Cultivation

Entropy: The inexorable tendency of the universe and any isolated system in it, 

to slide towards a state of disorder.

I was never any good at physics. The math scared me. Too many mysterious Greek symbols; too much abstract theory; too many incorrect answers in the haystack holding that one correct.The second law of thermodynamics (Steven Holzner, Physics I for Dummies, 2nd edition) says that heat flows naturally from an object at a higher temperature to an object at a lower temperature, and heat doesn’t flow in the opposite direction of its own accord. We can further say that it takes an input of energy to make that heat flow in the opposite direction.

Ok, I'm already yawning, and still a little bit scratching my head, wondering if I really understand.

But let me go outside and take a bit of a walk around.

There is no doubt that, without lots and lots of energy input, the plant world around me will quickly slide towards that state of disorder. In my line of work, I was always struggling with all the energy I had in me against that state of disorder that I called weeds, or uneven growth, lack of appropriate water, need for nourishment, insect damage, fungal and bacterial infections, etc. Now there's an example of entropy that I really get.

Since I sold the nursery property, I've been sadly witnessing that slide every day. 

The fields are unmowed.

The ornamental display beds have disappeared back into the tall grass. In the space of two months, poke weed, china berry, sweet gum have begun to rival the size of conifers that are 10 years old. I am getting some sort of perverse pleasure in realizing that, as far behind as it seemed I was, I actually did a pretty good job keeping all the power of the natural laws of the universe at bay.

 I wanted to think that I was working with nature to produce my plants and take care of my garden, but now I realize how much was lined up against me as I tried.

So I've been mulling over the concept of cultivation.

The basic definition of cultivation comes from tilling or otherwise working the land to grow crops - specific crops. It is agriculture, and horticulture, and eventually civilization to grow crops for increased yields and specific uses. 

Cultivation implies a particular method, or culture, to take care of the land and the crops, and then infers other beneficial meanings to the word culture, suggesting a refinement, kindness, proficiency, or even beauty. 

As the definition broadens, most synonyms of cultivation seem to point in the direction of improvement, maturity, learning and wisdom.
The language of making order seems to value these pursuits.

MC Escher said " We adore chaos because we love to produce order."

 

Alain de Botton said "Work is a way of bringing order to chaos, and there's a basic satisfaction in seeing that we are able to make something a little more coherent by the end of the day."

Looking over the property line to the chaos next door, I guess I would tend to agree.

But that property is not mine any more. As it moves towards ever increasing natural randomness, it reminds me of the Robert Frost poem Mending Wall

 Something there is that doesn't love a wall,

That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it;

And spills the upper boulders in the sun....

Those lines must also refer to that same slide towards disorder, and the work required at spring mending-time to set the wall between them again.
But maybe more important for me is the warning: 

Good fences make good neighbors.