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Monday 27 July 2015

ZenRiver Gardens looking for new owners/stewards


From North Shore infront of Shaman Shack looking south
Moira River
1.1 acre waterfront lot
Marmora Ontario
home of ZenRiver Gardens
$29,900
Rick Kennedy
Realk Estate Brokerage
613-478-5392
info@RickKennedy.com
ZenRiver Gardens needs a new steward. The current one has reached his late sixties, and now it's time for a younger person or family with a fresh vision to enjoy the beauties of this rural retreat.
This property is located in the tiny pioneer hamlet of Malone, about 2 hours northeast of Toronto. It sits on an old mill site on both the north and south banks of the upper Moira River, long before the Moira reaches Belleville and the Bay of Quinte. The elevated north bank has approx. 317 feet of shore, and is over 3/4 of acre, sloping to the river. The south bank has approx. 150 feet of riverfront, over 1/3 of an acre, and is in a lower lying flood plain. The footings of the old dam can be seen from the bridge, which now has the newer, spring fed millpond on the other side.


From South Shore looking north towards Shaman Shack   
Rapids as seen from Bridge

Thursday 23 July 2015

A Rose Bush For Peter: Tai Grove


 
A rose bush was planted today
in brother Peter’s name,
hole dug, the best fancy top soil added,
toed in firm with warm memories,
stoically watered.
Memories flooded as I pulled
thorned branches from root bound pot.
Remembrances of farm life with brother Peter,
riding the pigs, screeching, squealing,
tearing around barnyard pens
clenching perky ears, laughing, shrieking,
till we fell from slippery pink arched backs
rolling with hilarity in the joys of brotherhood.

 

Later we shared girlie magazines, in narrow space
between garages with lustful neighbourhood buddies.
Often we would be on abandoned
afternoon bike rides – home at dusk
or hiking the afternoon away with Daniel Boone,
riding creek swells with Tom Sawyer.

 

Two buds are already formed
on this new memorial rose,
swelling scarlet edges of fragility
courage budding
one for Sylvia, one for Kristi.
They will slowly, ever so slowly unfold,
and bloom into glory as any rose should.





 
Tai Grove
 


Monday 20 July 2015

The Revenge of ZenRiver Gardens




When I stumbled into my shorts late this morning, I was shocked to see huge red welts covering much of my calves. The welts weren't itchy, so I ruled out poison oak or ivy poisoning, but I didn't know what the heck caused them.

I knew the likely source was the hacking and attempted mowing of a trail on the south bank of my ZenRiver Gardens property on Saturday. I had flailed away with a scythe for several minutes until the waist high weeds had ripped off its cutting head! So I knew those damn weeks were vicious ... but I had no idea they'd exact their revenge in such dramatic fashion on my body. Talk about scarification, a tattoo artist would go to jail for torture for this brutal display!

So my beautiful ZenRiver Gardens, love of my life, the holistic poem I've chosen to live inside for the past decade, has become a jilted lover. Somehow, and I'm not really surprised, she knew that I was putting her up for sale - in her awareness I was preparing to sell her like a street corner whore in the marketplace.

I've enjoyed stewarding this little strip of the upper Moira River for almost exactly a decade. All 8 annual PurdyFests had campers enjoying her beauty while mingling with the resident tree and river spirits.

                                gaudy tents
                                among wildflowers
                                August long weekend

Now my retreat has exacted her jealous revenge - the agent, wild parsnip (pictured above). One blogger has said this noxious weed looks like what would be birthed if Queen Anne's Lace, Dill and Satan  had a menage a trois! *

Will the river dakinis still sing for me, now that I'm a betrayer? Will double rainbows appear, blue herons execute loop de loops, or will other peaceful spirits turn on me to exact unexpected revenge?



*Josh Kilmer-Purcell from his posting BATTLING THE INVADERS


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On 2015-07-20, at 2:19 PM,  Dr. John wrote:


Sent from my iPad

Say it ain't so! Selling the sacred land? 'Tis heavy news indeed. Damn, I'll miss that bit of God's green acres, as dimly remembered through the classic Tyskie haze. And then there is the rock that got the OM treatment. If a biker gang decides to make the land their headquarters, the resident dakinis will chase em off with whips and chains. Yep!

                                                         . . . .


Yeah, memories, memories, Dr. J
Can't see a biker gang buying God's green acres, tho - it's too nice for them, like when classical music was played to stop teens from hanging out on certain street corners  ;  ) And if there are any interested buyers, I'll have a say in who gets to be the next steward. After a decade of non-stop summer mowing, & with no more PurdyFest campers, at age 67 it seems time to find a new magician looking for a happy hideaway!
   


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This isn't my leg, but some of the burn marks on my right leg are actually much larger  :  )
 Ouch! A run-in with wild parsnip can cause blisters and discoloration of the skin. © David J. Eagan
Ouch! A run-in with wild parsnip can cause blisters and discoloration of the skin. © David J. EaganOuch! A run-in with wild parsnip can cause blisters and discoloration of the skin. © David J. Eagan