Alexandria, Egypt. Summer, 1966, during the Six Day War. 4.am. We arose silently, dressed, gathered our meagre belongings and went outside. The police, also silent, led us into their waiting cars, the engines idling softly, ready to move.. Then quietly, quietly, they drove off. They suggested that we duck down if we saw anyone on… Continue reading A Community of Displaced People
Tag: vegan
March
March Storm. On a recent morning walk, a passenger jet prepared to land on my head. It didn’t. And it wasn’t. It was only the wild wild wind thrashing the trees– spraying the raindrops into showers of rainbows in the surprising, intermittent sunshine. The fierce roar was intense. Sometimes I was hustled along,… Continue reading March
American Thanksgiving in a Non American Country
Well, we had roast turkey, sausages, gravy, apple-celery-bacon cornbread stuffing with cashews and cranberries, Amish sweet potatoes with apple and mace, mashed potatoes, squash with crystallised ginger, green beans almondine, broccoli, cranberry-orange relish, the obligatory creamed onions (which, I understand, is an Upstate New York addition), and mince-peach pie, apple-cherry pie, and of course, pumpkin… Continue reading American Thanksgiving in a Non American Country
A Community Farewell
Well, it had to happen eventually, didn’t it — time to leave this community. people who have welded themselves into our hearts, who know us well, have seen us in pajamas and no make up hanging up clothes, have lived through our tragedies and us theirs. Friends who have shared the ghoulish parts of… Continue reading A Community Farewell
A Day at the Festival
3 000 New Testaments burned, by order of a Bishop Fight, not facts, are more important to today’s press. The Malawian government seems to be preventing poor people from being educated We are killing our planet Racial prejudice is still blindingly rife in this country In the random events I chose to attend that day at the… Continue reading A Day at the Festival
Community Gardeners
It seemed like a good idea at the time. I once infiltrated a posh Herb Workshop on a massive Gloucestshire estate, hoping to pick up cooking tips using herbs. Bad bad idea. The situation turned prickly after the lemon balm tea and lavender-bud shortbread, when we had to explain why we were there. All had… Continue reading Community Gardeners
A Community of Activists
! This is Simon, literally breathing fire. We’ve known him since he grew up across the street from us– watching painfully as he hurled himself up and down our cul-de-sac on his monocycle, frequently crashing into fences, trees, and walls, then getting up and trying again. And again. And again. Until he could sail past… Continue reading A Community of Activists
A Neolithic Community
Well, because it was a ridiculously, harebrainedly impossible plan, we did it with enthusiasm. What better way to spend a summer holiday? Our California daughter Lizzie and her two children wanted to see Standing Stones in England. We managed 11. Stone Henge, Avebury, the Rollrights in Oxfordshire led us tantalizingly up through Derbyshire,… Continue reading A Neolithic Community
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