I very much appreciate the fact that the first principle of Permaculture (Pc) aligns with this so well.
"Observe and Interact" (Principle #1 from co-originators of Pc - Mollison and Holmgren)
David Holmgren says in his book Permaculture: Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability that
Good design depends on a free and harmonious relationship to nature and people, in which careful observation and thoughtful interaction provide the design inspiration, repertoire and patterns. It is not something that is generated in isolation, but through continuous and reciprocal interaction with the subject.Rocognising the flow of nature is a tremendous gift. Observing how She reacts to the approach of winter, interacting with Her quietly and pausing often for insights and inspiration is an amazing experience. I am learning more about my home and the land I tend right now, than I have in all the years prior combined.
I've learned which microclimates on my land react first to the coming winter and which ones hang on until the hardest freeze. I am seeing how the flow of water on and through my land is changing as the ground gets colder and begins to tighten up. My house is speaking to me in creaks and pops as we move from mild, humid air moving through open windows to warmed and dried air of a gas furnace. I am noting which rooms have seen the most significant change in atmosphere (layers of energy, heat/cold, moist/dry, light/dark, inviting/opposing). Two rooms in particular have already seen a huge change. One was previously (summer and fall) a room I rarely went into. Now that winter is upon us, I love it in there. Conversely, a room I loved in Spring and Summer, I have rarely used this fall and early winter. Is it the view, degrees of sunlight, temperature, energy flow, or a combination of those and other factors? I've got more observation to do yet, it seems.
Some other things I am observing intently:
How do I feel about entering/exiting the different exterior doors in our house?
We are considering blocking up a door in the kitchen (which is a matter of feet from another door on the east side of the house) and opening up a new door to the south which currently has no access. I'm looking at how I feel about using the other east facing door exclusively (should we wall up the kitchen door for more counter space?) and how I might feel about having south facing access/light.
I also have a few design elements that could go several places on our land which would be highly used in colder months. I am observing how I feel about moving in and out of doors to access these things (like a wood shed for the hearth and woodburning stove as well as a cold-frame/greenhouse) during the winter and specifically, inclement weather.
What is the best flow for our (soon to be remodeled) kitchen?
How do I use my current kitchen? Could it be improved on by making a few additions but not relocating the major appliances? What would I like more room to do and what could get by with less? How often would we go outdoors from the kitchen/hearth room a day and is there a clear path? What is the best location for a processing area coming in from the garden?
In these cold months when we are indoors more than out, to what degree can we unplug ourselves from computers and tv's? It's not hard in the summer, we're busy outside and doing other things. But in the winter, we tend to rely on these 'babysitters' more often. How much can we cut them out? What other things can we train ourselves to do in place of mind-numbing channel or web surfing?
So, I'm sitting back and observing - allowing things the time they need to move front and center of my attention. And I'm (we're) interacting with the environment in new ways to encourage those gems to present themselves. It really is amazing what you'll learn about your house, landscape and even the objects in your environment when you slow down enough to really observe.
