jumin-in-the-farm

[jumin-in-the-farm]

By the way.

I know that aqueducts are not true farming, so if you are disappointed about that, it makes logical sense. However, I do what I want with my blog. And aqueducts were used for farming at times anyway. Just not in my life they weren’t. 

[jumin-in-the-farm]

Aqueducts (Part 1)

...Well, it’s been a while, hasn’t it? Life got in the way of many things, and as always, I have no free time on my hands. Business is my first priority; grape farming is my hobby, a piece of my personal life. I am not one for discussing my personal life on the Internet, but deem it important to mention I haven’t had time to attend to my grape farm in ages. My employees are catering to the plants, so there is nothing to worry about, of course. That is the reason why this post is not about grapes. I’ll save that for another time, when I garner some fruitful inspiration.

Today, I will focus on aqueducts. 

Photo: © Izaz Krakowa, Pixabay

Aqueduct is a very general term, but many people know of them from Geometry class. That is because if you take one look at an aqueduct, and should be able to recognize that it has recurring shapes. These are called parabolas. 

I am not about to lecture you on math, however. 

Now, to get to my point. Despite there being a variety of qualifications for aqueducts, there is a distinct difference between the two most popular types of aqueducts: Roman and modern day aqueducts.

Contrary to popular belief, the Romans did not “create” aqueducts. Depending on your definition of aqueduct, the origins could range from the island of Crete, to a village in India known as Hampi. It merely depends on how you apply the term. 

However, Romans are known for their beautiful aqueduct structures. Aqueducts were absolutely essential for Rome’s heavy population during ancient times. There were more people than Rome could handle water supply wise. Thankfully, aqueducts proved to be a tremendously useful solution to this problem. As Strabo put it in Strabo’s Geography:

So much, then, for the blessings with which nature supplies the city... water is brought into the city through the aqueducts in such quantities that veritable rivers flow through the city and the sewers; and almost every house has cisterns, and service-pipes, and copious fountains...

Roman aqueducts almost always look similar to the structure in the above photo. For reference, here is a comparison to modern day aqueducts.

As you can see, modern aqueducts are either underground, or in pipes, tunnels, etc. While they do not hold the same aesthetic beauty that an aqueduct bridge can, they serve a purpose. They certainly are easier for today’s setting, if you are living in a city, or simply somewhere that isn’t a small village. Not to mention that they can be much longer than traditional bridge aqueducts, proving to work more efficiently than ever in more populated areas. 

What if I told you that was all just a history lesson for what is to come? Well, it was. My main point, as with the last post, is to make comparisons between something I find fascinating and relationships. Perhaps this may seem out of character if you know me in person, but I’ve never been a stranger to intelligent comparisons. 

To make a long story short, here is an exact comparison image laid out for you:

I must state a disclaimer that this comparison is in no way limited to romantic relationships. In fact, my examples and explanation leans towards other types of relationships. To interpret the term ‘relationship’ as being strictly romantic is quite ridiculous, but I understand the affectionate connotations surrounding the word.

Let us start from the beginning. Small disturbances are a part of life; whether it be arguing with your neighbor over hedges, or holding a grudge towards your womanizer of a father for years. They happen. What I have learned is that what truly matters is how you handle these issues. Traditional bridge aqueducts serve as a metaphor for the balance in relationships. While they have their own cracks and holes along the way, there is generally a very stable structure set in stone. It is extremely difficult to find these sort of relationships, especially within family. Family has, and will never mean unconditional love. 

Now that I think about it, it seems as if I’m saying modern aqueducts are a bad idea for society. That was not my intention at all. The complete sink in the image after no resolve can also mean repression of emotions. Sometimes, humans subconsciously repress their feelings to the point of not realizing how many emotions they really do have due to their father. That itself can lead to therapy and, eventually, the decision to either move on or move back.

If you recall, earlier I had stated that the strategy of how to deal with disturbances and negative emotions is what matters. Humans are humans, and sometimes, you do not make any positive changes until after going through all these negative, modern day aqueduct phases. It may even take a new person coming into your life to realize all the mistakes you’ve made, to realize that perhaps your father isn’t as bad as he seemed your entire life. That is, as we all know, unfortunately normal in the world. But it should be considered a positive thing to change at all, right? 

I think that, as long as you come to terms with everything in the end, all is well.

[jumin-in-the-farm]

My grapes (Part 1)

An image from a grape farm I frequently visit. I do not own it, but often stay here for pleasure. It doubles as a farm winery as well, of course, producing some of this country’s best wine. Only few can visit as frequently as I do with ease from the workers, and it only makes sense they allow me to.

Anyway, viticulture is a small interest of mine. While I’m much rather fond of drinking wine and enjoying the sight of plump grapes hanging from evergreen trees, I don’t mind learning the science behind said grapes.

I find that the planting of grape vines is very philosophical. 

You must first build a support for the grape vines, in able for them to grow vertically. This also cuts down on the risk of getting food poisoning or your grapes rotting. I believe this beginning process is particularly metaphorical for setting up a healthy, mutually beneficial relationship. You wouldn’t want the relationship to constantly stay on one level (horizontally), with no benefits or bonuses whatsoever. It must remain a ladder, where you both gain things from the relationship. Emphasis on both here. I do not enjoy one-sided relationships. A good example of what I mean would be gold-diggers, or childhood friends who lie to you after years of trust.

Another key step in this difficult, yet rewarding process is drenching the roots in water for several hours before planting. I personally believe this is another fitting analogy for stepping into new relationships. You must first piece together the basics of your relationship - what is okay, what isn’t okay, figuring out yourselves before getting serious, serious lies, intentions, etc. I think you get where I’m going with this. 

You must also give some air to the roots. The soil must be loose in order for the vine to breathe and receive the air it needs. This is strikingly similar to needing space in relationships. I don’t have much to say on this, as it speaks for itself.

My last and final point for tonight will be in regards to how long it takes for the grapes to grow. Ideally, wouldn’t you like the grapes to rapidly grow? There is nothing abnormal about wanting the purple orb on your tongue as quickly as possible. It is simply human nature to be desperate and greedy when you are deprived. However, we must step back and take an outsider’s perspective on this, emotions aside. It is best to take a slow and steady approach when bearing grapes; it will take a few years for a vine to carry the heavy weight of these juicy spheres. The vine must first learn to support the fruit. I will take it that my readers are smart enough to debunk this comparison.

Well, that is all I have time for tonight. I have some business to do soon. I will be back to write more eventually.