Mid-day reprieve

I had a very lovely lunch break today. Yes, my lunch (an antipasto salad from Potbellys) was delicious, but more importantly, the weather and my picnic spot was just glorious. It was a cool 70-something degree day, with an intermittent breeze. When the weather is nice I like to venture across the street from my work to this specific garden/park, which has a large rippling pond, lots of entertaining ducks, and a plethora of shady spots. I particularly love the weeping willow trees along the pond. They are so wispy and graceful, I love watching the long branches sway in the wind.

When I initially found a bench and sat down, I thought to myself, "I'll eat my lunch and then read some of my Magnificat." That would be very contemplative-in-the-city-esque of me, I thought. But alas, I realized that I had it left it on the desk in my office. Instead, after I finished my meal, I just spent a few minutes drinking in the beauty in front of me, enjoying the feeling of the crisp breeze that signals the coming of fall. I remembered how blessed I am to have this lovely spot where I can spend 20 minutes of my day and get refreshed and rejuvenated. I think it's really important for professionals to have their own oasis where they can get refreshed amidst their day. Although not everyone has the luxury of being able to walk to a green, picturesque park for their lunch break, something as simple as taking a walk outside the office can give one the opportunity to gather up our thoughts reflect on the day so far, and renew our purpose. That's what contemplation is really all about. Taking the time to step outside of the routine, in order to more clearly see the meaning, purpose and beauty in all that we do and are given.

Where do you find your reprieve in the midst of your day? Have you found a favorite spot that inspires and rejuvenates you?

City gardens in Pittsburgh

I went to visit my sister who is living in downtown Pittsburgh (just about a half an hour from the town I grew up in) yesterday. My sister is serving as a FOCUS missionary for University of Pittsburgh, and living on the bustling city campus in Oakland. She just moved there a few weeks ago from a small rural Michigan College, so I get the sense that she will be learning what it means to be a contemplative in the city very much over the next few months. The area of the city that she lives in, however, is swarming with college students, rather than professionals, politicians, diplomats, and tourists, so ministry has a much different vibe than it would in D.C. All the same, I am excited to hear about her city adventures.

I enjoyed touring the area where she lives, and especially enjoyed stopping by the eclectic coffee shop and used bookstore in the university district. I am looking forward to exploring more of my native city with her. It was a particularly beautiful day, and the landscaping looked very lovely. I love finding greenery and flowers within the city, and especially liked this garden in front of the Carnegie Free Library of Pittsburgh. If you look hard enough you can see some folks reading on benches in the background. Looks like a perfect late summer afternoon activity to me!

A hard day's work

Lamb's Quarter Farm, August 2010

Contemplative in the country (for a day)

This past Sunday afternoon through Monday evening I had the opportunity of spending some time with my friend Claire at the organic farm where she works in Owings, Maryland. The farm is called "The Lamb's Quarter", and they grow 4-5 acres worth of fresh, organic vegetables, as well as selling grass-fed meat and free-range eggs. The Lamb's Quarter is a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), and they also sell their food at the Farmer's Market in Old Town Alexandria on Saturday mornings.

Claire has worked at the farm for a few months now, and after hearing her intriguing tales about farm life (some of which can be read on her blog), I was excited to be able to experience "the farm life" first hand. As a "city girl", I had never done any farming before...and although I aspire to be a successful gardener, I really don't have much experience in that realm either. Our day was filled with a plethora of farm tasks though, so I got a varied introduction to a-day-in-the-life of a farmer.

Our activities included:
~ Harvesting green beans, yellow beans, and flat beans
~ Harvesting beautiful sunny pattypan squash and zucchini
~ Harvesting okra
~ Transferring about 25 boxes of frozen meat from the truck to the walk-in freezer
~ Potting and planting new squash seeds
~ Harvesting several different varieties of tomatoes; this was the largest crop of the day, yielding about 6 buckets full

In 90 degree + temperatures as the beating sun shone down with dense humidity, I can certainly say that farming is not a venture for the faint of heart. I was quite exhausted after just one day of it - I can't imagine the stamina and endurance necessary for completing farm tasks all year long. I definitely have a new found respect for farmers and farmhands - as well as a greater respect for the time, care, and energy that is put into local organic crops. It makes me think that spending the extra money for local organic products is worth every penny; it's not just buying food, but buying food produced through a labor of love.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the farm, and as I was helping to harvest some of the vegetables I was reflecting on the contemplative nature of this sort of task, versus my computer-centered city desk job.

It is true, that out in the country, under the wide open sky and in the midst of God's beautiful creation, the atmosphere is particularly conducive to meditation and prayer. The atmosphere there is so peaceful, so simple.

Some of my favorite moments on the farm were:

~ Noticing the quiet rustic surroundings; being able to hear more clearly the bird songs by day, and the crickets chirping in the evening.
~ Observing the amazing array of bugs that found a home amongst the plants and the soil. Some of them were quite intricate with their unique camouflage.
~ Tasting a sun-ripened black cherry tomato, straight off the vine
~ Looking out into the rolling meadows, seeing the long brush wave in the wind, and the butterflies flit through the fields.
~ Feeling the refreshing, gentle country breeze in the midst of the hot July sun.
~ Meeting the delightful and gracious family that owns and runs the farm.
~ After a long days work, taking a nap in one of the old barns, straw hat still atop my head (I'm not kidding), grateful for the shade and the soft breeze.

Yes, it was quite an enjoyable time. I certainly would like to go back again to get a little whiff of the country air, to see God's creation unfolding, like bean plants or zucchini blossoms, or little lady bugs on a leaf.

For the beauty of the earth

"For the beauty of the earth,
for the glory of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise."


Some photos from yesterday's excursion to Brookside Gardens.
An afternoon spent enjoying the loveliness of His creation.