With the Standoff Over, Let the Gardening Begin!

Oh thank you Goddess, those people have left the Refuge. It was touch and go but they finally surrendered. The final holdout sounds so delusional that he’ll need heavy medication and evidently pizza to deal with what’s in store for him. I would suggest gluten-free pizza over the regular kind.

I listened to the broadcast last night and this morning. It gave an interesting window into decompensating personalities typically seen in mental institutions. I worked in one after graduating from college, so I’ve actually witnessed such things. My degree is in Psychology, so it seemed like the thing to do to work in a mental hospital. Given I’m a witch, I was most comfortable working the graveyard shift. Fun times.

I attempted to follow whatever logic they presented without judgment to see if there was any. But most of it seemed far too random to coalesce into anything rational, so I gave up after a point. Then the most amazing thing happened. Cliven was arrested at the airport upon landing in Portland. SWAT was there and arrested him when he de-planed. I didn’t know what effect this would have on the four remaining at the Refuge, but apparently it was fine. The young tech guy was the final holdout and it was hard to tell if he would use his ultimate remedy or surrender peacefully. He finally chose the latter and I breathed a sigh of relief. Then came the tears. I may live two hours away, but this has been difficult on all of us who live on the east side of the state. We’re just not used to these things happening around here.

Only the youngun was the final holdout and it was hard to tell if he would use his ultimate remedy or surrender peacefully. He finally chose the latter and I breathed a sigh of relief. Then came the tears. I may live two hours away, but this has been difficult on all of us who live on the east side of the state. We’re just not used to these things happening around here.

The Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is beautiful. The thought of Paiute artifacts and gravesites possibly being damaged makes me ill. And now law enforcement and others can sift through the damage with the respect these occupiers never bothered to show, their expression of entitlement now over.

I use the word entitlement deliberately because they never understood that the world didn’t revolve around them. They moved about freely which I found odd, even attending a community meeting at the local high school. I still don’t understand why they weren’t arrested that night at the meeting. The four remaining folks said they felt abandoned by the rest of them. They wanted some kind of a do-over and had all sorts of unrealistic demands and conditions or they wouldn’t surrender. They assumed that everyone would rally around their perspective but that didn’t happen.

The people who live there have worked diligently to create a balance in their area. It may not be perfect, but the conversation is ongoing, so for others who don’t live here to insert themselves this way makes no sense. Only time will tell if those involved can heal the wounds created by others who didn’t belong here in the first place. But resilience is part of life on the High Desert and I have faith that life will return to normal sooner than later.

And now that the standoff is over, I spent the afternoon out in the greenhouse, planting some seeds. Velda the Portland Zoo’s hedgehog has indicated that we’ll have an early Spring, and it was wonderful to feel the dirt again. I’m preparing an area by the pond around some nettle I planted last year for additional nettle seeds. It doesn’t seem to grow over here naturally, or at least it doesn’t grow on my property. I have a feeling it likes moist conditions and next to pond should be perfect. I use nettle regularly, both as an individual tincture and part of blends I create, so I’m thrilled to grow it myself for harvesting.

I’m excited for the growing season to begin. I’ve been inside too long. I have a room set up in the house to start some of my seeds indoors. I’ll also add some hydro units to start my kale, bok choi and broccoli. I’ll probably grow them inside this year to avoid the cabbage moths. I take every precaution under the sun and they still manage to lay eggs anyway.

The days are getting longer and the High Desert is showing signs of renewal. Let the gardening begin!

~ Blessed Be