all things go

Just got back from a retreat with the east coast LVC volunteers. We spent five days in a cabin on the Chesapeake Bay... It was an amazing, relaxing, challenging, revelatory, bonding time, and I loved it.

One reason -- We got to see this every night:


Getting back into city life was really tough today, for a number of reasons. The car exhaust seemed much more noticeable as I breathed during my bike commute; bizarre interactions with people on the street; multiple injuries on-the-job; forgetting about work commitments and bringing a PB&J sandwich as my only food for an 11-hour shift; being in East Baltimore again and feeling anxious and unsafe, then hating that I feel that way...

There were moments of grace, too. My awesome, supportive, goofy bosses; quiet moments in the office, when I feel okay just sitting for a minute; dang that PB&J was good; Lots of TEA; wise and hilarious comments from some 13-year-olds; hopping fences with 86-year-old Ms. Rosetta because she was locked out of her house and we had to break in through the back door; vegan chicken nuggets & Old Bay fries lovingly prepared by my housemate; and, Sufjan.



This video is from Sufjan's performance at Calvin College's festival of faith and music in 2007. I was able to see this live, but I stumbled across this video today, and it was really nice to remember that time in my life and how moving and important this song is to me.

Also, garden update:

sprouts! (winter rye and hairy vetch, great cover crops/green manure... They'll keep the soil from eroding over the winter, and will be a valuable nitrogen source in the spring, when I'll cut them into the soil.)