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Work 4 Peace,Hold All Life Sacred,Eliminate Violence! I am on my mobile version of the door-to-door, going town-to-town holding readings/gatherings/discussions of my book "But What Can I Do?" This is my often neglected blog mostly about my travels since 9/11 as I engage in dialogue and actions. It is steaming with my opinions, insights, analyses toward that end of holding all life sacred, dismantling the empire and eliminating violence while creating the society we want ALL to thrive in

Saturday, November 03, 2012

Joanna

One of the women campers, a lesbian in any other state maybe, but married to a man in this state, approaches me as I'm on the internet.

It is getting chilly and we expect rain soon.Until now, I've only waved to her and her husband sitting in front of their campfire, as I remind them to keep their little dog on a leash.

She tells me that they will be leaving their camper but heading out on Monday so she can go vote. I am glad she is voting, but I'm afraid to ask who she's voting for yet.

As we talk, I find out they'll be coming back on Tuesday. She is a solid white womon with very white hair, casually dressed, casual hair cut, no makeup, down-to-earth! And I'm happy to talk with her!

I think she's the first womon I've talked with since I got here. She seems kind and open, not the typical older white womon I've run into here whose wealth and privilege seeps out of even their pressed jeans & $200 haircuts, and their oh-so polite (which I do appreciate) southern surface friendliness.

We talk a little more, before she takes her leave and returns to her campsite.

yikes - outta chocolate!!!!

I try to eat certain foods everyday, dark organic chocolate being number 1!!~~!! and I'm out... tears. I was trying to ration but...

With no one to have a conversation with, no protest to organize, I'll share instead what I eat when I'm traveling, camping at this wonderful national forest.

Every day I try to eat:

an apple
a handful of almonds
a radish
parsley
ground flax seed
fennel
cilantro
a banana dipped in cacao
popcorn air popped with turmeric, cumin, garlic, cayenne, nutritional yeast

Then when I cook, I try to steam everything & then add olive oil or coconut oil & use garlic, onions, black mushrooms.

I have rice and quinoa as my grains; sweet potatoes & kabocha pumpkins as my staple orange veggies, and plenty of Thai curry paste for flavor.

Finding the brand new Whole Foods - and the only store in Alabama that provides organic produce - I stocked up in Birmingham on beets, broccoli, arugula, turnips, rutabagas, celery, bok choy - and eggs. After 11 days, I am out of arugula, radishes, cilantro - and almost out of veggies. One more pot of curried veggies that I'll make on Monday, then I'll be reduced to eating my grains, sweet potatoes and pumpkin.

Which I can handle. I will stock up again when I go to the SOA around the 15th, if I can last that long. We'll see.

Besides focusing on food, I am beginning to practice my Spanish again! Yeah!!!



I'm in charge!

Today, this weekend actually, I am "in charge", a position I treasure and do well!

The other camp host is taking the weekend off. It is his birthday & I am happy to fill in - especially as I want to go to the SOA protest in two weekends - and as my goddess daughter is coming soon! yeah!!!!

Five new campsites have been claimed and folks have set up. They are all white, all from Alabama, and 4 of the 5 are over 55 if not 65 years old.

I am charming, welcoming, friendly, as my job demands. Some of them have seen my truck, others haven't. They all treat me with the deference my title deserves & I wonder about how they really feel - especially the gang of 4 scruffy looking white males.

I give them a map, take down their info, and stroll on to the next site. No interesting conversations here to report on at the moment.