Frivolous Joy + Contrarian Sanity
So I guess that was it for spring. Straight to summer. Onward! First thing first. We are CLOSED SATURDAY. Regular hours friday.
Spent this morning laying irrigation and planting about a million dahlias.
With all there is to do with the store build and just general life, planting so many flowers feels like a luxury. But as I prepped the beds before my kids woke for school, in the cool and quiet of dawn, I wondered - is it?
Earlier this month, Geoffrey Hinton, known as the “Godfather of AI” announced that artificial intelligence may represent a more urgent threat to humanity than climate change.
As someone who's watched this space with interest (and misspent her childhood reading way too much sci-fi), his statement didn't come as a surprise.
More and more we are asked to behave as machines within a mechanized world.
One that denies limits, ignores the importance of a sense of place, of rootedness, of responsibility, of liberty of thought and action.
"Productivity", efficiency and maximizing profits are all prioritized over our basic human needs; belonging, community, healthy food, joy.
In a world where our own fleshy humanity is up for grabs . . . well, maybe flowers and the human joy they represent aren't so frivolous afterall.
I recently heard the writing of one of my fav writers, farmers and human beings - Wendell Berry - described as 'contrarian sanity'. And I think, maybe, planting flowers in the face of, well - everything - might just be a little bit of that.
Wendell asks lovely questions like - What are people for? and answers them with thought and grace and humanity.
As machines move to outpace us, perhaps it's time to find value in the truly human - contrarian sanity and not-so-frivolous joy.
If YOU need a little (not-so) frivolous joy in your life - I have more flowers available this week.
Champagne Bubbles Poppies, a few types of iceland poppies, california poppies, white Stock, Amazing Grey Poppies and Bee's Choice Dahlia's from Floret are all on hand. Till they aren't.
As always.
Best,
S