Hoe Chi

Tai Chi was my personal introduction to the concept of "Chi." I seldom participated in the classes, etc., but the concept of Chi continues to intrigue me at the oddest of moments. My rudimentary studies through the Asian language tree have only heightened the intrigue. Chi is a many tendriled concept. In my current, strictly personal use of the concept, it is an aligning of all the forces affecting me, inward and outward. Well. . . The attempt, at least. . .

I got myself out to play in the snow and ice this morning. The compost pile is where I played. Turning compost is one of my favorite exercises when I am sorting through the doubts, anxieties and broken pieces of my life. This morning I am still processing the possibility that I may have been duped by the contractor. Doubts about the validity of my river dream continue to swell like an upstream snow melt. ( https://www.reuters.com/article/us-flooding/levees-shored-up-against-record-mississippi-floods-idUSTRE74462I20110512 )

Most of my play was in the pile of branches I call the witchwood pile. In the absence of the potato hook I normally turn the witchwood pile, I used the only hoe I was able to find when I started setting up camp this past Fall. Fall is not the time to be shopping for garden tools. U.S. commerce is already making room for Santa by then. The hoe was lightweight for the job, but I've worked with less. The exercise released considerable tension and felt great. As I played, I found myself enjoying the sound of "Hoe Chi."

Another round of snow flurry dances outside the studio window as I type. The weather forecast predicts they will continue through the evening. I still don't wanna drive in that crap. . .