From Tuesday Market
Of the three good things about this week, tip-top might be that we get a break from the 7:30 AM high school start. It’s been getting grumpy around here again and I know we need a rest—and a breather from those struggles. This weekend, my smaller kids got some much-needed sleep—and one night I did, too. Sleep is a very good thing; it should not be such a precious commodity. I’m happy, too, about the pause, the family, and the celebrations ahead (flip side: daunted by the work of those gatherings with family, celebrating, wanting things to be just so for all). Lastly, much as I find the colder weather brings a slight sinking protest in my body, I walked home one day last week seemingly INTO the sunset—and it was glorious, like diving into the rosy sky.
Here are three things I wanted to share. First, a final shout-out to my beloved Tuesday Market: the Market ends today for the season (just in time to provide ingredients that will grace our Thanksgiving table). I’ve worked some this season to help raise money to double the SNAP (Food Stamps) benefits at this market. We had, you might recall, a pie contest in September. We are just under $2000 from meeting our goal of $12,000 to underwrite the program, which provides these added benefits for 50-60 families each week. We won’t change the world doing this, true. We are, though, getting local, healthy, beautiful food into the households of people who need that and in the process helping our local farmers. That’s win-win enough for me. If you want to help—even if you don’t live here, here’s a link that’ll tell you how to do so.
During this week when food matters especially to us, and in this same framework, I want to mention the hard work CISA does; it’s the organization in our neck of the woods that promotes local food and supports local farmers.
November is National Adoption Month. This past week, an essay of mine ran on Carrie Goldman’s blog. Portrait of an AdoptionAll month, she’s got guest bloggers sharing aspects of adoption with her readers (and it’s also going up on Huffington Post, the entire series). The stories are varied and questioning and not all easy. It’s an exposing process to try to hold such a complex notion of family in your hands and hearts. I so appreciate her determination to toss out a month-long woven blanket of these stories—and for the opportunity to participate. Like blankets, there’s the potential for texture: scratchy, soft, fuzzy, and silken.
Finally, I wanted to share this photo of Hillary Clinton embracing Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma. President Obama and she have made a final official trip together—a groundbreaking one. My gratitude toward our Secretary of State Hillary Clinton these days is pretty darn towering.
