The fretted forest offers no order the pattern, though replete, is random, chaotic and stymies our willful wanting

Each tree is different
though all of these are shagbark hickories
Each leaf, stem and twig varied
The roots have a common habit
but exercise it differently

Each flower, each thorn, each whorl of lichen
has its own imprint
its own long short life
it plays its own note
for this is the genesis of music

Here and there the trees move in rhythm to it
the oak quivers in the light
each leaf a shining disk
spanking the light back
again and back
until the entire tree glitters
making a sound like grain
running down a sheet metal trough
or like the rain that fell
in the black night to leave mirrors
in every hollow and cup
until the sun burnt them dry
and the wind swept them up
to build the clouds
in what is the first sky of summer

Celebrate with the young lambs quarters
growing in the yet untilled garden
Wilt them in garlic and oil in a cast iron pan
whip in half a dozen eggs,
dot with hearts of artichoke
and goat cheese coins
When the eggs are just set
slide under a hot broiler for a few moments only
until the frittata puffs and is beautiful
Tip it onto a board and cut into wedges for serving

The encircling forest has not the order of our wanting
yet we know it since the time
we rose on two feet and listened
to the calling birds to guide us
and read the shadows of the leaves
on the grass like books

We can look at the crystalline blue of the sky
and feel the catch of our heart –
that it belongs to the blue
not to us

Don't look away
look deeper – let your heart take you there
Fear not
the wind will hold you up
the trees stand by you shimmering
the birds' simple song show you how

Brought to you by
Myra Klockenbrink
Holistic Health and Wellness Therapy
email: mhopehome[at]yahoo[dot]com

Check out these fridge shots: which one is like yours?

In a related light, The Nation has published this list of "Ten Things You Can Do to Fight World Hunger"

Not surprisingly, many items on this list - tailored to address world hunger, a very important issue in its own rite - also would directly impact our own cultural food issues. Suggestions like

"Write letters to the editor and op-ed articles in your local paper calling on the government to cut or end subsidies that encourage large agribusinesses to overproduce grains and dump their surpluses on the developing world at sub-market prices."

"Eat less meat"

It's a great list - I only wish it provided more actionable resources.

Often, my reality is 1-2 things can be accomplished each day (grocery shopping & playground; work & making dinner; work, ordering in, & catching up on email). It's been really hard for me to grasp that when that one little thing I'd love to do pops up, I simply cannot 'rearrange this' or 'not do that' to make room for it. Part of me rebels. ("there must be time here somewhere... maybe - oh. maybe! - oh. hrm...") there simply isn't any more time to be squeezed out of my day. I sometimes find myself eyeing people on the subway who look young enough to be childless and thinking "if she wanted to go to yoga, she could just CHOOSE to go - she has no idea how free she is!"

And now for my little secret - between me and the birds: rising early. I have reclaimed a couple hours of me-time and it's happening when no one else is awake. Often, for me, I wake early to exercise (- I NEED exercise). But sometimes I just go for a quick walk and come back and get organized about something, or write email, or journal. It feels so good to get something quietly accomplished.

I started this in the winter, and I will say: it was a huge challenge. it was dark and cold and not very welcoming to the early riser. But now spring is upon us, and the birds know nature's loveliest secret - that the wee hours of the early morning can provide you with an amazing, fulfilling jump start to your day, and the gorgeous spring morning is like your own little private gift of sunny newness. Ok, yes, that is a little rosey for 5:30am, but after you've gotten over the initial pain, you really do realize how amazing it feels. And the weird truth is that you really can steal the time: funny enough, I go to bed at pretty much the same time, and I have more energy than when I slept in later.

So, here's to a couple of delicious early-morning reclaimed hours. If you'd like to give it a shot at waking earlier, I recommend this fantastic post: How to become an Early Riser.

Some highlights:
Food issues hit home for all of Brooklyn–from school lunches, the rise in diabetes, and escalating food costs to immigration, farmers markets and local food challenges and delights, food touches us all. Come join us for a day of workshops, food demos, and a kids’ food fair. Lunch and dinner will be available for purchase. Dance following dinner. The conference will be FREE to all participants.

• See a roundtable of NYC chefs, moderated by WNYC’s Leonard Lopate, with Dan Barber, Peter Hoffman, Bill Telepan, and Brooklyn’s own David Shea of Applewood and John Tucker of Rosewater.

