flashlight spots the skunk’s trunk up and at the ready; swivel the light and what is there turning about under the pine tree and paw paw but a raccoon, red eyes now affixed in the flashlight ray

go raccoon go and disturb not our rabbits enjoying their evening under the paw paw trees but I understand your presence here in the shadow of night

the both of you finding refuge at little Uruguay for the neighborhood (generally) — a vast wasteland or better yet a food desert, no dessert, certainly deserted of its wild origins

make way then humanity and heed the call to wilderness your spaces for this humble grove of 5000 sq ft ought not be the only refuge for these nocturnal beings

I grant you permission to stay seeking refuge here, this space a raft to carry you over until the wild fruits ripen again, elsewhere, somewhere, anywhere…

And since that time, I've never thought to purchase a shovel for snow due to the fact that I have shovels, those of the farming nature and gardening types; and a few brooms just as good at sweeping snow as they are in sweeping dust.

Now today, the day after a blizzard, I enjoy myself shoveling out with my garden tools. it may seem a bit longer pf a way, yet in truth, only a matter of a frame of mind— frames of mind allow us to exist on the Earth in our value structures and principle natures.

funny-ly, down the road neighbors ask me do I want a real shovel and I say I have one! I can hear them baffled minds wondering why he would not use a larger shovel!

to a stubborn Capricorn nature I must joust I should say and I think not as a matter of mind

it is the spring festival and all we have is time; time is on our side and this is quite a beautiful experience we have, that of time— a blessing of time that is enjoyable

See, for a spring snow is quite easy for me to enjoy, it's greater purpose for the trees and the soils and the roots— the growth in the spring, that especially in the northeast, we must be so patient in waiting and enjoying the little bit by bit and then comes April May and June we know all of that bloom …

Returning then to this title: frame of mind, a frame of mind and how do we frame our life and purpose and our gardens and our landscapes inside-out—how are we framing our landscapes inside and out?

we see ourselves as we hold ideas within; a set of particular understandings…

underneath we are and wondering on if we are all one; a universal understanding?

(regardless of the size of our shovels or the width of our path)

we are all out here on the street in common and on our own

always

on our own

always in common.

Suppose then to continue and go farther—

expressing and explaining the depth of a mind, what I know of yours is none but there is mine (a mirror?)

incoherence of understanding

Lies with subjectivity— wants to take the upper hand— the ego with all of its parts and layers and layers and layers recital of social-cultural…

layers

Now, here I am having a good time in my own understanding

everyone in their own way has lived through, has gone through, is seeing the world and I think:

to speak of comfort, back to the frame of mind

frame of mind

Go back to self

in and out of self

in and out of self

we breathe and we think and we explore and we send our thoughts and ideas into the world and then we bring them back

we roll them back in

and sometimes when exploring and we’re talking with people/loved ones

at times things get a little jostled in the subjectivity right there in the emotional people carry

Carry on what they carry on about or think about—

carry with them…

now enter into garden landscape and what we carry on into

What we are carrying on about and into

A return to nature then seems crucial, never trivial.

cleansing and clearing all the aspects of non-nature

the things that have to do with or do not have to do with our nature …

cleansing is the decomposing nature,

as a blizzard snow weighs itself onto the heaving nature below.

A piece of writing in pieces and parts comes together solely for its own purpose— to express, not to impose

a blurb within a blizzard

I remember writing a poem some years ago while a colleague and I prepared seminar and bantered about the political nature of educational hierarchies; its title: suit and tie rhetoric.

The poem expressed a concern for the indescribability of reason that allows people wearing suits to dictate our very existence upon earth. in its message was concern; wearing a suit somehow provided cover— some kind of moral or ethical ability.

In any case, it was long before that moment— a decision to only wear my finest button down(s) in the garden. at school work I would wear what students had to wear for dress code— a school shirt. It was direct action. I called students mr and ms their last name and they called me Daniel. One can surmise as to its purpose. I dug into the earth rolling up sleeves without compromising.

Whatever sense of purpose I might have gained from those actions during those times in private school education aka highly conservative arenas when it came to critical thought and action acting as progressive liberal spaces —has filtered down and settled, whittled as scion wood at the edge of a fire; business is business and then there's ethical and moral life.

