Blog: Musings on the Earth, Mindful Living, and our Connections
Off the Beaten Path
My work for In the Gardens reaches out to many communities – schools, townships, businesses, nonprofits, and also to congregations, straddling needs in both the secular and spiritual community. As such, I was invited to join Kenissa, an organization that celebrates and creates connections for Jewish innovators. This past March I participated in...
#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 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...
Volunteers Make our Gardens Grow
This weekend, being a long one with the Memorial Day holiday, gave more time than usual to be in the garden. We held two volunteer days, and while our numbers were modest, our work was extraordinary. One might not realize what…
Unexpected Interweavings
Life is filled with unexpected interweavings, cycles and circles. I experienced some of these this past week on my JMMTT – Jewish Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training – at Isabella Freedman retreat center and farm. Nestled in the woods of Falls Village, CT, about 90 minutes from the nearest airport, the center boasts trails and a pond, several greenhouses, a large network of yards and structures for goats and chickens, and extensive fields for produce and fruit orchards.
Spring and the Transformative Possibility of Horseradish
Spring brings many thoughts and feelings: sunshine, the yellow pop of daffodils, a day here and there that is warm enough to play outside. For me it evokes all of these, as well as the recognition that it is time to plant the garden.
This year we got our cold-loving greens in the…
Winter Sprouts
This past Sunday, as with many Sundays, my volunteer, Abe, came to help me with winter gardening detail: removing dried mint and dill from the stems to jar for tea and spice, respectively. We removed and bagged seeds from collards and arugula, and separated beans and peas from their shells, some for cooking and some for planting next season. But this Sunday was different. The sun was shining and it was 65 degrees—time to work outside.
I love…
Why Give Back?
As this year draws to a close, many contemplate resolutions and plans for the future. Yet in order to successfully move forward, we must first acknowledge where we are at present and what we have accomplished to date. This often cultivates a sense of appreciation in our lives – whether for family or friends, for abundance, for our love of nature, for something unexpectedly good that came our way this year… and this evokes a desire to give back.…