I don’t think I ever met her in person. But we corresponded by email. She was a kindred spirit, cobbling together a living from various offerings. Author, speaker, gardening and permaculture workshops, a small nursery. While she was gifted in so many areas, she often struggled to make ends meet. The downside of not being [...]
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A friend unexpectedly invited me to go cross-country skiing with her today. In the blink of an eye (and after a stop at Tim’s so my friend could get a dollar latte), I was transported from a somewhat dull Vancouver day to bright snowlight, perfect conditions and an awesome, invigorating aerobic workout. The parking lot [...] A notice for a fellowship devoted to promoting volunteerism landed in my inbox this week. Some lucky duck will take a year off from their regular work and get paid $60,000 to reflect, research and perhaps publish on the significance of voluntary action. Notice that they will not be volunteering to do this reflection. In [...] Not having a balcony is no longer an excuse for not growing some of your own food. There’s a very cool little company in Vancouver called Home Harvest Farms. They design and manufacture a variety of indoor garden planters made from stainless steel and aluminum. I’ve seen the set up at farmers markets and other [...] When I was in India, one of the things I noticed is how there are no rules of the road. Cars do not necessarily keep right except to pass. Sometimes they even pass on the inside right. And they often head straight out into traffic, playing chicken with oncoming speeding cars. There are no rules [...] When I was writing the chapter on international aid for my latest book, I relied heavily on two reports out of the Oakland Institute and also interviewed Anuradha Mittal, the executive director. The Oakland Institute is a think tank based in, where else, Oakland, California. They focus on social, economic and environmental policy issues and [...] Theft at community gardens has always been a problem. I tend to grow things that people are less likely to swipe, either because they have no idea what it is and how to cook it, or it can’t be swiftly picked. Crops like kale, chard, loose lettuce mixes rather than heads of lettuce are less [...] They’ve started the balcony renovations on my building. The whole place is draped in blue tarps. It is an eerie, muted environment to live in, that is, the light is muted, not the sounds of demolition. I am forced to keep my drapes closed too; all day long I see shadowy men who walk on [...] Before Christmas, my friend and I were downtown one evening and decided to go see the Christmas trees on display at the Four Seasons Hotel. The Festival of Trees is an annual fundraiser for the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. One tree caught my eye. It was called the Still Fabulous Tree. Still Fabulous is the [...] Every morning I read an entry from Words To Live By from author Eknath Easwaran. The subtitle on the edition I have is: A Daily Guide to Leading an Exceptional Life. The readings regularly inspire and uplift me. And although I read it year after year, some entries resonate more than others, depending on what’s [...] |
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