Our daily choices-our daily actions day after day, banal as they might be, forever reveal insurmountable truth about our very nature, about our willingness to succumb to the easy road, the comfortable, the convenient, the allowable; the un-cancelable.

As I breathe again in meditative state and remember myself entirely, unearthed and unraveled beyond the layers of societal and cultural influence, a certain effulgence clears my path; a state of natural rhythm- knowledge reveals itself.

I know as in to know

to own our nature

unhindered authenticity.

And so in waking from winter’s slumber, a blizzard offers me another repose; back into sovereignty we go; dig ever deeper into ethical and moral purpose. for when spring does bloom the earth will bounce with seeds and shoots and fodder, in a natural farming garden oasis.

Breath makes way for Self

always Self

always breath

retreat time at Little Uruguay and who shall be paying a visit?

Is this the year of the plum tree? The branches have given themselves to a pruning; the tree, a model in silhouette upon the white canvas, is filled with ripe buds.

On this the lunar new year day, the new moon reveals, evermore intensely, nature’s call for reckoning. Saturated consumerists, worn down idealists, we idle upon the threshold weary to take definable steps into the precipice of discrimination; that of separating from the trodden path unto the one less traveled.

Abstract reasoning aside, the choice to commune in growing, requires stark and bold action toward cooperative living. Yet, it is and must be a slow and steady inward and outward shift in perspective and intention, of approaches and postures; nature.

This is the lunar new year, a celebration in entering spring with all its energies for growth and activity. This new lunar year choose to grow, collaboratively if you are able, while remembering to stick to your inner calling and morality, for the shifts and changes occur deep within (the self and the soil).

—

fruit and brambles pruned for fruiting delight; nature provides the shape, the mind, eye, and hand provide the maintenance.

—

second year for the rabbits and we expand their home. come for a visit and feed them the pruned fruit tree branches, a delight for them.

—

written 17-19 Febrero, 2026, the year of the Horse (Lantern Festival end of spring festival is 03 March)

peace and gardens

Daniel Alejandro Penengo Gallo Canepa Galvalisi

—

i’m opening to open i’m hoping

in opening

opening to open i’m open a door

I’m open a door is open for more

you there just you there what do you have in store

your store and my store what’s left in there hoping

—

hoping and hoping for evermore

used to bombardment not what we had in store

everyone suffering in that glamouring of war.

—

o no none for us thanks, better off on the floor.

no more of this suffering can I hold in its store.

—

yet I am open

open to open open for more

of that empathy sympathy compassion folklore

that idea of united where all open to closeness

again we are opening

—

press onward hold dear to those thoughts

a world that is open

open to open

opening open in hoping for more

of that openness open

can open for all

.

Mother Earth; is what you do so well, swallowing each and everyone’s own breath; absorbing breathing in and out releasing pachamama breath.

—

you know that feeling when it’s hard to swallow your own bs? it’s only human shame and ok. with every breath we swallow in and out we breathing and releasing, the absorbing chemistry engages in creativity; creating every new yet subtly a being looks and acts the way (I) does yet differently; in all but one important filtering— of ego and the parts that make us up, those we attach a hierarchy within us.

—

still breathing and releasing slightly more relaxing feeling now engaging and again in question comes the moral tongue; release me from the burden of responsibility of the greater sum; so let then understand all of all but my most modest part. depart.

—

a question of the heart? oh if only then and but there is more to this melancholy art we draw together you and I; pachamama.

—

so outward here we go and now the words from me to all of thou: what will it be our toil on land together? what it will be perhaps the way to phrase it better. come now come all one again together away from solitary toil, a letter. together always infinitely the better. Yet there is in nature there the mystery of one left stranded all alone to fend; not sure why this the moral cause; better to sing the praise of tribal lore. together.

—

the ancient spin of earth, the moon and sun, conjoined and forth our message yes it comes; breathing breath in out releasing breath; a store. a reservoir; oh well I so forget at times, you there, been filled by all that growing up and care from where but life and love and joy and family; release into the earthen soil as majesty; a food that fills my cup of sovereignty.

