I don't understand this succulent. Is this mutant stalk normal? #gardening #succulents #zombiegarden #itsafrogslife #scenesfromthelilypad #greenthumb https://www.instagram.com/p/BybG2-XhLLV/?igshid=1rygndsmfjfxg
I helped with Children’s Cafeteria in the morning today. It was nice to join them after being absent for several months.
Usually “children’s cafeteria” refers to community efforts to support economically challenged families by providing them with inexpensive meals. But in this city, official survey didn’t find such families.
Nevertheless, this project was started to provide community people a chance to get together and eat together. The truth is that families may be economically fine but some kids are always eating meals alone because parents are too busy. And some young moms are feeling alone and helpless in child raising. This project was started to support such families. The aim is to give them a chance to play with other kids, talk with other parents, have fun together and spare moms from cooking once a month. Basically, mean to convey the message, “Hey, you’re not alone.”
But the problem is COVID-19 pandemic. We cannot get together to eat together in a room. So for months, we have been keeping our ties through to-go bento with staff’s message pasted on each.
Now, in this country, kids’ all-time favorite are hamburger steak (salisbury steak), sushi and curry rice (IMO). This time we went for the hamburger steak to please them. ;)
BTW, these cherry tomatoes and colored bell peppers were from “zombie garden” -- the veggie garden that a few staff including myself are taking care of.
(It’s a kind of spin-off project of this cafeteria but operating independently.)
It definitely feels rewarding to see the result of our efforts in the garden being useful. :D
Recently some kids started helping with cooking. It’s so heartwarming to see the adult staff flexibly giving them work to do.
Most of the time, we see “kids-only groups” or “elderly-only groups” in the community and when they do interact, it’s usually as “official” exchange events. That’s good but I love being in a group like this in which different generations naturally work together.
Our hand-written message stickers on the bento box are more colorful and diverse now, thanks to the kids.
And the art-club members of local high school draw illustrations on the signboard for us every month. It’s nice of them to include some seasonal themes.
Their work is such an eye-catcher. These days, those who came to pick up the bento take time to shoot some photos of the signboard.
The COVID pandemic is not over and now the number of infected people are actually more than ever. So, though much less people become severely ill recently, we still wear masks and ask them to keep appropriate distance when they come to pick up the bento.
We just hope that our bento and messages help these families cope with this pandemic (which often feels like a long tunnel without the sight of the ext...).
“Hope we all can get together and eat together someday!” “Don’t get heat stroke and have a fun day!” “Too bad shaved ice can’t be packed in bento.” “Prevent the COVID-19 and enjoy the summer to the fullest!”
Maybe I've been writing and teaching too much about death, resurrection, and zombies. Hmmm. #growsomethinggreen #zombiegarden #beans #sprouts #urbangardenersrepublic #urbangarden #spring #sonya7 #snapseed
