Population Explosion

Can you say “population explosion?”

The Monday before the last day of the year I had six, count them, six goats. Five nannies and one Billy. Four of the nannies looked really, really fat.

Well. They don’t look that fat anymore, and I now have twelve goats! As far as I can tell there is a three and three split on the sexes of the cute little woolly buggers. At least I don't think I’ve picked up the same one(s) twice to check. I've already sold one male to an enterprising young man who was willing to part with a goodly portion of his allowance in order to get one and all the stuff he would need to take care of it. That means I have two more baby boy’s who need homes.

Come and get'um while they're still cute.

The folks in charge of the Lone Oak Newsletter decided to take a holiday break so there was no issue last week. So this is my first Alternative Opinion of the 2011. I'm not going to go over last year's trials and tribulations, joy's and good news. You were there, same as me, you know what happened.

The thing we really need to pay attention to, to focus on is . . . Now. Not tomorrow, not yesterday, not the 'short term' writing class I plan on taking next month. It is now, today, this hour, this minute, this very second as I type these words that is important. It is the only time that really is.

Yesterday is dead; gone beyond recall. Tomorrow is only a dream or a hope. Right now is all that we really have. Look over at your friend while you read this, or your spouse. Really look at them. When they look back, smile and let them know you love them, now. When your kids come home from school, let them know you are glad to see them, glad that they are your kids. Maybe even put down the cell phone or the TV remote and talk to them. Okay, sure, I know the only answers you are likely to get are grunts, shrugs and monosyllables, but at least they will know you tried.

Do it now.

If you meet a friend, do the same. Focus on them; then, and there in that all important instant of now. When your phone rings, take a moment to smile before you answer it and hold that smile as you say hello. Especially if it is a friend who is calling. Try keeping that smile in place even if it is a sellsman or bill collector. Who knows, if you’re smiling maybe you can talk the sellsman into not calling you anymore, or the bill collector into giving you a break.

Yeah, I know. This likely sounds like some of that woo-woo stuff you hear about on Oprah or read in some of the more esoteric books. The ones on how to become enlightened and all that. Thing is. If you think about it, the stuff I've mentioned above is fact. The only time we really do have is now. Not that we shouldn't plan for the future. We should. Now (see how I worked that in!) more than ever.

The economy is rocky, the environment is in trouble, and personally, I have a feeling it’s all getting ready to come to a head. That may not happen for some time. But it could happen next week, or never. I’m not a fortune teller. But I was a Girl Scout. I really do believe in being prepared.

How do I think we should be preparing? With gardens. Gardens that do not depend on chemical fertilizers because we may not be able to buy them. Those of us here in the country should be making sure we have the kind of live stock we can feed and use even if there are shortages of the things we are used to buying for them. I’d say we should all lay in supply’s of heritage type seeds but that may be going a bit too far. Maybe.

Dang. I’ve left the NOW.