—

on the horizon feels like a life’s worth of purpose .. fly up and drive up if you can plan for the day or week, stay with us at little Uruguay release: https://www.westerlylibrary.org/event/westerly-grows-neighborhood-food-gardens

—

filtering echoes in my mind, all the pain that comes on from the outside; inside pain to match. what comes of it then, pachamama has us outdone in knowing full well how absorbing sky and earth; a filtering yes a carbon sink of energy for cleaning renewed energy releasing.

—

Daniel Penengo resides at Little Uruguay and wakes up in deep meditative state working through to navigate the self and if so happens send along a message to those close and far; always remember to stay close to matters of the heart and mind, you’ve always known it’s there the world requires of us this art.

—

be still and be blessed one love

some words came upon hearing the news and the feeling of helplessness and I thought to embrace the sadness the sad state to elevate and percolate the call to action… (and I am resisting the not share this part within)

helpless feeling

helpless feeling silence

helpless feeling reliance

helpless feeling defiance

helpless feeling is tired.

helpless feeling retire

helpless feeling admire

helpless feeling desire.

word sanctuary

appear in full dress; a certain elegance of attire

readiness— enter in the line of fire;

fire go beyond the shallow

repose, now exposed— a rose on fire

word sanctuary

a million miles along the way to better

sitting on the same old couch is better

her guitar and my dear sordid letters

it’s better when we’re broken up together.

sitting as two doves

one pair of mismatched gloves

it’s better when we’re broken up together

a million miles along the way to better.

sad songs only

teleprompter, lovingly exposing—

drone helicopter hover gently over me.

always here another chapter;

only fitting in the here and after.

shattered dreams of past societies

empty screen— nobs turn up disaster.

oh and how they do love to master

sad songs only in the here and after.

then words where not enough for tears

looking at the saddest things—

come words to help find clarity.

maze; there phrases appear happily

to sing upon the bleak reality.

fill in the lines the telecast leave out

the ever greater silence of the inner scream and shout.

drawing a blank; come out— get out.

then words were not enough for tears

a brother from another relayed to me upon my sordid words, find joy remember joy .. I said yes its true, find joy, yet in the moment before transcendence embrace sad then release…

from the land … the earth begins to warm ever slowly deep winter energizes roots and decomposition harmonize, natural soil the prize…

peace and love and unity.

there the tender feet they scuttle, in a thirst to quench a fire

then just then the needles lying, all along the forest floor

soft on soft then feet were gliding, freed from thirsting ever more

there is one place pine needles thrive in a homestead ecology; consider a northwest or southeast corner for a blueberry patch nestled against a native pine grove. Acidic soil comes from the fine pine needle.

Collect the cones to resin assist you when setting a fire in the outdoor pit.

Steep the needles for a winter vitamin C tea.

Why talk of pine needles this 1st of December?

Perhaps it is the caravan of cars I see with hoisted trees upon them, they there laying flat in wonder of why they are heading indoors, only to drop their needles upon the wooden floor, dying through drying

Or

Perhaps upon entering this month where my 51st bon anniversaire resides, I consider the path forward; understanding that I am the path itself, the needles layered upon the forest (earth) floor.

So these days I tend to softness, and consider how I land— and how I give way to new growth.

Awakened to awakening— eyes close to see, i see a deep blue forest dark green with comfort.

Then just then in winter’s den

If tucked away our time is spent,

fail we may to recognize how growth is taking place.

The forest floor, main garden chore, build a soil up on its layers, season upon season— raising properly a property’s value.

So side by side or side by each two gardens may reside

Moist green-blue in forest hues | Pine needle sand where lizards dine

— two ecologies merge

its true there is much of this post that makes little sense to most, so:

Simply

Know

that art for me

only intends to open— a portal

to give a chance for different.

There and by,

perhaps we might then

entertain a new way forward.

a locomotion of stored emotions—

filtering gale winds curling leaves onto the earth floor,

steadily setting us in toward winter rest. restless nature find ease.

speaking of stored,

stored energy,

a store of energy in the soil,

is my hope for your patch of earth,

your seed in the earth’s clay,

what does it have in store for you come May?

