My mom has the thoughtful habit of sending cards for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and illness. My dad has the thoughtful habit (and duty) of mailing those cards for her. It may not be at the closest post office, but wherever his motorcycle takes him. Today, I had the duty (and honor) of helping by going along for the ride.
There is a quotation (or maybe a poem... I tend not to check details as much when I am away from home), something like "One is nearer God's heart in a garden than anywhere else on earth." [But I did check after I got home. It is credited to Dorothy Frances Gurney.] Perhaps an argument could be made for substituting "on a motorcycle" for "in a garden" just by being so vulnerable. Whenever I climb on the back on the motorcycle, I am aware of the need to be ready to die (only half joking to myself). But today, the wind in my face (and there was Wind!) seemed to blow away loose cancer cells and to pump fresh healthy air into my body. And I was more aware of the need to be ready to live.
Or to take a nap. ;)
Just kidding. No nap. Afterward, we planted bush beans in his garden. 
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Wind in My Face
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3 comments:
Laura,
Thank you for taking us along with you up north!
Hugs,
Tami
Duvall60 writes:
re: farmers and being close to life, our sustenance. For more than a decade now, Peter and I have had a "share" in a farm through something called "Community Supported Agriculture". We pay, in advance of the the growing season, for a season's worth of organic vegetables (about 3/4 of a bushel every week). In fact, i think we have now paid for a few years in advance. this helps the small farmer in many ways -- money when she needs it for capital improvements and seed when she needs it, and she knows the crop is sold. we pick up our food at a fellow shareholder's house nearby -- and have a community surrounding this. the farm holds 2 open houses a year, there's a weekly newsletter, and one can visit(to work if you call in advance). we get such fresh, fragrant vegetables and herbs in season, and an appreciation for the rhythm of seasons, the faith and precariousness of growing food, (eg, one week we might not have lettuce because a severe rainstorm shredded in the ground), and the incredible abundance.
the farm we support is Angelic Organics. Check out its website, or any other by googling on CSA -community supported agriculture. Our farmer has made a documentary that's traveled the nation -- "The Real Dirt on Farmer John". He left the family farm at one time, and has interesting experiences. Your library may have a copy. There's also a cookbook called "The Real Dirt on Vegetables" arranged by season. this represents a compilation of info and recipes from newsletters we've received each week with our vegetables.
I would expect there are things like this in Michigan for "city dwellers", and not just those living around places like Ann Arbor.
Susan
It sounds like you had a wonderful day with your Dad. Your mother sending cards to so many people brought back memories of my mother-in-law. She was so faithful sending cards to people. Her church listed member's birthdays in the church newsletter each month and you could count on receiving either a birthday card in the mail or a phone call on your birthday from Gladys.
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