there were plums, plums, twiddling their thumbs / 2:24 pm

I am sitting at the donkey... relaxing. Truly relaxing for the first time this quarter, in mind and body. I feel like crying out of happiness, instead of crying because of stress, as I've done several times this winter. Today has been perfect. I woke up slowly, with no alarm or rush to class. I went running for about an hour, smiling at everyone I passed, and found a little wooded path I've never been on before. After watching some birds, I ran back through some neighborhoods until I reached my room. Then I read a little bit, studied sightsinging and rhythm, walked around uptown, and now I am sitting at the Donkey. I've been listening to music on last.fm (I'm addicted!) and reading a book I recently bought called "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life" by Barbara Kingsolver. Ruth introduced me to her books. This is about the sixth or seventh book I've read by this author and I've loved every one of them, and this one is no exception. It is a nonfiction work, "part memoir, part journalistic investigation," that recounts the experience of how the author's family was changed by their first year of "deliberately eating food produced from the same place where we worked, went to school, loved our neighbors, drank the water, and breathed the air." I have learned so much already and I am only on the fourth chapter. Someday I aspire to do this--to grow some of my own food, to buy primarily from local sources, and to raise a family this way--but, unfortunately, living this way as a college student is rather difficult. 

Perhaps the best part of this day is the boundless sunshine. After two rather gray days, I feel fulfilled by this unexpected beauty. I wish I always felt this way. I wish I always felt this free.

Tonight I plan on helping cook for vegan dinner for the first time. I've never had time to before and I am excited because I'll be able to be around good people and learn how to cook good food. Over break, I plan on using some vegan recipes. I really want to learn to cook.

It is time to continue reading.