Wonder then as well,

if ever one can wonder well,

how life

it’s fleeting nature calls

on us—

to embrace a gentle toil,

to soften then;

wide open heart and breath—

wide open and our heart and breath—

open again

again open again.

a lunar month has come, now come again, for this last one has done me well,

soaking in and basking then, upon love’s charisma, a kind-hearted manipulation—

if that is you then take me true, for falling leaves I fall for you.

what intentions may intentions bring,

sobering winter, sober winter sings,

good rest—

1610, 17 November 2025 (new moon in 3 days)

Jorge Drexler below … porque si

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resistance to obey, a message for the day.

take back your power alongside friends.

— 13 years ago the first garlic cloves sink into the soil as a marker of place and home; set a garlic patch and know it will be 180 days or so until curing time. Perhaps the symbolism is about turning yourself around, or finding patience and grace for the way we operate; finding time— allowing time to foster growth and resilience.

If you’re a garlic love then you know how it works, one clove turns into one bulb on average offering 5 cloves; multiply by 5 and expand the patch.

This particular Sunday in November loyal friends opened their space to reinvest in my power play - to bring back my love for garlic and the project of expanding knowledge and community and garlic!

At the Pearl Street Garden, a bounty of enthusiasm, compost, and leaf mulch embraced the relaunch of “A Garlic Mala” ; 108 garlic seed beads and the 109th (largest seed bead) guru garlic bead down into the earth, sown in community, together for the purpose of spiritual healing—wisdom— contemplation— imagination- regeneration.

We’ll reconvene at this garlic patch to add fertility in April, harvest scapes in June, harvest and cure in July— and by then hope to have found other earthy garden space to sow— for then it will be time to multiply our purpose and expand into the world 108 garlic seeds at a time times 5.

Thank you to the “Collective” for embracing my need to take my power back and for opening space and community to nourish and reestablish the sense of place, space, hope, community, patience, and love.

Since the first little garlic patch of 16 cloves into a clearing of earth in 2013, the backyard garlic project / garlic mala bead seeds have been sown at 2 farms, 10 back yard gardens, and 2 community based garden spaces, 2 school gardens — where a rough estimate puts us at over 10,000 garlic seed sown over 12 years! That’s $50,000 retail value for organic heirloom seed garlic :)).

Peace and love and here is to more garlic patches springing up near you!

i’m cooking up a recipe for good, or better yet, i’m cooked as my friend would say. all it took was a little belief in magic and the recipe shot on far into the galaxy.

a twinkle of sprinkles, so many ingredients, stewing about the cauldron.

the flavors of divinity

a meal worthy of subscription

abundantly appetizing.

many may think what is that in that pudding— how did you come up with a such brilliant sauce?

I know it seems silly so I’ll get to the point. It’s patiently patience that made it come true— a bouquet of kale leaves is all that’s what’s new.

In case you missed the last five years a quick update:

— garlic seeds continue to spread all about RI with an array of garlic projects/collabs in the works. To date perhaps 10080 garlic seed all about

— education inside out is the vibe in south providence with our world garden life exceeding expectations- many hands make LIGHT work

— farm club is beginning to flow // new office in the outdid realm comes official ‘26 so let’s see how it salt-pepper shakes out

— a thank you to the ever present universe for allowing space and time for thoughts and burdens to unwind unto this magical time in my life.

— more to come // xoxo to fam in the global south

Seeds how they do trust the soils that will embrace them; seeds they know so much so soil make sure you let them; grow and trust.

Where can we find Trust in the world? How do we know to trust; where can we speak toward more of it?