• Hear LaDonna Redmond on what people in Chicago have done to change their food system, learn about worldwide food rebellions from author Raj Patel, and find out how climate change can affect the world’s food supply from activist Anna Lappé, and discuss milk health risks and benefits with author Nina Planck–plus workshops with many other dedicated activists and professionals.

• Screen films about food issues, including Fresh, Life and Debt, Unnatural Selection, and Flow.

• Meet your local farmers!

• Learn how to start your own victory garden in Brooklyn, compost, and start a food coop.

• Join your children at a kids’ food fair with cooking demonstrations and other fun activities.

• Workshops by and for teens plus Teen Iron Chef!

• Enjoy lunch and dinner created by Brooklyn chefs using sustainable foods.

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Kicks off on Friday night with a screening of FRESH by Ana Joanes, followed by a day's full of activities, workshops, and more films on Saturday May 2.

Learn more, here: brooklynfoodconference.org

As a creature of these environs, I begin to prepare for the seasonal shift, and part of that is shifting my thoughts and feelings on diet: gone are the days of all-day cooked stews and hearty meaty dishes. I long for crisp, bright, colorful, less-cooked fare, and I can hardly wait for the bounty of fresh foods spring will bring.

Though some of them are starting to appear (hello, beautiful bitter greens of every kind!) - but it's not all here yet - and I am scraping the bottom of the creativity barrel with the same winter veggies. Lately, I've been deeply satisfied with the recipe below - a perfect wintery prelude to spring, in all its raw crispness, fashioned from a favorite winter veggie - kale - served raw with a spicy/tangy dressing. Enjoy...

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Tuscan Kale Salad

1 bunch Tuscan kale (also known as black or lacinato kale)
1 thin slice country bread (part whole-wheat or rye is nice), or 1/4 cup bread crumbs (coarse)
1/2 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely grated pecorino cheese (or parmesan in a pinch), more for garnish
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, more for garnish
Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

1. Trim bottom 2 inches off kale stems and discard. Slice kale, including ribs, into 3/4-inch-wide ribbons. You should have 4 to 5 cups. Place kale in a large bowl.

2. If using bread, toast it until golden on both sides. Tear it into small pieces and grind in a food processor until mixture forms coarse crumbs.

3. Using a mortar and pestle, or with the back of a knife, pound garlic into a paste. Transfer garlic to a small bowl. Add 1/4 cup cheese, 3 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper flakes and black pepper, and whisk to combine. Pour dressing over kale and toss very well to thoroughly combine (dressing will be thick and need lots of tossing to coat leaves).

4. Let salad sit for 5 minutes, then serve topped with bread crumbs, additional cheese and a drizzle of oil.

Yield: 2 to 4 servings.

PS - I still get a little perk in my step every time I hear the phrase "President Obama" - it never grows old.

Scientists suspect that the benefits of a healthful diet come from eating the whole fruit or vegetable, not just the individual vitamins found in it. “There may not be a single component of broccoli or green leafy vegetables that is responsible for the health benefits,” Dr. Gann said. “Why are we taking a reductionist approach and plucking out one or two chemicals given in isolation?”

Why ARE we taking a reductionist approach and plucking out one or two chemicals in isolation? To use Michael Pollan's term, 'nutritionism' is only complicating things, and ignores the systemic nature of our bodies, our lives, and the food we eat. To think we are anywhere close to understanding the delicate dance between our bodies and the nourishment provided by the earth's fruits - or that we can come close through the reductive scientific method, is infuriating to me. Yes - we can learn a lot - but why not just eat a bountiful, varied, whole foods diet based on seasonal eating?

That said, I will admit that I DO take vitamins - just a multi and cod liver oil. And that is merely an insurance plan - I believe that our food system doesn't make it easy to eat the balanced diet we need to get the goods, so why not back it up with vitamins. But just as I believe in quality of food, I believe in quality of product, and I am very careful to get well-sourced, whole-food based vitamins, as well as Internationally Certified Fish Oil. But supplements are my plan B for health - not may main game. Eating (and enjoying) quality food is.

Regardless of that debate, there was a new study released this week that found that almost half of all HFCS samples tested contained mercury, a toxic heavy metal that can wreak havoc on the body. Just one more reason to read your labels, eat high-quality whole foods, and steer clear of HFCS.