SEASONS CHANGE AND SO DO WE

  I ended my 10-day fast yesterday at noon when 30 folks gathered at our downtown green to vigil for an hour and then share some food. Several of us were able to fast the whole time. Many others fasted at various times during the 10-days. It was a wonderful ending to our Brunswick fast to bring the troops home and cut the funding for the war. During the 10-days of weekday vigils we handed out nearly 1,000 leaflets and were greeted by huge numbers of people driving by. On Wednesday a local man was passing by on the sidewalk and I handed him a leaflet. We talked about 10 minutes. Then yesterday he showed up at noon saying he wanted to join us and hold a sign. He stayed for the food sharing at the end. It was a great affirmation that when you extend your local organizing, when you push yourself further than your normal boundaries, good things happen.

I did better during the 10-day fast than I thought I would. As much as I love to eat it was not quite as difficult to go without food as I had expected it would be. Halfway through I started getting weak and after each one-hour vigil I usually had to come home and lay down for a spell. Having supper again last night was nice and I found that I missed the simple process of cooking as much as eating. It was good though to take that step back and see how the whole food thing is such a part of our lives that we take for granted. For me cooking is my daily meditation, a rhythm that is much like breathing - necessary but mostly unconscious.

Today I head north for the annual fall Common Ground Country Fair. About 60,000 people come all over come to this fair that has become a Maine tradition. Organized by the Maine Organic Farmers & Growers Association it is also the biggest gathering of political organizations, under several huge tents, of the year. Virtually every social or political group active in Maine will be there. Most political candidates will have tables. And the food, organic only, is wonderful.

Mary Beth and I leave on Sept 30 for our trip to India. The two-week speaking tour will take us to five cities and should be quite exciting. I’ve never been to India before and expect to be profoundly impacted by the experience. I will keep a diary while there and try to do a report afterward that does the trip justice.

Fall began today and here in Maine it is turning cold at night. My garden plants are turning yellow and the tree leaves are just changing. We will miss most of the fall colors while in hot India so I must try to enjoy it now while I can. During my 30 years in Florida I always longed to be in the north at this time of year. People told me when we left Florida: "You'll never make it in Maine after living in Florida for all this time. Your blood is too thin now. You'll be back." Well, dear friends I seem to be holding on so far. Maine is quite special. Ya'll come visit us in the fall - or winter. You’ll love it.