Are Those Pine Trees?

  Today we are driving through the Imperial Valley, filled with fields of apples, corn, grapes, and other fruits I could not see. 

      The irony of being right here, now, is that we are listening to the book "Animal, Vegetable, and Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver. This is the story of a family who chose to leave Tucson, Arizona because they wanted to live in a place where water came locally and food was grown within 50 miles. The discussion of how food is trucked 1500 miles to stores for most Americans is playing while we drive side by side with truck after truck, taking the California produce to the stores where we live.

   Kingsolver accuses us as having a promiscuous food relationship, unable to wait until foods are in season. Her family tries, with difficulty, to be locovore. They try to acquire food within 50 miles and wait patiently for the seasons when produce is harvested. 

   As the valleys in California become hills I start to see the pine tree or two. My heart skips a beat and I feel a little giddy. We are coming back to the Northwest where I feel most at home.

 

     One more traveling day and our pilgrimage comes to an end. We have traveled 3000 miles and visited nine western states. I have been with my husband 24/7 for over two weeks and it has been so pleasant. I was hesitant to go so far but I think it was a highlight of the year.