Building Update: Taking Shape

Saving soil for the garden.

My first step towards building my garden shed has been to pickax, rake, and shovel my way through the first six-inch layer of topsoil, roots, and rock and to wheelbarrow the soil away to a large pile by the garden.  This precious topsoil will be used in raised garden beds on the sunny slope.  With this task essentially complete I've begun to dig into the next layer of soil in order to prepare a level surface  for the foundation of the building.  Now before I say anything else I want you all to know that I did BEGIN with plans for a conventional, square structure.  BUT let's just say certain morphings occurred along the way, and now it looks like the garden shed is going to be shaped like a "B".  Yeah, that's right.  "B" for Building.  Or "B" for Barn.  Because I'm a writer, and writers need letters — BIG, BOLD letters — okay?  And because the sweat BEES (ground bees, yellow jackets, whatever) have led me into depths of wilderness communion that I do not wish to re-experience, so the garden shed must be BIG enough for my kitchen supplies so that next summer I won't go BONKERS amidst their incessant BUZZING, BOTHERSOME BALLYHOOS ever again!  But mainly it's "B"-shaped because I need to avoid BRUISING the roots of the BIG, BLACK oak tree that shades me while I work.  She's an old black oak, BURROWED through with BEETLES and ready to fall on my roof as soon as I'm able to BUILD such a thing, BUT I love her and am not cutting her down BECAUSE she is BEAUTIFUL and is enabling me to do my work even when the sun is really BLISTERING!

So, Welcome "B Abode"!  May you be filled with much joy, laughter, and BENEVOLENT BANTER!  May my life, filled to date with such inordinate, anxious striving — for work, approval, and love — be given rest, a place to "BE", simply and free, balanced and whole.