Living as we do, right in the heart of Nature inside the confines of a ’50s suburb, we never run out of surprises. Why? Because Nature is so much vaster, intricate, and more fascinating than even our overheated imaginations can dream up. Plus, she offers stunning synchronicities — and when we least expect them. More on that later.

Meanwhile, yesterday, we held the first of our newly instituted regular monthly pod meetings, followed by a work party. Before the meeting got going, I told everybody about my just decided upon Christmas gift for all podmates — plus son Colin. It’s a T-shirt, with a quotation said to be Native American, and who could help but find it fascinating? Given that we are dedicated to personal and group “shadow work” here in the village, it seems fitting that each of us should have one of these T-shirts. “Please, don’t all order the same color!” I admonished. That’s all we need, to be considered a “cult.” Laughs all around, thinking of ourselves as the Green Acres Wolf Cult . . .

Here’s the shirt: BTW: each purchase helps sott.net, one of my favorite news aggregators.

http://www.revoltwear.net/shop/sleeveless-tee-the-wolf-you-feed/

Not much needed to happen at the pod meeting, except that we decided to postpone starting our weekly Community Dinners until September. Rebecca congratulated us all on getting the garden where she wants it to be. Yes! Most of the “weeds” (meaning plants which we would rather either live elsewhere or serve as mulch) are no longer crowding out the plants we’re growing for food. Plus, she happened to find a replacement mulcher at the Habitat ReStore today. Yes! (Our old one gave up the ghost last year.)

Work party: time to uproot the tangled plants (mostly vines) that have overrun the front yard of the second DeKist house (the one we purchased at the very end of 2016). While there are peppers growing there now, fully one-third of the front yard still needs to be reclaimed. Okay! Here goes! Dan, Logan and Sam get right at it. Rebecca in background, working near the corner of the house, which is due to be occupied in less than two weeks.

Where are all these “weeds” going? Well, those we don’t chop up and lay down in place we pile up next to the compost bins.

And yes, you got it, they will be mulched.

All that was yesterday evening. Then, this noon, Dan came in excited, showed me a shot he took of a “passion flower,” he says. “Just one, growing alongside the DeKist house.” Tiny. Almost looks like it has a face!

He looked it up on the internet: “It can only be pollinated by either large bees or hummingbirds!” Wow!

I went outside to see for myself. And wouldn’t you know, just happened upon the flower as a large bee settled upon it. Can you see it? On the bottom of the flower, at about 5:30 p.m.

Just then, Dan looked up. Oh! The passion flower isn’t alone. The flowers turn into passion fruit! Lookee!

See? One just below the window; another, smaller one against the dark window. The point is, neither Dan nor I had ever really paid attention to this little corner of our humungous garden, not to mention has either of us ever, ever, tasted this or any other passion fruit. But now our passion is aroused! Thank you, little flower!