Silent Sunday came a day early this week

Ancient Son

Cast your light

Cause there’s not hope in endless Winter

Little Margin for Error

Changing weather patterns, the ineffectiveness of medieval governments in dealing with crises, and population level at a historical high made it a time with little margin for error in food production. 

Factors in the Great Famine	Current Factors
Anomaly: Warm Climate Massive crop failure (1315-1317, 5-12% dead) Extreme weather Flooding Class Warfare Increased Crime Inflation Epidemic Disease  Lifespan reduction (from 29.84 years in 1301-1325 to 17.33 years in 1348-1375.)	Anomaly: Heat wave Heat related death Burned crops Sacrificed livestock Extreme weather Flooding Class Warfare Increased Crime Inflation Epidemic Disease Lifespan reduction Social unrest and disruption Schools Hospitals Labor Climate Anomaly: Drought Rivers dry up and goods can’t get where they’re going Hydroelectric production compromised Supply Chain breakdown Climate

The Great Famine of 1315–1317 (occasionally dated 1315–1322) was the first of a series of large-scale crises that struck Europe early in the 14th century. Most of Europe (extending east to Russia and south to Italy) was affected. The famine caused many deaths over an extended number of years and marked a clear end to the period of growth and prosperity from the 11th to the 13th centuries.

The Resting Spot

This week was a crush of writing and rain; by Wednesday evening I felt as though I had run a marathon at a sprint. Last night's storm was an articulation of the crashing spirit of exhaustion.

The blog post is edited and submitted. I crafted and then drafted a syllabus, which might serve as the framework for a research proposal; it's the second in what is becoming a series. The editor of an anthology sent me a set of artwork for the upcoming discussions of the stories, pieces that each have a philosophical query at their heart. The abstract for an upcoming conference presentation is sitting in The Resting Spot. I, too, am in a still space today. My calendar has no due dates or task lists, and I've set the phone on Do Not Disturb. There will likely be another patch of rain this evening; I can feel the subtle shifts in the muscles around my skull, just above the right temple. The contractions move my glasses just a bit, like an affectionate great aunt tugging my ear, feeling as though The Way is beckoning me to join it in the quiet. 

Classes begin in ten days, and I'm considering setting an out-of-office automatic replay as I sit with the end of a season. Half-past August always has that gathering-up-to-move energy for me. Writing, music, knitting, the fiction of philosophy. This is my vacation. This is my world.

Lost on You

1990, redux

While the financial markets took a hit today on news of unstable giants Freddie and Fannie, food prices took a leap. The interesting part of this news is that both discuss the worst conditions seen in the past 18 years (are you listening, class of 2012?). I remember 1990. Not really interested in going back to those days. August 21 update: The four-week average, a less volatile measure, rose to the highest level in almost seven years. . . . Sales at U.S. retailers dropped 0.1 percent in July, the first decrease in five months, according to figures from the Commerce Department. Inflation concerns are high following three reports from the Labor Department this month. Consumer, producer and import prices were all higher than forecast. Add to that today's news that "The index of leading U.S. economic indicators fell in July by the most in almost a year, reinforcing the darkening outlook for growth." and it all brings on a serious case of deja vu.