Thursday: the leaves let go of the tree

02006-09-21 | Environment, Performance | 6 comments

Wonderful storm last night. The thunder was deep and the low end vibrated through the house. Sheet-lightning illuminated whole areas of town.

Tuesday morning I spoke to a local company that designs and installs grid-connected solar power systems. The system produces energy for the house and if it produces more than I need at the time, the electric utility meter runs backwards as the energy is put back into the utility grid. When I need more energy than the PV system produces, when it is overcast, or at night, the house draws regular energy from the Utility company. I hope to get such a system installed in Q1 of 2007.

Rahim called and we decided to do a couple of shows together in Albuquerque and Santa Fe in the Spring of 2007. Each of us would play solo and at the end we would perform some duets.

Skype-called my dad in Austria this morning. I mentioned before that I got rid of AT+T and make my long distance calls via Skype now. Works great.

The leaves,
in an act of faith,
Let go of the trees
And fall majestically.
If only we could let go
Of this world
So gracefully.

A poem by Rengetsu.
I found it here via Google, but first read Roshi’s version here.
I think the poem could be condensed to this without losing anything:

The leaves,
in an act of faith,
Let go of the trees.

There is that F-word again. :)

The trees don’t drop the leaves.
Leaves let go of the tree.
Returning.

6 Comments

  1. Anonymous

    A heightened awareness, so beautifully put!

    Thank-you for link…!

    Reply
  2. dave

    Letting go
    the leaves complete the cycle,
    breaking down,
    nourishing the tree
    from which they came.

    Reply
  3. Anna

    Ottmar, thank you for sharing…

    Reply
  4. Victor

    Beautiful poem… makes me feel like Fall is the time to dedicate one’s self to letting go.

    That’s exciting to hear about your plans to do some shows with Rahim! Sounds like a good reason to visit Santa Fe.

    Will be interested to hear about your PV system. Imagine if every house had one!

    Reply
  5. Mixalis

    Thanks Ottmar!

    Reply
  6. vikki in bama

    Hey Ottmar- here’s the nerdy biology behind falling leaves.

    FYI: The photoperiod, or length of the daily light period, is considered the
    environmental trigger for the processes of fall leaf senescence and leaf
    abscission. The pigment phytochrome senses the photoperiod, or actually
    nightlength. Hormone levels change in response to the photoperiod trigger and
    an abscission layer forms which allows the leaf to fall off. The
    main “abscission hormone” is now considered to be ethylene. Sprays of a
    chemical, Ethephon, that releases ethylene, are used commercially to promote
    leaf abscission prior to cotton harvest. Reduction in auxin and cytokinin
    levels also occurs and contributes to the process.

    Hope this is helpful- and enlightening.
    I will be traveling west from my cabin in Alabama- Oct 12-17 I will be in San Francisco- will you be in NM?

    Reply

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