What do aspartame berries look like? Have you ever gone hunting for nitrites in the dark? Or even nitrates, for that matter? What if today we thought about fruit of the vine and work of human hands in a slightly more focused way?
What if today we all "pondered" everything we consumed? For those interested in thinning out the "big girl" look, pondering will slow down consumption. For those just interested in trying this out, it will definitely add to savoring each mouthful.
Let's think for a minute about the sweat equity that went into my "twigs and bark" (Uncle John, 2008) breakfast. Geez! My blueberries came from FL. I didn't buy the land they grew on, till it, fertilize it, protect it, plant on it, nurture the seedlings, irrigate them, sweat in the sun to harvest them, truck to market, and buy the gas (! whoa !) to do that! What if it were all about my very own hands, my very own back, my very own know-how to get those berries from evolution to my unworthy mouth this morning?
What if just for today I imaged that I returned to agrarian, hunter-gatherer roots? What if I only consumed today what I were willing to labor for, or hunt, or slaughter, or kill by my own self? Geez, I'd be hungry! Oh, I'd be OK with the agrarian part. I have a little bit of experience there..a LITTLE bit. But the predator part would be hard. I think of fishing with Uncle Joe, dragging nets with Billy, Janet, and Tommy, digging clams with my toes over at the ocean with Bobby Herbert. Yeah, maybe I could do fish and bivalves. But then I think of Daddy Bill and his squirrel traps. Oy Vey! So, today folks, I've made up my mind: local produce and a touch of sea food...and lots of water to keep me full!! Yeah, if I had to sweat for every mouthful every day, there'd be no "big girl" look to worry about.
About Me
- Virginia
- Positive Psychology Practitioners are a new brand of helping professionals. I'm one of them and practice as an ICF certified life coach. What I do is help clients make good and great choices.
4 comments:
You said it! One of the joys of summer is to be able to spend days on end eating only from the fruits of our labors. We have veggies, fruits, starches, grains, and herbs. We no longer have beehives which is truly sad. What is nice is planning and sharing the fruits (and veggies!)of our labor with three of our neighbors. One of our neighbors fishes. We have had many feasts. It is so rewarding. However, I still drink coffee and probably eat chocolate. I still count on the refrigerator and airconditioning. Being forced to eat only what one is willing to work for will naturally limit one's excessive intake! But, sharing with friends and loved ones is inspiration to work a little harder--and the food tastes that much better too! I hope to share some of our harvest with you.
geri, i've certainly enjoyed honey d'aaron and have a reserve jar in the kitchen, to look at!
you bring a great deal to the "table" when it comes to this discussion. keep on growing! keep on harvesting! keep on sharing! "just keep swimming!"
V-emo
Hmmm,only consume what I am willing to produce? I'd definitely lose that "big girl" look from the work expended in production alone.
It is kind of a miracle, when you think of it, the way food magically appears in the stores for us. We are doing local argriculture here, where you support a local organic farm for the season and in return get a share of the spoils. But our work is the regular work we do, for which we receive ducets and then pass them onto the farmer.
The only edible things we are growing this year are carrots, corn and popcorn. They are all in tubs on the back porch because the deer and ground hogs have not figured out how to climb stairs--yet. Last year we got two small ears of corn. Ask me in August how this year went.
Keep writing and let me know how that all bivalve diet goes.
Natalie
(not really anonymous, just can't remember my $#%^@! google blogger password)
you got that right auntie!!! i buy local grown strawberries & blueberries. i have different types of peppers & tomatoes in my garden along with mint, basil, pineapple sage and rosemary. did you know that tommy has a blueberry bush
but i think the birds get the berries before he does. i know that feeling, the squirrels used to get my peaches off my tree before i did. i never got a one....
i'm going to think hard about only eating what i can catch or grow myself. i guess if i do that i'll be skinny before i know it. i just don't know if i'm ready for it but i think i'm going to try and start first thing monday morning.
from Janet in Wilmington, NC
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