A Philosopher’s Adventure #14

Episode #14 - The Beauty of Nature in Partial Color

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The first five minutes of this episode are a beautiful showcase of nature and how it has formed the valleys in this part of the world. The little villages are as incredible as they are quaint. The colors of the building blend so well into the colors of the background. It’s like the buildings were meant to be here. When the buildings fit so well into the color pallet of nature, you can feel good about your impact on the earth. The opening theme of the episode culminates in a moment when Martijn comments, “It’s so quiet here.” When I watch these episodes, the views of nature bring me peace. I see the peace on his face when he comments on the lack of noise. Sometimes, I’m here for lessons and deep thinking. Other times, I am here for the views. I highly recommend watching the first chapter of this video. If you don’t, I will have to copy all the images of this incredible landscape.

More material for the roof project arrives. One of my favorite characters, the trailer, has taken some damage in the process. To me, it looks like catastrophic bent metal damage that alters the way the trailer would travel, but, spoilers, it will be used for quite a while longer. I don’t remember if it’s repaired, but the point is we have the materials and tools we got to make the best of life in front of us. I know I am guilty of buying a new piece of workout equipment when I can make do with what I already have.

The wood that caused the damage is being laid out to dry. I like the optimism that comes with preparation. You have to think ahead and help your future self. The best example I can think of for myself is getting ready for the next workday. When I’ve got the energy and I have a good routine going, I get my coffee prepped, I make a list of what I need to collect in the morning. I have a workout and anything else written down to act as a reminder of what I need to do before I leave for the day. It's not quite the same time frame as setting wood out to dry, but the lesson is that hope and optimism come with thinking ahead for your own benefit.

The water pipe is temporarily fixed, and a semi-connected project is built. The raised garden that will act as a salad bar is built on the other side of the open field. This is connected to the water pipe because Martijn is going to dig a trench on the other side of the open area, so it has a water source. The water system on the property is a sneaky large project that gets overshadowed by roof preparations. Trenches are involved, diagrams are drawn and all of it must fit into the long-term plans of the property. Mind you, the plans have layers to them, and that is where the choreography and creativity managed by Martijn make this all look like fun. Building infrastructure into the property creates possibilities. The mind is given room to run scenarios and envision what the property could look like from one project to the next.

How often do we have the opportunity to think ahead like this? How often do we get to think like this in a non-work setting? Is that what makes planning a vacation enjoyable? We are looking to the future and making informed decisions on where we are going and what we want to do while we are at our destination.

Dudes Moving Heavy Things

Dudes moving heavy things will be a theme “this year.” People are on the property quite often, and I love it when they arrive. There is a different speed to the interactions when you have people trying to work together. There are different motivations, styles, and experiences brought to the mountain, and I love watching the interactions juxtaposed against the constant calm from Martijn. I really love it when the American adventure dudes arrive, and they are by far the loudest guests who stay on the mountain.

Beyond the working styles, the fluidity of human interaction is pleasant to witness. Working together removes the title of stranger. Add a meal to the interaction, and community is born. Even if it is a temporary community, there is a shared experience on display, and the shared laughter we see in this episode is the side effect of these social activities coming together. This is a beautiful display of humanity in a time when loneliness has its own epidemic working its way through society. Humans are capable of being together, how do the systems of humanity have to change to make these kinds of displays the norm, rather than the dream?

Thanks for reading, see you next time.

CHR;)