Moderation as defined by my college dictionary says that one should avoid excessive or extreme behavior. So I gravitate to people who are tolerant of other's beliefs but are still able to negotiate in good faith. Mother Nature is again my guide as to where I might find moderation. Yesterday I was hiking for about a mile in the Little Cholame Creek bed looking at all the new Willow and Cottonwood trees that since last spring thousands have reached a height of six to twelve inches and on the creek banks there are Buckwheat bushes, Mule Fat, Yerba Santa and others that I can’t readily identify. But what is most pleasing to my eyes is the reinvigoration of the whole creek ecosystem. What has caused all this activity? One reason for sure was last year’s wet year. But beyond that, I think with the arrival of tens of thousands of new people to California brought by the allure of gold in 1849 and then followed by the 1862 Homestead Act that allowed almost anybody to stake a Homestead claim on 160 acres of land that was unclaimed and after several years of work would be granted a Title to that 160 acres. The need to feed one’s family and save some money for a rainy day caused many of our California creeks and rivers to be called upon to provide beyond their ability to sustain themselves so today I have my share of eroded creek banks that I am working to fix.

           I still graze the Little Cholame and its close surroundings but only in the dormant winter times and I do it in moderation. So what I see happening is the formation of a community of green growing things that are complex in their makeup but moderate in their demands, meaning that each has a place in helping to create an environment where a symbiotic community can thrive. 

         This is what I want my United States government to be. So, let’s stop the polarizing and start moderating. We will all be better for it. 

                     See Ya, 

                      Jack