The Daddy Influence
The "Daddy" Influence
Perspective is everything. When Rick and I first started the idea of Mezzacello, 7 short years ago we both of us knew we were not describing the same thing. Rick’s vision was formal and elegant, my vision was feral, functional, and systems-driven. We both of us knew that each vision was true and attainable if we kept our mission and vision in mind while building and growing. This system works. For the most part.
This strategy works great for three important reasons:
- It allows us to explore, express, and entertain our passions
- allows us to create resources for each other
- It helps inform ourselves and each other about what we can (and cannot) sustain
This framework has worked very well. One area where it doesn’t work so well is when we each make assumptions about what we think a “garden” actually is. I assume Rick grows his flowers and trees and grass just for me to use as biomass. Rick assumes my gardens contain multitudes of things he does not want in his gardens, or that my farm animals are “yard babies”.
Quick update: the animals provide a source of manure, meat, eggs, feathers, and food processing for all of Mezzacello. This is the Daddy Perspective I reference. I am watching two generations of ducks socialize. Rick was watching out for the “babies” to make sure they weren’t bullied. I guess both things are true, but the latter is not sustainable. The ducks do need to socialize and establish a “pecking order” but six years on I can admit that I can kind of see it From Rick’s perspective. So I guess the Daddy Influence is a real thing.
