Ahimsa Camp Day 6

Namaste,
Today was a day of abundance. We were blessed with a vast array of activities for our camp, time and resources for an educational outing, and delicious homemade foods.

Our theme today centered around abundance and we spent a good portion of the day discussing where our material possessions originate and what is involved in the process of making them. In regards to this, topics such child slavery, sustainable living, simple living, and reusing items were covered. The kids were provided the opportunity to contemplate what it means to live in the U.S. within a global context.

Yesterday, I went shopping a few items to make our veggie snacks and meals today. I noticed that groceries seem to be getting more expensive almost each time I go. Even in the midst of this economic turmoil and the stress this brings to our individual lives, it helps to note that we are surrounded with abundance on a daily basis. In the U.S. we are afforded far greater material security then most other nations on this Earth. The important part, and the part we tried to show the kids today, is learning how to not abuse this abundance and to live in sustainable and ethical ways.

This morning I made yummy peanut butter balls with coconut, raisins, almonds, pecans, and granola rolled in with a taste of homemade maple syrup. We ate these and bananas for morning snack.

The kids helped to make pizza dough today and we discussed how several cultures hold bread making as a sacred art. To celebrate the coming harvest cycle and harvest moon, we ground some of our own grain and made homemade sun tea with various types of mint. We all had fun getting our hands dirty.

For lunch I made 7 vegan pizzas, fresh fruit, and some veggies. The pizzas were veggie chilli/black bean with colorful peppers, sesame with caramelized onions, sweet potatoes with my special garlic sauce and veggies on top, a vegan white pizza, a special kid friendly pasta topped pizza, and a dessert (cinnamon sugar, peanut butter, banana) pizza. In addition, we made another one to take with us to donate during the outing.

Following lunch, the kiddos helped to clean up a bit and then went to the local food bank as an outing and donated a homemade pizza to the volunteers there. They had fun also looking around the second hand stores and learning about all sorts of things including economic inequality and sustainable lifestyles that include utilizing community thrift stores.

The kids came back pretty excited and gardened and did some arts and crafts. One of the crafts featured making hats out of old plastic grocery bags. For snack we ate some healthy watermelon and relaxed before the kids headed home.

I am grateful for our one volunteer today Brenda who is going to college this fall and very interested in permaculture and gardening. She was a wonderful presence.

Take Care,
Dominique