Land management philosophy part 2

Allow for wildlife habitat.  I enjoy watching wildlife.  Squirrels, deer, chipmunks, birds of every color, and butterflies.  They are all interesting and I like to see them flourishing in my back yard.  They need a few things from us in order to live nearby.  Water, food, and shelter.  When those things are available on our properties, wildlife can live out their lives in full view and we can enjoy and take pleasure from their antics.

Decrease dangers.  It is important that the property that is managed is as free of dangers as possible.  That means removing or destroying things that can cause harm.  Poison Ivy, wasps, and low hanging branches.  Dumping out stagnate pools of water is a good idea so that insects can not breed.  Making walk-ways and the ground in general as level as possible.

Privacy.  One reason I am a home owner is for the sake of privacy.  I like to be alone and keep my own counsel.  It is not that I dislike people, it is that I like to have down time to read and go about the business of life without eyes on me.  Adding trees and bushes strategically can help with keeping your home a place of refuge.  Having a nice row of evergreens on the property line is one way to add a natural fence to your yard and it benefits everyone.

Land management philosophy part 1

My land management philosophy has many components.  Over the next few days, I will list them and add a few thoughts.

Make it more useful for humans.  I believe the land should be people friendly.  There should be trails and walkways that are flat and free of debris.  People should be able to move about conveniently and safely.  Wildlife viewing should be easy to do.  Other outdoor activities should be readily accessible.

Increase the property value.  As the land is managed for humans and investments and improvements are made, the property value should rise.  This is good for the owners in the long run and it is good for those who use the property in the present.  At some point, the property will change hands.  The next owners should be happy and feel that they received value in their purchase.

Keep it green and natural.  I am one to believe that trees, bushes, flowers, and grasses should take a prominent part in any landscape.  We are too quick today to cut everything and urbanize.  I find that stifling and dehumanizing.  I would rather gently work with the land to keep it green and growing.  Study's have shown how stress is lowered by having tall trees on a property.

My calling

My calling is to increase natural and wild areas while at the same time decreasing decaying urban areas.  I want to beautify the outdoors and lessen the impact of humans on the environment.

Cities have never been my thing.  I have visited some large cities but have not stayed for long.  The northeast part of our country has never been a draw to me because of the density of the populations centers.  I have never visited New York city or Washington D.C. and places like Philadelphia and Detroit leave me appalled.  I am sure that if I went there, I could find something interesting but on the whole they don't embody what I believe success to be.

Keeping things green has been a long term interest of mine.  Not too far from the house I grew up in was a small woods.  It wasn't our property but being close I felt an ownership to it.  While a child I would walk through there and explore.  I would fashion boats and float them down the creek in spring.  We made trails through the woods and biked it.  Later on, my dad and I would go there to cut down dead elm trees and haul them home to burn in our stove to heat the house.  As an adult it was distressing to see houses built on the edge, and then actually in, the woods.  Being able to freely roam through that natural area by just anyone was gone.

When I see people who are careless with the outdoors, it boils my blood.  I can't understand when people throw their cigarette butt to the ground or throw their trash out their window as they drive by.  Is it so difficult to bring garbage to where it can be buried forever out of sight?  Do people not understand that most things are not biodegradable?  I like things green, natural and serene.  This is what I will fight for.

My ideal job would be where I am actually taking a swipe at the big city.  I would love to tare down old, useless buildings and then bring in dirt, trees, and shrubs and make a green space for people to view and enjoy.  I think it would actually raise the quality of life, lower stress and crime, and increase property values.

How can you lessen your impact on the environment?

My agenda

This past week I was listening to a podcast from Eventual Millionaire.  The host, Jaime Tardy, was interviewing a man who said something that has stuck in my mind.  This millionaire said that he got up at 5 AM and worked on his own agenda until 9 AM.  He would write, spend time with his family, and exercise for the first four hours of his day.  Not until after nine o'clock did he get to his email.  His reason for that was that answering his email was reactive and giving in to other peoples agenda.  He wanted to give his first and best hours to his own agenda.

I wonder how many times I have yielded to other peoples agenda just because I thought I had to or because I assumed my agenda was not very important or because I felt pressure to do so.  I remember working in an office and basically having other peoples agenda my first activity.  I would get into the office on time and prepared but I would go to email first thing.  The office was quiet so I would not want to be talking on the phone as others would hear me.  I read and answered emails because it was simply and easy and it gave me the idea that I was working.

Today I am working on my own.  I am working to get my own priorities done early and my check list complete before I respond to other people's needs and requests.  It is not easy.  Email has trained us to view and reply to it first thing because it is immediate and we want to have some activity to show that we are working.  Yet it is not always productive.  Giving ourselves enough preparation time in the morning will make our day more fulfilling and more productive in the long run.

How do you keep to your own agenda?

Lessons from "Facing the Giants"

This week I watched the film "Facing the Giants" and had the following take-aways.

Self-limiting beliefs.  One of the football players did the "death crawl" during practice only this time he was blind folded.  He coach urged him forward, to do his best, while the other players looked on in amazement.  The player assumed he really pushed himself and had made it to the fifty yard line.  However when the blinders were removed he had done all one-hundred yards and made it to the end zone.  I wonder what self-limiting beliefs keep me from doing twice what I would expect.

Praise Him in the good times and in the bad times.  The featured couple in the film resolved to give God the glory whether they were going to lose, not have a baby, or win and have a family.  I resolve to glorify God whether He chooses to crush me or whether He chooses to bless me.

Do your best.  The coach told his players that their responsibility was to do their best in every area of life and leave the results to God.  Respect authority, study hard, and play hard.  God can take our meager efforts and make them major wins.

Overcome your fear.  God says in His Word to not fear 365 times.  I think there is a message there.  We are not to fear man but God alone.  God has our back.  He know our needs.  We can face the giants in our lives and expect God to get us through the encounter.

What lessons from "Facing the Giants" would you like to share?