I thought meals up on the roof would be about the food. Silly me. Meals are a means for conversation. Dialogue about what’s ON the table, WHO prepared the meal and who’s AT the table.

Meals have become, slow-down-sit-down-notice-the-food-and-sometimes-even-share-it-with-the-person-who-prepared-it-and-has-a-story-to-tell kind of eating.

I totally confess. I’ve convinced myself I’m so busy that dinner consists of opening the freezer, un-thawing store-bought pizza, standing over the sink eating with my hands to minimize the washing of plates. Napkin? Unnecessary. Crumbs fall directly into the sink. In all fairness, I’m communing with nature while I eat ~ I can see the birds outside my kitchen window.

So meals are a whole new experience up here on the roof.

Meals Day ONE

Sue Sorensen (aka Sue Soaring Sun) lives in Edmonds and has an amazing garden. I ate her garden for lunch; well not exactly the whole thing:  fresh cucumbers, broccoli and peas straight from the pods. Add a touch of natural yogurt with dill ~ voila ~ can you hear me feeling self-rightously full of healthy food! Mom, are you reading this?! Yes, I ate a whole meal of fresh vegetables. (And yes, sometimes I make up words.)

Sue is an artist. Don’t imagine the word “artist” as one-dimensional. As a lawyer Sue uses her art of research to help others know the law. As a garden artist she tills the soil by hand to feed her family with healthy foods. As a mother Sue guides her daughter with the art of love. Add power seller on the internet artist and activist artist helping save the Historic Rose House in Edmonds and you get the picture. A full artistic life.

So I was grateful when she gifted her time to prepare a meal for me. Sue commented, “Like many busy women sometimes you just ‘forage’ to put something together. I happen to be able to forage in my garden.” Lucky me she forages.

Have a look at what people spend on food for a week in different parts of the world.
http://www.everybodygoto.com/2007/10/12/what-people-eat-around-the-world/

What do you notice? How might you think about food differently?

Food As Survival

At the Bamako based Hereje Training Center in Mali,West Africa, previously begging street children eat breakfast and lunch every day at the center. Learning to eat nutritiously is as much a part of the curriculum as health, AIDs prevention, literacy and social skills. While begging on the streets the girls were lucky to eat something every two days.

I noticed the first few weeks at Hereje Center, new students will spend all their money on food.  Students receive a stipend while they learn to prevent them from having to beg during the 18 month training.  The $20 stipend covers transport, their food, food for any family they may have, water plus a portion to a savings account in a local microfinance institution.

I remember asking Sanaba, 15, when she first came to the center, “What is your dream?” Her response, “To eat until I am full.” In the beginning, some students would wake at 4:00 am in the morning to walk to Hereje Center instead of spend money on bus fare.

And what do they do with the extra money you ask? When I asked Assa, 14, she reached into her pocket; with a big grin, she offered me a piece of candy.

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