Had a GREAT night in the organic garden. This
shangri la is directly behind the Chinese Cemetary, in the back of Manoa Valley.
Interesting feng shui, but the garden and the people seem to be thriving.
They felt the Chinese chose the cemetary for the auspicious site about
100+ years ago and for that reason, it doesnt stagnate the chi in the area or
threaten the occupants nearby. There are about 3 guys who live in this
converted building and it is a cozy, and shall I say, very earthy place.
Very interesting people who live there and garden there too. Acupuncturists,
artists, one other macrobiotic person.... Every Thursday people join as
volunteers, share dinner together, and are generally free to take
fruits and veges from the garden. I just weeded, which was what I wanted to
do. It felt therapuetic to me. Afterwards, we sat down together and had a
lovely meal. Tonight it was cooked vegan, but people added cheese to the
pasta and sauce. They made kabocha (baked) fresh from their garden, sauteed
greens, also from the garden, pasta with tomato sauce, brown rice, garlic
bread (yes, I ate some), and baked tofu with a tahini sauce. Yummy! I was
sent home with bananas (not for me) and fresh cut tropical flowers that are
simply stunning and breathtaking. So much fun!

We had been talking about organic pesticides,
because the proprieter had just given a lecture on it the previous
day. He told the audience that the best possible thing one could do
is have excellent soil and then one would not really have to worry
about pests. This sounded so much like macrobiotics to me. If we
have strong blood and are not eating lots of sugar or fruit then
mosquitos, viruses, and other illnesses should not be bugging us. (the mosquitoes in the garden chomped on me.... what had I been eating I wonder???? But I did try to just shoo them off instead of smooshing them.)

the jainists in india went so far as
to brush the path in front of them while they walked so as not to
kill bugs (ahmisa, for yoga lovers). i sometimes still think about
that...... for some reason, it really struck me.

i got a job cooking for this macro woman. she is catering a party,
so that was great for her to ask me. she also runs the cooking
demos at the KI summer conference, and she invited me to help her as
a volunteer, so I came home flying after receiving these
opportunities. It was so much fun to be there tonight.