Let us give thanks

Let us give thanks for the bounty of people.

For children who are our second planting, and, though they grow like weeds and the wind too soon blows them away, may they forgive us our cultivation and fondly remember where their roots are.

Let us give thanks

For generous friends with hearts and smiles as bright as their blossoms;

For feisty friends as tart as apples;

For continuous friends, who, like scallions and cucumbers, keep reminding us that we’ve had them;

For crotchety friends, as sour as rhubarb and as indestructible;

For handsome friends, who are as gorgeous as eggplants and as elegant as a row of corn, and the others, as plain as potatoes and as good for you.

Let us give thanks

For funny friends, who are as silly as Brussel sprouts and as amusing as Jerusalem artichokes, and serious friends, as complex as cauliflowers and as intricate as onions;

For friends as unpretentious as parsley, as delightful as dill, as endless as zucchini, and who, like parsnips, can be counted on to see you through the winter.

Let us give thanks

For old friends, nodding like sunflowers in the evening time, and young friends coming on as fast as radishes;

For loving friends, who wind around us like tendrils and hold us, despite our blights, wilts and witherings;

And finally, for those friends now gone, like gardens past that have been harvested, and who fed us in their times that we might have life thereafter.

-Author Unknown

How grateful I am for my cornucopia of dear friends.

Happy Thanksgiving-
Jess

Let us give thanks

Let us give thanks for the bounty of people.

For children who are our second planting, and, though they grow like weeds and the wind too soon blows them away, may they forgive us our cultivation and fondly remember where their roots are.

Let us give thanks

For generous friends with hearts and smiles as bright as their blossoms;

For feisty friends as tart as apples;

For continuous friends, who, like scallions and cucumbers, keep reminding us that we’ve had them;

For crotchety friends, as sour as rhubarb and as indestructible;

For handsome friends, who are as gorgeous as eggplants and as elegant as a row of corn, and the others, as plain as potatoes and as good for you.

Let us give thanks

For funny friends, who are as silly as Brussel sprouts and as amusing as Jerusalem artichokes, and serious friends, as complex as cauliflowers and as intricate as onions;

For friends as unpretentious as parsley, as delightful as dill, as endless as zucchini, and who, like parsnips, can be counted on to see you through the winter.

Let us give thanks

For old friends, nodding like sunflowers in the evening time, and young friends coming on as fast as radishes;

For loving friends, who wind around us like tendrils and hold us, despite our blights, wilts and witherings;

And finally, for those friends now gone, like gardens past that have been harvested, and who fed us in their times that we might have life thereafter.

-Author Unknown

How grateful I am for my cornucopia of dear friends.

Happy Thanksgiving-
Jess

Thanksgiving Day is upon us. One of my favorite holidays of the year.  It is not about the feast; it is about the bounty. Or more importantly, it is about the drawing of awareness to our bounty, our good fortune, our many blessings. It’s easy to get caught up in menu planning, shopping, cooking, eating a lot, and the general excesses of the holiday feast – which is also very fun.  But when these become the focus of the holiday, we miss the essence of the day – gratitude and thankfulness, and, in turn, lose the healing power of the holiday. For in gratitude there is healing. When we express gratitude we experience a lifting of our spirit, an improvement in our feelings, a lightening of our load, and a stronger connection with those people and things for which we are grateful. Read more

Dear Jess, I work in an office setting and several of my co-workers always seem to be coming down with colds and other illnesses. Do you have any suggestions for boosting my immune system to avoid getting sick? Thanks much, BA

The immune system is one of the most amazing systems in the body incorporating several of the body’s most complex mechanisms. This entire system works to protect your from foreign invaders like viruses, bacteria, fungi and other micro-organisms. It is also the immune system’s job to scout out and destroy cancer cells.  While most of us are familiar with the consequences of an under-active immune system (frequent colds and infections,  increased cancer risk), there is also the other end of the spectrum – over-activity of the immune system -  that sets the stage for the body to attack itself and is manifested in diseases like allergies, lupus, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Both are important to address.

It is a paradox – a robust immune system supports your good health and, conversely, your good health is essential to supporting your immune system. Read more

Congress is about to vote on a new Farm Bill.

The Farm Bill is a $90 billion dollar collection of laws, policies, and legislation that effects agriculture production, food distribution, and food security. It’s wide-ranging, and governs our entire food system. Congress established the first Farm Bill in 1949 and renews it every 5 years. The current bill, Farm Bill 2002 is about to expire. Farm Bill 2007 will be up before the Congress in just two weeks.

I can almost hear the collective yawn at the words “Farm Bill”. But before you hit the “back” button, keep in mind that the Farm Bill affects everything from what you pay for soft drinks to the future of family farms. Farm subsidies and environmental stewardship are just pieces of the Farm Bill, but important pieces to pay attention to.

Why?

Because they directly affects you, your health, and the health of the environment by determining the quality of food that is available and affordable, and governing the way agricultural land is used. Read more