Blog: Musings on the Earth, Mindful Living, and our Connections
It’s Spring at In the Gardens!
Spring is springing! I don’t know about you, but I thought it would never arrive. We’ve been seeing parsley now for awhile, even pushing through the snow, but today its delicate frills have been joined by greening-up sage leaves, red-veined sorrel, onion spears, lots of green...
Bringing Forth Kindness: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
I returned from a 10-day seminar in the wee hours of Monday morning. When I woke later that morning to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, I saw volunteer opportunities listed on my phone – how to put King’s vision to work and make this world a place of greater love and kindness. Then on Tuesday morning, I was inspired...
Light in the Dark
This time of the year we see lights everywhere we turn. It is ironic – or maybe practical – that during the shortest days of the year, we look to bring in light in every corner we can. We light the lights of Hanukkah. We see lights adorning...
#MyGivingStory—The Power of Compassion
The following is a story I submitted for this year’s #MyGivingStory, in recognition of some of the roots (no pun intended!) of In the Gardens. Parts of this story have been shared before, but here it is in its most updated form. Vote! #MyGivingStory is a storytelling contest created by the #GivingTuesday organization to foster...
Extending our Thanks: #GivingTuesday
Next week we will celebrate Thanksgiving, a holiday that brings people together to reflect on and express their gratitude for the good in their lives. Yesterday I was talking with a gentleman in the grocery store. I don’t know him by name, but he has helped me ...
#HoustonStrong
I am honored to have participated in a trip to Houston last week for disaster relief after Hurricane Harvey. It was coordinated by an organization called Nechama, and promoted in Chicago through the Jewish United Fund. When I saw the email invitation, I quickly checked my calendar and...
A Wonderful Celebration!
Sunday was a stupendous day in the weather department. After several days of rain, the skies were clear and sunny. It was the perfect day for our Sukkot Harvest Celebration and Fundraiser. One of the day’s objectives was to thank ...
A Special Volunteer!
Last Saturday I had the honor of seeing one of my former students become a bar mitzvah. It was especially meaningful because of the close relationships I have with so many members of his family, particularly with his grandmother Judy (Gunga, as she is known), who is one of In the Gardens’ main volunteers. And yet...
Spreading Gardens in the Neighborhood
The main purpose for which the In the Gardens main site was started was to serve as a source of food and education: for the congregation of ...
In the Gardens First Volunteer Day!
This past Sunday, April 23, was In the Gardens’ first formal Volunteer Day, and a great day it was. We tackled a number of projects. Early this week we brought several cubic yards of compost to the property, and the first objective was to use it in the rebuilding of the keyhole garden. A keyhole garden is a permaculture design term…