Monday, June 16, 2008

Whole Planet Picnic-2008


Time marches on, regardless of floods, famines, fires, and fools.  (and yeah, it's seriously scary how many other links are available to put there...)

We've reached the middle of 2008 already.  The growing season seems to be barely begun, but Friday June 20 is the Summer Solstice- half the year's sunlight will be gone by.

Time for The Whole Planet Picnic.  We're having our usual one, which means a big bonfire.  It's a cold year; the heat will be welcome.  And we're not wasting anything- the wood is in the way, and actually we're adding some excess pines to it this year specifically to generate some available potash- fertilizer.  Can't afford to buy it- but we can harvest our own.  The bonfire ash will be carefully swept up when it's cool, and put on our crops, which need it badly.

The whole exposition on what and why can be found here, in the posts for last year's huge event.   

It's a community building event, we hope.  And community may be where most of the hope lies.  

Please consider hosting a Picnic of your own, for your own neighborhood.  Spice is busy making phone calls to roust folks out of their ruts.  Wish you all could join us!

Time to relax- a little, anyway, and just watch the fireflies and kids; listen to the frogs and the nighthawks.  Anyway.

8 comments:

Theresa said...

Can you say a bit more about the pines --> potash thing Greenpa? I do add some wood ash to my compost, but it is aspen wood ash, not pine. And would spruce wood be the same?

Happy Planet Picnic! - you surely do deserve a day off. I'll be having a little fire here myself, hopefully with a few folks around the fire with me to share in the warmth and the company, and to say thanks to the earth for sustaining us another year.

Greenpa said...

Hi Teresa- glad you'll be picnicking! We'll think of you way up there.

My understanding, from an old forester who's usually right about this stuff, is that conifers, which would include spruces of course, are way higher in potassium than most broadleaf trees. All wood ash is a pretty good source, but when he and I were talking about it once, he mentioned that. Haven't checked further than that.

Happy Planet Picnic! :-)

Crunchy Chicken said...

I'll be busy pissing on your picnic, er, I mean my plants that weekend...

Greenpa said...

Crunchy! SO rude!! :-)

And besides, you're missing an opportunity here- think of all the beverages that could be consumed in the moonlight on the 20th, that could contribute to your cause, on the 21st.

Seems like a natural to me.

Crunchy Chicken said...

Moonlight? How about overcast, 50 degrees and raining. I don't think there will be much pink-knickering going on around here.

The only natural thing happening next weekend will be the Fremont Fair (nude bicyclists!) and the Golden Showers Garden Party. Come rain or shine!

Theresa said...

Thanks Greenpa, that is good to know. I don't have a lot of conifers around here, so I'm glad I don't have to burn them to get some potassium into my compost.

My firepit is only about 20 ft from my garden, so I'm going to be able to combine the Picnic with the Shower no problem!

Anonymous said...

I couldn't resist taking at stab at a Whole Planet Picnic song to the Teddy Bear music. Just rough but feel free to edit.

"The Planet Picnic"

If you wander through Greenpa’s woods today, you’re sure of a big surprise
If you wander out in the woods today, you better go in disguise
For every Greenee that ever there was
Will gather there together because
Today’s the day the Whole Planet has their picnic.

If you partake of the fun today, and make the way through the bog
Folks trickle in, old and young, Smidgens, teenagers, dog
And run and skip and play and dance
With guitars, flutes, harmonicas per chance
Today’s the day the Whole Planet has their picnic.

And when the da-ark is creeping in, you better go grab your stick
For the biggest bonfire you’ve ever seen, will flame up in the nick
Weenies, marshmallows and S’Mores,
Jokes, guffaws, and ghostly stories
Today’s the day the Whole Planet has their picnic.

Don’t bring those things that pollute the world, no paper plates, plastic spoons
We’ll have more fun without that stuff while celebrating 20th June
And all the time we’ll breathe clean air
And twirl around with nary a care
Today’s the day the Whole Planet has their picnic.

If you meet Greenpa just pinch your nose or he will water your eyes
For he gave up baths for this Earth-Lent and now he’s attracting flies
For every Greenpa that ever there was
Will find a way to effuse because
Today’s the day the Whole Planet has their picnic.

As the evening deepens down, you’ll see all the fireflies
The frogs will hop, the children hunt, you’ll see the Frisbees glide
And homemade music will fill the air
And create traditions for the next year
Today’s the day the Whole Planet has their picnic.

As the big party starts to end, you’ll wonder how you survived
Without this reminder now and then that happiness is alive
It’s a lovely clear and summery day
And surely most of them are that way
Everyday the Whole Planet has a Picnic!

At midnight all will pull out their sleeping bags and go to bed
Because they’re tired little Greenee folks.

Deb

Robj98168 said...

"The only natural thing happening next weekend will be the Fremont Fair (nude bicyclists!) and the Golden Showers Garden Party. Come rain or shine!"
That's this weekend??? I better be getting my bike ready!!!