Gardening for Peace

I began sprouting seeds for a “Peace Garden,” my effort to duplicate the “Victory Gardens” of my parents’ era. It's not as if I have to grow vegetables, as I can happily troop to the store and the farmer's market this summer for tomatoes, zucchini, and green beans. If history is any guide, the store-bought variety will taste better than anything I can grow in this clay-heavy High Plains soil. But we all have to do our part during wartime. I will plant my garden, and pray to St. Francis that the crows and the hail don't get my plants before they bear fruit.

Ordered three copies of “Poets Against the War,” the anthology of anti-war poetry edited by Sam Hamill. One is for me, one is for a Republican friend, and the other is for my local library.

Sent an anti-war letter to the editor of my local paper, a response to an op-ed by a local teacher that praised the intelligence of our leaders. Here is a line from the letter: “Remember, Mrs. Burrows, that the leaders you consider such geniuses have accomplished the following in their few years in office: Led us into an unjust and illegal war; alienated the rest of the world; decimated the U.S. economy; and savaged our constitutional rights.”

I wore my button from Sojourners, the Catholic peace and justice magazine, that reads: “War Is Not the Answer.”

The button prompted some lively encounters in this military town. A guy with more gray hair than me came up and said: “That button should say “War is NEVER the answer.” Turns out he was a physician who had been drafted to serve in Vietnam in a forward medical unit. “I had to sign at least 50 death certificates. Wouldn’t believe some of the things I saw.”

Practiced "Zen shopping," an oft-neglected tenet of Buddhism that urges practitioners to meditate on each item in the store before placing it in the shopping cart. Yesterday, for instance, a nifty new gardening tool caught my eye. It was a combination cultivator/espresso machine, which appeals to two of my passions. I sat in the aisle, clutching the "culticaffeinator" in my hand, and reciting the mantra: "Do I really need this? Do I really need this?" Before an answer appeared, I was run over by a frantic old lady headed for the fertilizer sales. Guess I will never know....   

Watched a minimum of network or cable news accounts of the Iraq War. Avoided FOX news like the plague. Listened to the BBC on NPR. On the web, found my news at Reuters, BBC, the Guardian, and the many anti-war blogs that have sprung up. There is no substitute for real news from real reporters. But the antiwar sites and blogs can give insight into little-reported issues. A good one to start with is the one by Michael Moore. As always, he has a lot to say and the site has great links.

Wrote a short story that had nothing to do with the war. Entitled "Safe at Any Speed," is focuses on the unexpected joy faced by protagonist Bob Rogers when he discovers the world of personalized electric transportation devices.

Bought the latest CD from the Dixie Chicks. Played it really loud to annoy my neighbors. While the Chicks'version of "Landslide" is quickly wearing on me, I love their blend of voice and traditional bluegrass instruments. “Travelin' Soldier" is the most touching antiwar song in decades, focusing on heartache caused by another war. (NOTE: Despite what you might surmise from TV and right-wing radio, sales of Dixie Chicks CDs are rising, not sinking.)

Drank a few beers with my wife as we watched the NCAA Final Four game.

Took my family to the Denver Zoo during spring break.