“Our will is only a gusting wind
that turns us and urges us,
for in our most fervent longings
we are a field in bloom.”
Emerson

I’ve begun a cleanse this week – cleaning is so essential in every aspect of life, and so exhausting when done well, but the good sort of exhaustion; the kind that knows there are fresh sheets and plump pillows waiting in bed, a steaming cup of tea beside the bed and chamomile dreams hovering in the sleep-world, all ready to dance the night away. A body cleanse is no different – pleasantly exhausting. I’m thrilled to have begun this one. Generally I like to cleanse in rhythm with the seasons of fasting in the Church, but I’ve been neglectful, and I feel the need for balance now. But hopefully by our next fast, I’ll be ready to jump back into the season.

Our tomatoes are finally coming into their own, and our squash; but an animal is eating the cucumbers. I think it’s the woodchuck living under the porch. But I’m not sure what to do about him here, in the city. I can’t shoot him, and I’d be afraid of trapping some neighborhood cat. Are there any smells that might drive him away, without driving us away too?