Intention setting,

new moon speaking,

effortlessly and

wise

as a natural mystic.

end point beginning space and place speaking to those I care to speak to echo sent will you feel as hearing me:

garden chores galore for autumn

1000 garlic head into fertile soils—where trust and growth are fostered…

other parts ask me questions of the pictures how they fit into the trust fabric

now a lone hen remains and we angle to find her company with the rabbits, and other yard mammals for solidarity and warmth.

about this time, in the ruffle of the plum leaves,

an urge within begins a call for an endless summer.

perhaps it is in the ruffling where they begin to gather courage, to later fall …

for now, only shimmering waves saluting the sun blue sky daily appearing clear after cooling night rain.

to the other side of the garden path, sharpie colored peaches enjoy their final bask in the sun

all the while the over wintering perennial food sources, having offered their flowers throughout the spring and summer to the hovering,

release

seeds in their tan, dry garments, sunken in and now,

unfurling into the ether as green mustardy savor.

enjoying then, the rest of them, the plants are on their own in concert with their elements of soil and rain

fulfilling in their obligations to bear fruit and seed and henceforth joy for they and us

so all this we has to do is bear

witness to

the eternal impermanence of being

updates; test of time:

sowing workshop Sunday aug 24 0900 (rsvp on website)

gather university 30 credit hours weekly

grace gratitude humility awareness

sometimes it’s just a phone call to chat then perchance meet and idle in simplicity,

upon a garden path in shade

a leaf or stem

array of natives

hover pycnanthemum blossoms

deepening summer shimmer

a leo waxing moon

dissolve

into

the beating drum

as nature gathers self

the self it’s wealth

updates are elderberry syrup round 1

deep ecology expands into universe and university

experiential living and learning

we are absorbed in creation so as to shutter away the (political) extremity

cure the garlic

spread the garlic seed —

all the while it's garlic everything

Heirloom Culinary Seed Garlic is worth $1/clove or $5-7/bulb

—

This backyard garlic patch in Touisset (Warren RI) yielded over 800 bulbs in less than 1000 sq ft.

—

Converting a lawn to garlic patch requires zero digging but few folks know the secret to doing so.

—

Land transformation and restoration for garlic patches happens August to November. The backyard (or front lawn any lawn) project needs a few thousand more feet this fall. Who’s in?

Homemade Straw

Garden Grain Berries

Ever elusive Sovereignty

Evade the corruption in the world

Keeping to daily tasks

And

The mind on the disappeared and disappearing matter

We call life

If life is light

So let us see

https://www.diggingeducation.org/

Happy summer

these verses steer

the turning of a great ship.

the pilot program is commenced,

long awaiting in the making,

confluence of ideology and practicality.

farming the neighborhood

sinking these carbon footprints

deep into ecology emerge.

we can feed a few more this spring and then many more summer and fall. Call to join (401) 834-5828.

Waking up entering a natural garden on May 31 is quite possibly as orgasmic as a day gets. After all, it is the season of sex that is the nature of pollination after all- the warmth, the moisture- all these aspects of the natural order and orderly it is!

I question the idea that nature is unruly- as a matter of fact, the only creature that seems to not follow the rules is man.

Biodiversity, ecology, the environment- the absolute majesty of coexistence; creativity; freedom; choice; strength; humility; beauty; growth; fruit; seed; flower; grain- nature is all in and its sexual escapade.

Fear not, for this is not! the nature outlawed through the colonial religious manifestation of Eurocentric religiosity (read The Scarlet Letter for reference) aka- the desire to control; to subdue; to put order onto things; onto life itself; onto nature; onto people; onto beings— is truly, absolutely counter to what is good; what is holy; what is and provides peace/peacefulness.

The typical landscape of society is so boring if we are being honest, for little food exists there. Food is life after all. no food no life? In many ways it remains absolutely dead to a natural and magnificent connection with nature; to our foraging and hunter DNA —

Recalling and understanding that we are not! an entity separate from nature; we are nature itself; a part of the whole — no ethno-anthropocentric element exists— that is mere fallacy; It's just not true. Are we correct?

So come on by to/@ Little Uruguay: the address is 10 Walsh Ave in (Bay Spring) 02806.

It is one sovereign piece of land amongst many monoculture lawns — and certainly it may be safe to say — this is not the Garden that is an eye sore — Perhaps! it is simply the pupil of our native eye, there to provide portal to our nature soul.

We are currently piloting a natural garden ‘csa’ if you’d like a share from the natural garden lmk!

Gallery of but a trivial portion of the bio-activity here and around May 31