This week has been joyful, affirming, sad, maddening, frustrating, rewarding, and very, very full. It reminded me of my favorite quote by Frederick Buechner: “Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Do not be afraid.” If you know me, I say this often and try to remind myself of it as much as possible because it is so true. Just this week I had a beloved friend and neighbor pass away and an elimination of a work partnership with no notice that ultimately impacts 5 schools and thousands of children we work with at Jones Valley Teaching Farm. In the same week, we held incredible joy — engaging with national and local leadership initiatives, interacting with students attending field trips and…
a food journey
Posts tagged “Love”
Today’s post is less about high-protein and more about deep care. Recently, I’ve had friends receive really hard news — some devastating, some expected, but mostly just the kind of hard stuff this world often brings. All of the news I received this week, though, was rooted in love — even with loss. It reminded me of this quote I found by Kathryn Schulz from Lost and found (via The Marginalian): “Disappearance reminds us to notice, transience to cherish, fragility to defend. Loss is a kind of external conscience, urging us to make better use of our finite days. Our crossing is a brief one, best spent bearing witness to all that we see: honoring what we find noble, tending what we know needs…
Tagged: Alexandra Cooks, Alison Roman, Banana Bread, Blueberry Muffins, Brownies, Care Packages, Caregiving, Chicken, Chicken Pot Pie, community, DInner, Dinner Sorted, Flourless Chocolate Almond Cake, Food, Food is the Foundation, Jones Valley Teaching Farm, Loss, Love, love and lemons, Mama, Natasha's Kitchen, Recipe, recipes, Torta Caprese
Courage: Strength of mind to carry on in spite of danger or difficulty. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been wondering out loud where courage currently lives — in myself, in others, in our representatives, in our community. I know it exists all around us and shows up in every day lived experiences, but due to the over-consumption of news these days, I haven’t felt as confident in our ability to muster up the courage that is necessary for this moment. But then… yesterday happened. Yesterday was the launch of our 2025 Good Community Food fellowship class at Jones Valley Teaching Farm. This is our 4th year and it was the biggest turnout yet. To be a fellow, you have to submit an application…
I am getting so good at soups. There. I said it. I am a soup machine these days. And, I’m doing them all on my own without recipes. Don’t mind me, I’m just over here layering and building flavors with things I have on hand. I AM SO PROUD OF MYSELF. I’m calling this soup, “Roasted Heirloom Tomato and Garlicky Beef Rice Soup.” So creative, I know. There is only one way to tell you how I did it and it is called FREESTYLE. Throw in a little of this, a little of that, and close that recipe book. Build those flavors, people. Let’s freestyle together, shall we? I had 6 or 7 Jones Valley Teaching Farm green tomatoes that ripened on my kitchen…
Tagged: Beef, DInner, Fall recipes, Food, Inspiration, Love, Ms Edna Lewis Sour Milk Cornbread, Nourishment, Recipe, recipes, Rice, Soup, Tomato
I’ve been thinking a lot about connections lately and the algorithm picked up on that and decided to send me this quote recently:
I am thankful to have many people in my life that exemplify this definition. They are life-long friends, family, partners, colleagues, new connections, and loved ones who know me inside and out.
Almost two years ago, I stopped drinking completely. I was tired of feeling bad and something tugged at me to look at my drinking as one of the reasons for that. In true Amanda Storey style, I decided to just do everything all at once. I started following a strict diet plan and eliminated pretty much every kind of liquid (except for the 100 ounces of water I ingested daily) for months and months and months (8 to be exact). I gained a clarity I didn’t know was missing. You get very clear on things when you aren’t busy looking for other ways to fill you up.
The clarity opened my heart and mind up to new things – new experiences – new people – new parts of me. It is/was exhilarating and scary. It is/was filled with certainty and uncertainty. It left me wide open to the world.
One of those connections was Maria Popova and her website, “The Marginalian.” It is as if Maria was hand delivered to my heart. I can’t even really explain the depths of her connection to me and my heart and my mind in this phase of my journey right now. I am fine with the wonder of it all. I mean, I think am.
When your heart is wide open though, you can get disappointed. You can get taken for granted. You can scare others. You can also leave everything on the field (isn’t that what they say in the sportsball world?). I do feel like I’ve left a lot on the field. I used to feel depleted by this, but I’m practicing the true and deep art of grace, vulnerability, and wrapping my arms around myself when I’m feeling a little bruised.
And then I thought about connections and Maria Popova arrived like she always does in my inbox to soothe, acknowledge, and see me. By sharing, she makes me feel less alone in my big feelings. By sharing, she helps me connect with others. By sharing, she provides a space for us all to be seen in the ways we most need to be seen at just the right moments. Here’s a link to her website: https://www.themarginalian.org/
And so today I am thankful for Maria Popova and the way she quiets my fears, acknowledges my pain and joy, and writes about the truth of life. It’s hard to find people like this and for whatever reason, I found her at the exact right time.
I am also thankful for all of my many wonderful connections and the way I continually learn from them.
Categories: Community, Uncategorized
Tagged: Connections, Inspiration, Love, Marginalian, Maria Popova, poetry, The Marginalian
Happy Friday!
Each month, I collect articles that teach me something new, inspire me, challenge me, and everything in between. I then share them with the Jones Valley Teaching Farm staff. I decided in my new attempt to continue writing and sharing on my personal blog, that I’d post them here too!
Three Part Harmony Farm
Community Supported Agriculture – rooted in DC since 2012
http://threepartharmonyfarm.org/
Community Supported Agriculture – rooted in DC since 2012
http://threepartharmonyfarm.org/
The New #TheStew
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/03/dining/the-new-thestew.html?action=click&module=Features&pgtype=Homepage
Your Questions About Food and Climate Change, Answered
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/04/30/dining/climate-change-food-eating-habits.html
“Latinx” is growing in popularity. I made a comic to help you understand why.
https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/2019/10/15/20914347/latin-latina-latino-latinx-means?utm_campaign=vox.social&utm_content=voxdotcom&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR1pLx0DM7qKEuTUIUbDSodH7hLX6zv33w5EekcQzYsKcB63FTMTYtHX3d0
Toni Morrison on the Power of Language
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/toni-morrison-on-the-power-of-language-her-spectacular-nobel-acceptance-speech-after-becoming-the?utm_source=pocket-newtab
‘Like sending bees to war’: the deadly truth behind your almond-milk obsession
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jan/07/honeybees-deaths-almonds-hives-aoe?fbclid=IwAR3NxyuMXKcDP3bWVR4IzzhA1-ezFK0Won7Dq4oZuSF7OfAR20-vHeqRLCc
Who Killed the Knapp Family?
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/09/opinion/sunday/deaths-despair-poverty.html?fbclid=IwAR2SbEQKm9EOepJ-Enzmz4N0AALWxqDNg0cyvAFBYwmcVnxBsV8VfW1L_W
UAB bolsters Birmingham Promise: They’ll match $$$
https://www.al.com/news/2020/01/uab-bolsters-birmingham-promise-theyll-match.html
foodrevival 