to sculpt, nurture, heal and be midwives to the birthing of new life. It costs nothing to heal the Earth in this way, to plant a seed, seedling or tree.
But the returns are a millionfold - food, shelter, spiritual sustenance... It really is one of the most important things about being a Sloth and discovering a Slow Life and would encourage everyone to find a way to put their hands in the Earth!

We recently joined a local group, Landcare, that replants native trees in the local area. On Saturday we transplanted hundreds of little trees to new pots (I could imagine them in twenty or thirty years time transforming the landscape and providing life to so many creatures) - such a satisfying job to do! I plan to write a letter to the local newspaper each week on local and environment issues and next year plan to launch a Greens group here. My links into the local community are strengthening quickly!

Our experiments with solar drying mangoes have begun.
As long as the day is sunny, it takes about two days to dry out the mango. You need a lot of ripe mango to make just a little dried mango (at least 5 to 1), and this year the harvest is less than usual so I have been making the rounds an asking neighbours if I can collect their unwanted mangos (they usually drop to the ground and make a mess). Its very satisfying to be doing something with a resource that is usually wasted, I have used all recycled materials (old screens and reflectors) to build the dryers and the only energy consumed is sweat and sun - so this is a perfect 'Sloth' activity!! And the end result is the most delicious taste of summer you can imagine!

I have been watching Pacha and Yani grow and develop with great appreciation at the freedom we have here.
Pacha is so exuberant and unselfconscious. We went to a local parade that had a music band and Pacha entertained the crowd with her spontaneous acrobatic, joyful, expressive dancing. Yani has quickly recovered from his sickness (which turned out to be scarlet fever) and has made advances in talking and in toilet training. I am always surprised that after a sickness or a fever, there seems to be a developmental jump in my children - I wonder if other Mothers notice this in their children?

Its time to go back into the garden! I pray that the garden of your soul is alive, wild and well - being well watered and fertilised by good thoughts and action!