This past month I lived at the Shed in Wisconsin. Situated on the land where I grew up, I've spent the past few years developing prairie plots and a tree nursery. One prairie plot is now mature, sporting 6' tall eupatorium, ironweed, rubdeckia, milk weed and golden rod. Other native plants are also interspersed. It's a delight to watch the insect and bird life feasting on their natural dietary requirements. There is a resident flock of turkeys, a pair of owls, and an array of frogs and other amphibians. While these plots are modest in size, it is bracing to watch nature respond to these moderate efforts. Deer are ever present; the tree nursery sports a 6' fence to protect its residents from the browsers.

     This year I harvested prairie plant seed from the mature plot. This process brings me within the core of awe for this natural kingdom of light eaters. Each plant sets seeds in its own way - a creative plethora of invention designed for widest dispersal. The elegance of seed pods, the ingenious qualities of little hooks embedded in seed coats that take seeds for a ride, the sheer magnitude of procreative potential is wildly astonishing.

     The Shed is completely off grid. This year it became water independent with the addition of gutters and large rain barrels. Living in this dwelling brings one close to the natural cycle of the day and the seasons. It is a haven, and a welcome place to return to again and again, working in the shelter of the woods and fields. I am humbled in my awe: how lucky we all are to be woven into this fabric of living, breathing sentience.