Bella’s Story

Hi! We are planting greens right into the soil. We have a number of wonderful greens. We’ve got spinach, of course, and we have swiss chard, and it goes on and on like this. This is how we’re eating. Swiss chard. So it will be wonderful to be using our garden in order to get our food. 

Many times in the past we’ve used little pots like this to put the seeds into for the greens and they’re so fragile it just doesn’t work that well. So this year we’re going to try putting it right into the soil. And we’re going to use these for some of the flowers such as zinnias — one of my all-time favorites. Now zinnias came into my life — State Fair zinnias, in particular — they are really tall, they are about this tall, and very sturdy and they go way way way into the fall. And I first learned about State Fair zinnias from my good friend Lisa Gottlob. You know, I wonder if it’s like this for you: when I’m out in the yard there are certain people who are always with —  their spirit — is always with me. Lisa is one of them. Lost her back in 2005. And Dinah Martin is another one with dahlias and lost her back in, well it was right around that same time, 2004 so it’s a lovely way to remember them with things that we grow out in the garden. 

The thing that I would like to do is — I would like to invite you to join me on a project, and the project is to grow enough food that we can give some food away. Now sometimes we’ve grown…this is something you’ve experienced…Zucchini, you know they can turn into boats so fast if you just aren’t on top of it. Well, think of this: we can be right on top of our zucchinis and make sure that we keep them in a small size and we gave them away and then we can even be planting just a little extra so that we know we’re going to have enough to go to a food bank. 

Now we had an amazing experience this year with a food bank. Well, we’ve known about it. We’ve contributed off and on. However never really got it just how desperate it can be when you’re hungry, and this year with Covid it’s different and it’s a good reminder for us too that those of us who have plenty and even more than plenty — we can sure share it and there’s a lot of people who need it. 

I want to show you a picture — this was amazing. So we took quite a bit of food right around Christmas time and this lady right here, this lady received a pumpkin pie that Barbara had made and this is what she said: “Oh! I really was hoping to get a pie for Thanksgiving and now I get to have one for Christmas!” Thanks to Barb. And yes, Barb actually made 44 pies — pumpkin pies — and that was amazing to see. You know what they did was: they were all frozen, Barb froze them all and they put them in the freezer and the idea was to keep them in the freezer until it was time for basically closer to Christmas, and we just happened to be there. She said, “Oh! Could I get one of those pies?” So she got one, a little bit on the early side.

My idea is: every city does have a food bank. Now here in Beaverton we have one over at Unity Church. It’s on 5th and Angel. Isn’t that the perfect name? Angel? This isn’t actually our church. I know about it because one of my most special patients, Reverend Gail Key-Benson, she’s been very pivotal at keeping the food bank going. Well it turns out because of Covid — she’s 86 and she’s had a heart attack, it’s just not safe for her to be out and about — she needed some help, so we got to get in on the ground floor on that. 

So here’s the idea: let’s keep track of what we put together, take some pictures, and send them to me, and write down how it felt to give these things, the food, any kind of food. And the other thing is, hey if you can’t grow food or for some reason it doesn’t work out for you, you can also just give food, you know: cans. Always, always welcome. 

So there you go. 

Blessings,

Bella

YOU ARE INVITED
BEGINNING T’ai Chi Chih — Mindful Moving Meditation Class 
Saturday Mornings Feb 6 – Apr 10, 2021

T’ai Chi Chih (TCC) is a particularly easy-to-learn form of T’ai Chi. There are only 19 movements and one pose. The benefits of daily T’ai Chi Chih practice include: improved circulation and immune system, increased ability to deal with stress, and the joyful experience of community.

Experience the grace and health benefits of this wonderful form of moving meditation. At the completion of the ten-week class, students will be able to do the 19 graceful movements and one pose. 

ADVANCED STUDENTS
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Practice T’ai Chi Chih
FREE and daily with Dr. Bella Box via Zoom