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I can get lost in my garden

Spring has finally arrived and I am gardening again! My soul has been longing for sunshine and warmth and I think it is finally here to stay.

That a tiny, hard seed can grow into a big strong plant and produce food that nourishes us fascinates me.

This season I'm trying tomatoes, bell peppers, jalepenos, lettuce, spinach, chard, kale, onions, carrots, okra, eggplant, peas and strawberries, and soon I'll put in zucchini and cantaloupe, with pumpkins and who knows what else later on.

I'm also in love with herbs--this year it's basil, rosemary, parsley, oregano, cilantro, chives, lemon verbena, lavender, with hopefully lemon thyme, sage and mint to come.

Hooray!

The brew

This is the best home remedy for a cold I've ever had:

Grate a 1-inch piece of peeled, fresh ginger into 2 cups of water.
Bring to a boil and let simmer 5 minutes.
Add 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less to taste).
Simmer a few minutes more.
Add 2 Tablespoons each of honey and freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Add 1 or 2 cloves of crushed fresh garlic.
Allow to cool slightly and strain if desired.
Get under some covers and drink as much as you can.

This is a recipe from Natural Health, Natural Medicine, by Dr. Andrew Weil. He says it helps congestion, chills and malaise, and it does.

What Christmas tree are you?

You Are a Cranberry and Popcorn Strung Tree

Christmas is all about showcasing your creative talents. From cookies to nicely wrapped presents, your unique creations impress everyone.

What Christmas Tree Are You?

How's this for perspective?

So I'm organizing a trip to Central America these days. One of the questions on the application has to do with whether an overnight stay in the countryside (sleeping on a hard bed or floor, outdoor latrines, no running water), with a long walk to a village without road access, would present any problems for the applicant. Here is one response we got. How's this for perspective?

"I just turned 70 which is a real downer because I don't feel that old. My tent camping and hiking days may be over but I can still take long walks, my balance and health are good, and I think I could still get up, after a night's rest, on a hard bed or floor, with enough flexibility to work out of the stiffness."

Sometimes, life hurts

A while back my brother's best friend Dave was diagnosed with leukemia. Out of the four kinds of leukemia there are, Dave happened to get the exact same kind our dad had. What are the chances?

Dave hasn't been doing too well lately. We got calls on Sunday that things were looking grim and that Todd should get himself to Indy. Then things started looking better. Down, up, up, down, up, down. That is how it goes with AML--it's crazy, complicated, confusing, and anyone's guess as to what's going to work at any given moment. (Often you ask,) What are the chances?

Todd got the call at 3am this morning. Dave has died.

Today, November 21, is the day our dad died two years ago. What are the chances?

It feels cruel, just cruel.

My mom and I are setting the table for the Thanksgiving meal. We've pulled out the old placecards that I calligraphied in elementary school--visible reminders of all those who used to be around our table who have now passed: my dad (Stan), my grandparents (Gran, Sug, Daddy Bob), my cousin (Lee). Dave spent a Thanksgiving or two with us as well.

Giving thanks in the midst of sadness and grief...that is the task these days.

Thanksgiving

I'm a slacker in the blog-world these days. Here's my attempt at a fresh start...a wee thanksgiving prayer. We sang this in church recently; the words are from Fred Pratt Green, the tune is "All Through the Night:"

For the harvest of the Spirit, thanks be to God;
for the good we all inherit, thanks be to God;
for the wonders that astound us,
for the truths that still confound us,
most of all, that love has found us, thanks be to God.

Fire & Rain

After long periods of drought this year, it is finally raining. It is constant and will continue. My soul is relieved and even relaxed a little more. It is comforting to once again hear soft rain. Being the novice gardener I am (this is my first growing season), I have grown accustomed to watering my garden - a lot. I am curious, and a little worried, to see what so much rain will do.

However, on the other side of the country, conditions are quite the opposite - dry dry dry. I keep trying to but cannot fathom so many people evacuated, so many homes lost, so many trees and earth scorched. A friend in LA writes:

"Environmental issues loom huge in this crisis. So too mental health issues; the L.A. County Fire Dept. suspects that three of the fires were started by arsonists. Sorrow upon sorrow...

Although things are bad in Los Angeles County it is much, much worse in San Diego county: 145,000 acres have burned, 250,000 people have been evacuated and500 homes have been lost.

The forecast is not looking good for the next 24 hours...more hot Santa Ana winds (desert winds) expected.

Our children are being banned from playing outside by LA Unified School District, the air is so toxic."