On my days off I usually put my bike away and walk wherever I need/want to go, and it pays off big in fruit here in Portland. I've scoped out a half dozen or so fig trees to glen from. I pick cherries as I am walking to the library. There are berries and edible flowers just waiting to be picked and devoured with love and appreciation.
Our garden is doing very well as well. Picking strawberries and raspberries to go on and in homemade peanut butter granola or a cashew cream based parfait. The greens are plentiful, and the garlic is about ready. We won't talk about the amazing thimble berries nor the honey suckle. And the farmers market is off the hook good! I live a delectable life. Its a life of leisure, and one I don't take for granted.
a friend's farm that I go play at from time to time.
But back to talking about walking.... It really is my favorite mode of transportation. You know, with biking you get to slow down, take different paths not open to cars. I actually really feel bad for people stuck in cars while I sip on a kombucha or eat a snack at the red light. I see more, smell more... but when walking its exponentially greater. I can even high-five friends in the cross-walk. I have chats with people working in their garden. I pet the cat that runs up to me and rubs against my leg. I pick a flower that will brighten the day of the friend I am meeting for a beverage. Last week I was pulled into a party some friends where having as they closed up their shop. And I get to share the food I procure.
Walking takes the edge off my brain. It is easy to swing in somewhere and get a cup of cold pressed coffee as I head off to Powell's, or the park. You would think that it is more difficult to be spontaneous on foot, but actually it might be easier. Depends on what you want to do.... but a quick decision to go swing or take a nap in the park is very super enticing. Especially if you need to consider the latest news about people getting arrested for tying to feed the hungry.
That is right. People who volunteer with Food Not Bombs in Orlando, Florida are being arrested because they are feeding people who are hungry. Not only are they being arrested, they are being listed as "food terrorist". Really? A food terrorist is someone feeding people good food, not GMO mother fudgers, or corporations charging way to much for crappy food? No. At least 21 people have been arrested so far. They have been feeding people in Lake Eola Park (not too far from the Magic Kingdom of Disney World) for years. The city has some kind of law that if you are going to feed more than 25 people, you need a permit. However, you can only get a permit twice a year. Food Not Bombs feed well over that twice a week. FNB had arranged it with the city to keep the food sharing to a specific location in the park, but were then arrested for it anyway.
These are the things I think about as I walk around the streets of Portland. Why is food sharing illegal. Some statistics show that 14% of the American population live below the poverty line, otherwise known as the highest poverty rate in the industrial world. If we used realistic measurements, that would be 50 million people at least, 66% of those are working poor, and 39% live below half of the poverty line. With so much wealth in this country, the number of people that are going hungry (and homeless) is a true disgrace.
What is more disgraceful? Arresting those that are feeding people, while the government spends trillions of dollars to bomb people so that a very few in the oil industry can get oil! This is why I walk. This is why I bike. This is why I eat local, organic, package free food! And I hope others will too.
Now, who wants to go for a walk.
