Garden, Garden Everywhere and Lots and Lots to Eat.

Jane and I spent this past weekend in Quebec City, taking in the 400th anniversary festivities – including Robert Lepage’s amazing historical overview projected on the massive grain silos by the river.

As Jane and I were meandering through the lower streets on our last morning there, we came across the ‘Visionnairies Garden’, located on the rooftop of the Museum of Civilization. What a find! - An edible garden on a walkup rooftop. It was also a work of art. Speakers placed within the garden provided audio ambiance, including sounds of water and didgeridoos.

Imagine having such gardens in rooftops throughout your city - where office workers tend plots and harvest veggies for their dinner. Or not-for-profit organizations manage the gardens and sell the produce at a modest price. How about greenhouses on the rooftops, where produce can be grown year round? Imagine what such gardens could do for workplace tension and building cooling?

I was so excited I taped our venture in the garden with my phone. Jane acted as impromptu tour guide. In the video Jane demonstrates what squash is supposed to look like (we’re having trouble with our squash at home – we planted seeds but no squash).



Despite our squash problems, our garden is thriving. The basil, collard greens and spicy and mild salad mix are scrumptious. Nothing like eating herbs and lettuce seconds after harvesting it. Soon we’ll be munching on Swiss chard, carrots, tomatoes, peas, potatoes, onions and garlic.

With food prices the way they are, planting an edible garden is not a bad idea. Think of it as a Victory Garden. I encourage everyone to grow something – anything. Even if you have to grow it in pots, why not? It’s fun nurturing something that will nurture you.

So my challenge to you, if you have nothing growing, is to plant one thing next spring. If you are growing something now, expand your garden or pots next year.

While you do, grow something that has carotene in it – like carrots. Why? Apparently carotene, when ingested, acts as a natural sun block. If you prefer the slap-it-on variety, I can vouch for the mineral-based Aubrey Organics Natural Sun (SPF 25). Despite making me look a little tinny, the Aubrey works like a charm (without turning guy fish into girls).

How Many More Sleeps Until Bush is Safely Out of Office?
And speaking of gardens, have you checked out the recent World Bank leak on Biofuel’s impact on the world food crisis. Based on detailed analysis by an unnamed “internationally-respected economist at global financial body”, the report claims that biofuels have forced fuel prices up by 75 percent. According to the July 4th article in the Guardian:

Senior development sources believe the report, completed in April, has not been published to avoid embarrassing President George Bush.

"It would put the World Bank in a political hot-spot with the White House," said one yesterday.

Let’s get this right – rather than use information that identifies the root of the crisis to quickly devise a plan to give billions access to affordable food, the World Bank withholds the information to avoid embarrassing one person – who happens to be a walking embarrassment himself.

GOOD KNIGHT! It’s impossible to embarrass George W. Bush. He is the embodiment of embarrassment. It seeps out of his pours. Everything he touches becomes embarrassing. Ergo, it’s ok to embarrass him. In fact, it keeps him consistent. It certainly doesn’t make news and if it does, it’s our chuckle for the day. And god only knows we need a good chuckle these days. Go ahead World Bank, embarrass Bush. Just don’t let people starve. And inspire our leaders to come up with an effective and comprehensive plan to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels…while you’re at it. Or just listen to Al Gore….

In the News

Gore challenges America to switch to renewable electrical energy by 2018