It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light and winter in the shade.
–Charles Dickens
Today was exactly like that quote from Charles Dickens.
Spring Break was a couple weeks ago. Quite suddenly the frenetic pace in which I have grown accustomed to functioning, came to a screeching halt. Then there was silence and time. I can’t remember when I had such a vast expanse of both.
Last year at this same time I was learning new ways to kneel and kiss the ground even as that ground was spinning away beneath my wheels and shifting beneath my feet. Prayers were being flung to the heavens. Finally, the ground gave way and I poured right through the hourglass into a completely different life. And here I am.
This year I am learning to operate at a slower pace. The curriculum is challenging, but the lessons are definitely worth the while….as well as delicious! El Diablo made these fluffy rolls this week the slow way.
They took *forever.*
Piping hot and drenched with melted butter and maple syrup as they were, I ate entirely too many of them.
Now, raspberry, blueberry, and blackberry bushes are ready to be planted. This season’s new seeds will be planted soon, along with the seeds collected from last year’s garden.
As we are making way for slow food, I’m remembering some of the things I read in Barbara Kingsolver’s memoir Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life about how to rely less on fossil fuels through the food choices we make. So I leave you today with food for thought.
- Americans put almost as much fossil fuel into our refrigerators as our cars.
- The average food item on a U.S. grocery shelf has traveled farther than most families go on their annual vacations…. an average of 1,500 miles….
- If every U.S. citizen ate just one meal a week (any meal) composed of locally and organically raised meats and produce, we would reduce our country’s oil consumption by over 1.1 million barrels of oil every week.
–Barbara Kingsolver
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle
8 comments
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March 29, 2013 at 8:38 pm
Kathy
Barbara Kingsolver is one of my heroines, Lunar. I always love stopping by your blog. Glad you have some space to breathe. Or at least you did when you wrote this.
March 30, 2013 at 9:50 pm
Lunar Euphoria
She is one of mine too. I’m so glad you popped over!
March 30, 2013 at 9:39 pm
Dana
I’ve never read any Kingsolver– WTH?? Her quote above is fascinating… and disturbing. One of my favourite things about Tucson was having a lemon tree right in our backyard. I use a ton of lemons but always feel a stab of guilt for how long they have to travel up to Canada. Thank goodness for a few months free of citrus-induced guilt! (Now if I can just find a home with a lemon tree AND an avocado tree in the backyard, I’ll be set for life!) 😉
March 30, 2013 at 9:50 pm
Lunar Euphoria
If I’m recalling correctly, the book mentioned above begins in Tuscon, where she used to live. It’s her first and only memoir — she’s more known for her fiction. She co-wrote it with her husband and their children and it covers a year of her and her family eating locally grown food. She is an early champion of the local food movement. Fantastic writer.
I just finished her latest book. Churning over thoughts for a possible post.
March 30, 2013 at 9:51 pm
Dana
Small world! I’ll have to dig up some of her stuff and read it. 🙂
April 1, 2013 at 12:27 am
michelleatplay
Dickens & Kingsolver, delicious home baked rolls and garden goodness, blogging, learning and life. You know how to live, my friend.
April 1, 2013 at 11:52 pm
Lunar Euphoria
🙂 I admit, it’s a charmed life.
April 7, 2013 at 3:07 pm
Jackie Cangro
So many great things in this post. First, I love the Dickens quote. That’s exactly what it felt like yesterday as I walked along the avenue to the farmer’s market.
I’m also a fan of India.Arie. I like her song “There’s Hope.”
I read the Barbara Kingsolver book last year and found it to be eye opening. It was amazing to realize how easy it can be to eat more locally (even here in NYC) if you make a small effort. Of course I would find it hard to do on a permanent basis, addicted as I am to coffee! 🙂
PS – those rolls look delicious!