Seeing the Big Picture

July 7, 2008

One of my projects is a compost pile. Now that's a lot of fun! If you've never had the experience, give it a try sometime. I looked on the internet to find out the proper way to build the optimum compost and it turns out that for a collection of rotting refuse it really is quite complicated. You're supposed to have the right ratio of green or living matter, like apple cores, peelings and such, to brown or dead organic matter, such as twigs, wood chips, and dried leaves etc. To that you add sugar , vinegar, soda pop, and other such very nutritious substances, mix daily with a pitch fork and voila`, you've got a fancy garden buffet! Today I decided to add some juice which I'd neglected too long in the fridge. It had fermented and boiled up beautifully as I poured onto my rotting masterpiece. I was in a hurry so I didn't stop to stir it in and continued with my yard work. The sun is unmerciful and after awhile it had the best of me so I headed to the house in search of cooler air, rest, and water. As I started up the walk I heard the buzzing of something and stopped as it seemed to be headed right for me.

Sure enough! A drunken June bug came swerving along and smacked me right upside the head. I took an angry swipe at him and he backed up a foot or so did a couple donuts in the air and smacked me again, in the face this time. Where are the police when you need them? This guy really needs his license pulled for FWI and I'll bet he doesn't even have insurance. I told him what I thought of him in no uncertain terms before continuing my quest for heat relief. When I got to the house I collapsed with a large glass of cold water into Maysie's chair, don't worry I evicted her first. After my brain had sufficient time to cool I was thinking more clearly and suddenly realized that the June Bug's predicament was likely my fault, as I had left the fermented juice bar open to all the little creatures. When I see him again I must apologize for my quick temper and I'll have to be more careful to cover up my intoxicants in the future.

This is a lesson to me. I must watch out for my tendency to jump to conclusions and hurl accusations before I see the whole picture. Sometimes when I'm offended by others, the fault might just lie with me.