Preparing for a lack of shade,
the old woman dabs white paint
at the roof and rough-sawn walls
old wire fence makes an enclosure
Good
paint is available at low prices (in five gallon cans) from the local
recycler. The old woman has welded-wire fencing and tee posts left over
from decades of farm projects. To build a little compound for the hut
and its “raised” beds, she wraps fencing around a corner of the pasture.
She gives the wire fencing a “rustic” look by inserting hazel prunings
in the fencing vertically to a height above six feet. This is more
practical than it looks, as it reduces the likelihood of the vegetables
being grazed by deer. They are lovely to watch, but perhaps less so when they are partaking of one's kale.
Sitting, I meditate on emptiness
as fresh breezes fill the temple.
Words are inherently empty and yet
still I am fond of brush and ink.
My mind like ashes after the fire and yet
still I am tied to the world.
-- Miaohui (Grant, Daughters of Emptiness 121)