Huge Garden Haul, Carl Sagan, Vegan Shoes, and Nothing in This World is Mine

Just some of the cucumbers, green peppers, and cherry tomatoes we pulled from the garden last night.

Perfect weather this week (into the 90s, and low humidity), and the food garden is letting us know how much it likes it. We pulled about 50 pounds of cucumbers, 50 or 60 pounds of summer squash, and about 5 or so pounds of green bell peppers from the garden last night. So our neighbors, family, and colleagues are happy with their fresh veggies.

Cherry tomatoes have started ripening, and I had a first taste of a handful last night. Today’s snack is a big bowl of sliced raw peppers. There’s a jug of cucumber water in the fridge. I had raw green beans with dinner. The dogs are munching on steamed squash. Our hamster, Chakra, loves the raw kale and spinach and is getting fat. Snaps to summer.

I have a new book in hand: Carl Sagan’s The Demon-Haunted World. Sagan wrote this one 20 years ago. It arrived from Thriftbooks last night. We had dinner and I spent some time with my husband, then excused myself, climbed into bed, and cracked into it. I think I’m going to be glad I read this one.

I hate those dry spells when you can’t find anything decent to read. But then suddenly, a windfall happens. Then there are too many good books available, and you don’t know which one to grab. It’s a problem I’d like to have all the time.

I was doing walking meditation and earthing in the food garden last night when suddenly my husband appeared. Years ago, when someone or something broke my concentration like that, I’d get a little peeved. It was ‘my’ meditation, ‘my’ time. But I’ve since learned that of course nothing at all is mine, including time, space, and meditation. Not a thing. Not ‘my’ dogs, ‘my’ mother, ‘my’ veganism, ‘my’ choices, ‘my’ job, ‘my’ friends, ‘my’ body, ‘my’ garden, ‘my’ books, ‘my’ memories, ‘my’ house, ‘my’ husband. Nothing at all.

So when he came out from the house, smiling and walking toward me, I stopped, relaxed, and smiled back. There was no agitation. I was there meditating, but now I was here, with him. Lessons in impermanence. Completely freeing.

Bought my first pair of vegan Hmong shoes online from Etsy seller Chiang Mai. I have lots of accidental vegan shoes – meaning they’re just not leather because they’re just not leather – but this is my first pair of I’m Buying Them Because They’re Vegan shoes.

What’s the difference? I see it as supporting those who support veganism by serving the vegan community. One hand washes the other; both hands wash the face. If I’m going to exchange my dollars for goods, let it be from a company whose imperatives are profit and the production of footwear that doesn’t require the killing and skinning of animals. Because if the thought of that doesn’t make our skin crawl, I’d say we need to give the matter a lot more thought.

Live in peace.